Thousands and thousands of middle school students around the world participate in reading intervention programs, many that are very expensive with limited effectiveness. We wanted to know if an after-school intervention focused on close reading procedures could improve student achievement. Close reading of complex text involves annotations,…

Low-achieving readers in Grade 5 often lack comprehension strategies, domain knowledge, word recognition skills, fluency, and motivation to read. Students with such multiple reading needs seem likely to benefit from instruction that supports each of these reading processes. The authors tested this expectation experimentally by comparing the…

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the efficacy of repeated readings on the oral reading fluency rate and reading comprehension accuracy of high school students with specific learning disabilities. The participants included three tenth and eleventh grade students with specific learning disabilities in a study skills resource…

Investigates the effects of an experimental set of reading lessons focusing on strategies applied to social studies textbook material. Finds that, in three of four comparisons, students receiving weekly strategy lessons were better at summarizing social studies material than were control subjects. Finds no differences between groups in terms of…

A study found children (ages 7-12) with difficulties in phonemic awareness and word identification who received Fast ForWord (FFW) training (n=11) and Orton Gillingham (OG) training (n=9) made similar gains in phonemic awareness. Unlike children who received FFW, children who received OG training made significant gains in word attack. (Contains…

A study examined the effect of Direct Instruction (DI) on the reading achievement of sixth graders. Subjects were 72 Chicago Public School students, nearly 100% minority. In the school year of 1994-95 no students received DI. A sample of 30 students who performed poorly, with stanines of 1, 2, and 3 on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) were…

This study assessed the effectiveness of a metacognitive and reciprocal teaching approach for improving the word identification and reading comprehension skills of upper primary poor readers in a regular classroom situation. To improve word identification skills, experimental subjects were given metacognitive training in the analysis and…

The aims of concept-oriented reading instruction (CORI) are to increase motivation, strategies, and conceptual learning. To attain these aims, CORI classrooms are: conceptually oriented, observational, collaborative, and personalized, emphasizing strategies of searching, comprehending, integrating, and composing for audiences of peers. Two…

This report describes a program designed to develop positive attitudes toward reading and to improve achievement in third and fourth grade students in two Midwestern communities. Teachers' observations and conversations with parents and students indicated students did not receive essential reading practice time to improve skills. Analysis of…