Reading difficulties are persistent
- The danger in developmental delay is assuming children will catch up.
- Assuming that students will 'catch up' over time with practice as usual is risky.
- The evidence indicates this is a low probability occurrence.
Empirical Support
| Grade Identified as Dyslexic | % Brought to Normal Classroom Level |
|---|---|
| First 2 grades | 82% |
| Grade 3 | 46% |
| Grades 5-7 | 10-15% |
| (cited in Foorman, et al., 1996; see References) | |
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1998 (see References):
- Proficient readers remain a minority.
- Problems are particularly severe for disadvantaged students (50% of 4th grade students whose parents graduated from college were proficient / advanced compared to only 10% of 4th graders whose parents did not finish high school).
- Lower income and minority students lose significantly greater literacy skills in the summer than students from higher income families.
|
GOAL: All children reading by the end of third grade. The Scope of Reading in the U.S. Demographics and Societal Trends The Persistence of Reading Difficulties |
|
