RESULTS OF AN EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR FIRST-GRADE CHILDREN AT RISK FOR READING-DISABILITY

Thirty-eight first grade children with low emergent literacy skills wh o were at risk for difficulty in learning to read were tutored for a m edian of 58 half-hour sessions in addition to their regular classroom instruction. The tutoring (Early Intervention Program, EIP) focused on word recognition, phonetic application and comprehension in context. The EIP children's word recognition in isolation and in context, readi ng speed, and comprehension were superior to well-matched controls at completion of tutoring, at the end of first grade, and at third grade. At grade three, the EIP group was equivalent to a group of average-re ading classmates on word recognition in context, acceptable accuracy a nd answering comprehension questions, but not on word recognition in i solation or on reading speed.