Teaching at-risk students to read using specialized techniques in the regular classroom

The reading achievement of at-risk first, second, and third grade students participating in a systematic, sequential, multi-sensory, synthetic, phonetically-based approach to reading (Project Read) was compared with that of control group students instructed through the use of traditional basal readers. Data were analyzed for both the full study and a sub-group in which the teacher variable was controlled. Significant differences were found at first grade for all subtests and the total reading achievement of treatment group students. First grade students reached achievement levels thought possible only through tutoring.