In this article, I (a) overview the ebbs and flows of two beginning reading approaches (code-emphasis and balanced instruction) used in U.S. schools from 1950 to the present; (b) compare and contrast the two instructional approaches; and (c) suggest some simple assessment procedures that can be used to measure student learning. In closing, I…

The goal for all students is that they become proficient readers. When students are not making adequate progress with core or supplemental reading supports, their instruction needs to intensify until they are on track for reading success. Intensifying instruction for students with reading difficulties is challenging. There are many evidence-based…

A person's literacy level impacts multitudinous aspects of their life. Determining and implementing effective procedures to address reading struggles continues to plague the education sector. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how teachers in the fourth grade describe how they select and implement reading intervention…

When students experience difficulty learning to read, they often require intervention to target the specific areas of need. Dynamic and responsive data-based individualization is necessary to improve overall reading performance and close the gap between students receiving intervention and their grade level peers. When students are not making…

Early identification and instruction aimed at addressing potential reading difficulties is the key to preventing prolonged difficulties in learning to read and ensuring that all students are reading with proficiency by the end of third grade. Tier 1 core reading curricula needs to be: (a) evidence based, (b) systematic and structured, (c)…

Background: This study analyzes the use of a text-related question strategy aimed at improving the reading comprehension and reading awareness abilities of a metacognitively trained group of students with reading comprehension difficulties. In an initial Grade 3 primary school students' assessment in the same classroom, some students were…

Fewer than half of all students across the nation qualify as proficient readers. Compounding this problem are the underlying challenges to students and their teachers of learning disabilities and dyslexia. Professional development courses can help teachers address these deficiencies. The purpose of this study was to determine how graduates of the…

U.S. national data indicate that approximately 90% of rural students with a reading disability read at or below basic levels of reading proficiency. A growing body of research demonstrates that the ability to make inferences is essential for reading comprehension but particularly difficult for students with reading disabilities. Compounding…

Reading difficulties during childhood often continue during adulthood and result in adverse effects (e.g., unemployment, poverty). A common method to teach early literacy skills is via multisensory instructional programs, which use combinations of mnemonic devices, such as visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic movements. The current…

This qualitative case study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of reading literacy teachers based on teacher perceptions. The case study was an examination of instructional practices, strategies, professional developments, and resources at they relate to effective reading instruction. Reading is the core to education because it is…

This paper examines the operation of the English Special Educational Needs and Disability tribunal system in relation to children who present with a dyslexia diagnosis. It identifies a number of significant weaknesses; in particular, the absence of clear diagnostic criteria capable of differentiating such children from large numbers of other…

Data-based instruction (DBI) is a process in which teachers use progress data to make ongoing instructional decisions for students with learning disabilities. Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is a common form of progress monitoring, and CBM data are placed on a graph to guide decision-making. Despite the central role that graph interpretation…

Comprehension monitoring is a meta-cognitive skill that is defined as the ability to self-evaluate one's comprehension of text. Although it is known that struggling adult readers are poor at monitoring their comprehension, additional research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying comprehension monitoring and their role in reading…

Previous studies of K-12 dyslexia legislation have described broad trends in legislative content, such as the presence or absence of screening and intervention requirements. This study uses document analysis to provide a finer-grained description of the laws to highlight critical variation in policy that will directly affect (a) the number and…

Comprehensive and evidence-based, Structured Literacy (SL) approaches place a high value on explicit, systematic, and sequential instruction. This book brings together leading experts on key components of literacy to help K-6 teachers design and target SL interventions for particular student profiles. Chapters identify effective features of…