Quantitative Article Summary

Introduction

This article looks at what research tells us about helping students who read below grade level and needing more research to make improvements toward reading standards.

Summary

The author states that most research has a limited amount of studies that only include traditional instruction. Most studies do not include standardized measures or changes in performance or accountability, which is what the article is recommending. Lastly, the author reveals that without research of those type of measures, significant improvements will not be made toward grade-level reading standards, without specifying instructional needs at varying levels and reading impairments.

Critiquing

Schools should provide high-quality instruction which include word-level and comprehension skills. Many researchers would agree that up to 61% of struggling

The author progresses to say that struggling readers need instructional support that varies in intensity and focus. Like the author states, I agree that instructional support should be increased with improving the quality and consistency. Many students need more intensive reading instruction then what content area teachers may provide. According to research, an intervention curriculum should teach and build foundational skills and incorporate some complex reading skills (Gersten et al., 2008). Specific skills vary by grade level and reflect the development at different stages in reading. Effective literacy instruction for students reading below grade is very similar for students reading at grade level and above, with the exception of instruction to increase reading accuracy and fluency. What research supports this? I feel that statement is too broad and that every child develops and understands things differently. How can only the exception be of the instruction? In fact, the author already states the lack of research is evident. Why does