In our district, it was implemented with a vengence in the 70's. We have data showing the impact it had on student performance. It elevated initial reading scores, as it clearly impacted decoding. However, by the time students reached third grade, remembering at that time a distinct shift in the testing at the third grade level from learning to read to reading to learn, reading scored plummeted. Not only did they drop, they were lower than ever before. Distar does have a connection to a recent reinvention, but the link is to Open Court.
Lori Jackson District Literacy Coach and Mentor Todd County School District Box 87 Mission SD 5755 ----- Original message ----- From: Laura <[email protected]> To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group <[email protected]> Date: Thursday, January 29, 2009 10:22 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Reading Mastery, etcetera > I'm not familiar with Reading Mastery but I remember Distar. It was just > coming into vogue when I left teaching to stay with babies. 4 children and > 9 years later when I returned I didn't hear anymore about it. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Renee" <[email protected]> > To: "Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Email Group" > <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 9:05 AM > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Reading Mastery, etcetera > > > I agree with Laura. > Anyone remember Distar? Is Reading Mastery just Distar, revisited? > > The idea of hiding the pictures makes me cringe. :( > > Renee > > > On Jan 28, 2009, at 11:55 AM, Laura Klug wrote: > > > To my way of thinking , this approach makes no sense at all, especially > > for struggling readers. Why make those who are having trouble breaking > > the code learn another code ? Of course they are confused. They are > > cfonfused about what real reading is. To be sure , struggling readers > > need a systematic way to understand the way words work, but that is one > > small part of what makes one a reader. Real text makes a reader because > > there is a reciprocal process that is always there between the reader and > > the text. > > I would not recommend such an approach to anyone wanting to help improve > > the quality of instuction for students. > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: [email protected] on behalf of Amy McGovern > > Sent: Wed 1/28/2009 1:26 PM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Reading Mastery, etcetera > > > > > > > > > > As someone who taught Reading Mastery and now trains and consults on > > these programs I can share that in all my schools, we have never boxed up > > trade books or classroom libraries. Children need the experience of > > reading trade books. Indeed, I think we all agree that students should > > read and be read to from a variety of books. The goals of teachers who > > thoughtfully use Direct Instruction programs are the same as the goals of > > teachers who use Guided Reading or any other methodology or pedagogy. We > > all want to teach children to read well and to love reading. To do this > > effectively, students should have access to a rich variety of books. > > Here are some insights on what Beverlee is referring to below. Again, > > please know that I do not personally or professionally advocate the > > boxing up of any trade books. If administrators are concerned about > > confusing the students because trade books are in the room where Reading > > Mastery is being taught, the answer is to provide more top quality staff > > development and classroom coaching- not to remove the books. There are > > differences to how early reading is taught in DI vs. a Guided Reading > > approach (for example). Is there potential for confusion if primary > > students are getting lessons in both? Yes. Can that be overcome? Yes. > > But it takes training and a willingness to make some changes in how the > > GR lesson is taught to the fragile learner or very young learner. The > > teacher's guide for Reading Mastery (RMI classic) does not advocate > > mixing RM with other forms of instruction. Having said that, Trade > > books and DI can and should happily co-exist. There are two big > > differences that come to mind when thinking about Trade books and the > > storybooks used in Reading Mastery levels 1 and 2. To begin with, K, 1st > > and 2nd grade students who are in Reading Mastery levels 1 and 2 are > > reading material that is written with a modified orthography. That means > > that the print looks different. The students are taught to sound out > > words as their first way of approaching an unfamiliar word. To make this > > easier for the students, the 40 sound symbols in the English Language are > > written in such a way that they look visually different. Each > > sound/symbol is explicitly taught and practiced. Spelling always remains > > correct. Letters that are not pronounced when a word is sounded out are > > written smaller. Beginning in RM2, the print begins to transition back to > > "normal". By the end of RM2, students are reading stories written with > > regular print. Another significant difference between trade book and > > the storybooks in RM1: the pictures in the storybook are intentionally > > put on the 2nd page. They are hidden from view while the children are > > reading the story for the first few times. The purpose of this is to > > help the students focus on the text. The story is read 2 to 3 times > > before the picture is given attention. The goal is to get the students > > to be accurate, appropriately fluent, then ask comprehension questions-- > > and finally to enjoy the picture. It may also be relevant to point out > > that the text of these stories is intentionally controlled so that > > students experience high levels of success continuously. I am only > > scratching the surface of the details and procedures in RM. My hope is > > that you can see, with the vast knowledge base on this site, a few of the > > difference between a balanced lit approach to early reading and what > > happens in an early RM lesson. The fact that there are differences > > between the two approaches is ok because some kids need the design of RM > > to become successful readers. With all this in mind, I have found that > > children in Reading Mastery 1 and 2 benefit from taking what they are > > learning to do very well-- and practicing/applying these skills while > > reading thoughtfully chosen trade books or leveled readers. When done > > well, this type of practice only reinforces the transfer of skills from > > Reading Mastery to all types of reading material. This is the goal. My > > own experience is that primary kids in RM confidently pull high interest > > books off the shelves and give them a try. Reading Mastery has empowered > > them. They see themselves as readers because they are. I hope this > > information helps. Amy McGovernEducational ConsultantDirect Instruction > > Trainer and Coach since 2001.> Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2009 06:46:55 -0700> > > From: [email protected]> To: [email protected]> Subject: > > [MOSAIC] Reading Mastery, etcetera> > Hi all - I'd like to ask a question > > that affects everyone interested in> teaching comprehension, especially > > in a release to independence format. Do> any of you know of any instances > > where schools have adopted Reading Mastery> or another Direct Instruction > > program and have been forced to eliminate the> use of trade books in > > classrooms (or, alternately, very limited> participation in a library > > program) in order to use comprehension strategies> (or other strategies, > > actually) in the classroom? I think I remember> someone on this list > > serve saying that the principal and curriculum director> came by and > > loaded up all the trade books so they didn't "confuse" the K,> 1, and > > maybe 2 grade students. Help, please. Bev> > > _______________________________________________> Mosaic mailing list> > > [email protected]> To unsubscribe or modify your membership > > please go to> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ > > mosaic_literacyworkshop.org.> > Search the MOSAIC archives at > > http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.> > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Windows Live(tm) Hotmail®...more than just e-mail. > > http://windowslive.com/howitworks? > > ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t2_hm_justgotbetter_howitworks_012009 > > _______________________________________________ > > Mosaic mailing list > > [email protected] > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Mosaic mailing list > > [email protected] > > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/ mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > > "The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of > crisis, remain neutral." ~ Edmund Burke > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > [email protected] > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. 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