COMPARING INSTRUCTIONAL-MODELS FOR THE LITERACY EDUCATION OF HIGH-RISK FIRST-GRADERS

This study was designed to examine the effectiveness of Reading Recove ry as compared to three other instructional models. Treatments include d (a) a treatment modeled on Reading Recovery provided by teachers tra ined in a shortened program, (b) a one-on-one skills practice model, a nd (c) a group treatment taught by trained Reading Recovery teachers. The lowest achieving first-grade readers (N = 324) from 10 school dist ricts were randomly assigned to one of the four interventions or to a comparison group. A hierarchical linear model analysis revealed that R eading Recovery children performed significantly better on four measur es (dictation, text reading level, Gates-MacGinitie, and Woodcock) tha n any of the other treatment groups and the comparison group. A macroa nalysis of videotaped lessons revealed that essential program componen ts related to success were one-on-one lessons, the lesson framework, a nd the Reading Recovery teacher Staff development model.