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 Dear Steve,
Is
your child in remedial reading but not making any progress?
Or
perhaps she spent a year in remedial reading but only made three months
progress. This means she actually fell further behind her peers.
The
fact that most schools fail to use research
based reading programs that are implemented by trained teachers is the
main reason why only
32 percent of children are proficient readers by the end of 3rd grade.
It
makes you wonder about the kind of remedial program the school is using and
how effective it is.
So
what ARE the criteria for remedial reading programs?
In this
issue of the Special
Ed Advocate Sue Whitney, Research Editor at Wrightslaw, explains the
reasons for reading failure and the requirement for research based programs
that are implemented by "trained" teachers.
Please
don't hesitate to forward
this issue of the Special
Ed Advocate to other families, friends, and colleagues.
Sign
up free today! l Read
previous issues
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Three Reasons for
Reading Failure
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 Tragically, 75
percent of children who are not proficient readers by the end of third
grade will never be proficient readers.
In What
are the Criteria for Remedial Reading Programs, Sue Whitney says:
"I
am not aware of any research showing that a research based program will
work if it is used by a teacher who is not properly trained, if the
teacher-student ratio is wrong, if the required hours per day and week are
wrong, or if the program is wrong for the child's stage of reading development."
Reading
programs will not teach your child to read proficiently if:
1. The
program is not appropriate for the child,
2. There are too many students in the reading class,
3. The pace of the instruction is too rapid for children to achieve mastery
of skills presented.
Stages
of Reading Development
If the
reading program is not matched to your child's stage of reading
development and is not sufficiently intense to bring his skills to
where they need to be for his age and grade, it is worthless for your
child.
If the
program is not appropriate for your child's reading stage, it will be
ineffective for him, even if it works for other children his age.
For more information about the stages
of reading development, read the complete text of the article, What
are the Criteria for Remedial Reading Programs.
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Six Qualities of
Effective Reading Programs
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 1. Effective
programs are driven by reading research, not ideology.
2. Effective programs emphasize direct, systematic, intensive, and
sustained reading.
3. Effective programs require school-wide buy-in before they are adopted.
4. Effective programs are supported by initial professional development and
extended follow-up training throughout the school year.
5. When implementing an effective program, the school needs to be committed
to the integrity of the program's instructional approach and
materials.
6. Effective programs make effective use of instructional time, provide
multiple reading opportunities, and employ a variety of reading
assessments.
Source: Considerations
When Selecting a Reading Program.
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A Model Reading
Program: Reading First
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Reading
First, a model program from the U.S. Department of Education calls for 90
minutes of instruction per day, 5 days a week, from kindergarten through
grade 3.
Children
who are not making sufficient progress receive additional instruction.
This
model assumes that reading instruction takes place in general education
classrooms. Children are not allowed to fall behind. They are given the
instruction they need when they need it.
"A
high-quality reading program that is based on scientifically based research
must include instructional content based on the five essential
components of reading instruction integrated into a coherent
instructional design.
"The
design should also consider the allocation of time, including a
protected, uninterrupted block of time for reading instruction of more than
90 minutes per day. "
 Read more about
the Guidance
for the Reading First Program, from the U.S. Department of Education in
the article, What
are the Criteria for Remedial Reading Programs.
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11 Questions to
Ask About Your Childs' Reading Program
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 Here are some
questions you need to ask about your child's reading program:
1.
What is the name of my child's reading program?
2. Is the reading program researched-based? Does the program include the
five essential elements identified by the National
Reading Panel and required by No
Child Left Behind?
3. How many children will be in my child's reading group?
4. How have the children in this group been selected?
5. Has the teacher been trained in direct, systematic, multisensory reading
instruction?
6. Is the teacher certified in this particular program?
7. Has the teacher completed a supervised practicum in this program?
8. How many hours of instruction per week will my child receive?
9. How will the pace of the instruction be determined?
10. What criteria will be used to determine mastery?
11. How will I be informed about my child's progress?
More
information about Reading and Research Based Reading Programs.
Learn more about teaching
children to read.
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