The Matthew effect, where good readers get increasingly better over time compared to relatively lower-ability readers, is an often cited phenomenon in reading research. However, researchers have not always found empirical evidence supporting a Matthew effect. We used hierarchical growth curve modeling to test for the presence of the Matthew effect…

Researchers used a kindergarten screening to identify kindergarten students at risk for difficulties in reading (phonological awareness) and writing (fine motor and perceptual skills) prior to beginning the school year. Of the 102 incoming kindergarten students, 54 showed signs of reading or writing difficulties. These 54 children participated in…

We examined data from an 18-week kindergarten vocabulary intervention study to determine whether treatment outcomes had differential effects that favored English language learners (ELLs) or English-only learners (EOLs) and whether the relationship between initial English general receptive vocabulary knowledge and response to vocabulary…

Although an abundance of research exists regarding reading achievement gaps with minority students, and it is widely accepted that experiences in the early grades can be foundational to future success, there is a need for more research on what constitutes effective literacy practices for struggling African American emergent readers. The purpose of…

This article discusses why early and sustained vocabulary development is important for listening and reading comprehension development and presents findings from 8 studies implemented with children of mostly low socioeconomic status in settings from day care to first grade. Program interventions were based on learning new vocabulary developed out…

Accurate identification of at-risk kindergarten and 1st-grade students through early reading screening is an essential element of responsiveness to intervention models of reading instruction. The authors consider predictive validity and classification accuracy of early reading screening assessments with attention to sensitivity and specificity.…

This article introduces The RULER Approach ("RULER") to social and emotional learning, with a particular focus on its Feeling Words Curriculum. Through this curriculum, RULER contributes to the ultimate goals of an English language arts education--preparing students to achieve personal, social, and academic goals and to be engaged and contributing…

This study examined the technical characteristics of newly created general outcome measures (GOMs) in reading for students with significant cognitive disabilities. The participants were 31 students with significant cognitive disabilities, and the GOMs used produced reliable data. Early results establishing the validity of the GOMs suggest that…

This study matched 15 kindergarten and 1st-grade retained students in 7 schools with their promoted peers on grade-level literacy performance. Researchers collected literacy assessments, demographic information, and instruction dosage data. Retained kindergarten students received less intervention and did not benefit academically from retention.…

The increasing demand for improved student performance in the context of significant time constraints places considerable stress on educators and administrators to develop innovative strategies that promote literacy acquisition. This article describes the procedures and outlines the evaluative data for Reading Their Way, a literacy acquisition…

This article describes the findings of our review process for core reading programs and provides a preliminary rubric emanating from this process for rating core reading programs. To our knowledge, this is the first published review of the current "Reading First" guidelines and includes all five components of scientifically based reading research…

This article describes six instructional techniques that support emerging or struggling writers. The techniques are first modeled in a vignette of a kindergarten writing conference and then explicitly defined. A writing scale is presented for tracking the development of emerging writers with suggestions for the type and timing of instruction…

This study examined the practices of effective kindergarten programs with respect to literacy instruction so as to provide models for schools working to educate large populations of at-risk students. Three kindergarten programs participated. Research methods included observations of reading instruction and intervention programs and survey and…

This study examined the practices of effective kindergarten programs with respect to literacy instruction so as to provide models for schools working to educate large populations of at-risk students. Three kindergarten programs participated. Research methods included observations of reading instruction and intervention programs and survey and…