Response to Intervention as a Vehicle for Distinguishing Between Children With and Without Reading Disabilities

TLDR

At kindergarten entry, at‑risk children were identified and half received small‑group intervention two to three times a week, while the other half received usual school remediation, and those still struggling in first grade received either daily one‑to‑one tutoring or standard remediation, with periodic reassessments through third grade. Results suggest that either kindergarten intervention alone or kindergarten intervention combined with first‑grade intervention are both useful vehicles for preventing early and long‑term reading difficulties in most at‑risk children.

Abstract

Children at risk for early reading difficulties were identified on entry into kindergarten, and half of these children received small-group intervention two to three times a week during their kindergarten year. The other half received whatever remedial assistance was offered by their home schools. These children were again assessed at the beginning of first grade, and those who continued to have difficulties in reading received either one-to-one daily tutoring offered by project teachers from the beginning to the end of first grade or whatever remedial assistance was offered by their home schools over the same time period. All target children were periodically assessed through the end of third grade. Results suggest that either kindergarten intervention alone or kindergarten intervention combined with first-grade intervention are both useful vehicles for preventing early and long-term reading difficulties in most at-risk children.