Direction instruction Reading Programs Examining Effectiveness for at-risk Students in Urban Settings: A Special Issue of the journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk

This special issue is devoted to recent studies of the Direct Instruction (DI) reading program and was inspired by several presentations at the Fort Worth Reading Symposium. This set of articles represent a significant contribution to the current national discussion about reading instruction and the utility of whole-school reform models in seeking to raise the achievement of students placed at risk of academic failure. With updates expected for at least a couple of these studies, the editors hope to begin a continuing dialogue among researchers regarding DI.

Volume 7, Number 2, 2002. Contents: E.A. Kemper, M.A. Mac Iver, Guest Editors' Introduction: Research on Direct Instruction in Reading. RESEARCH ARTICLES: M. Ligas, Evaluation of Broward County Alliance of Quality Schools Project. C.D. Carlson, D.J. Francis, Increasing the Reading Achievement of At-Risk Children Through Direct Instruction: Evaluation of the Rodeo Institute for Teacher Excellence (RITE). D.M. O'Brien, A.M. Ware, Implementing Research-Based Reading Programs in the Fort Worth Independent School District. M.A. Mac Iver, E.A. Kemper, The Impact of Direct Instruction on Elementary Students' Reading Achievement in an Urban School District. CASE STUDIES: M. Berkeley, The Importance and Difficulty of Disciplined Adherence to the Educational Reform Model. B.J. Grossen, The BIG Accommodation Model: The Direct Instruction Model for Secondary Schools. COMMENTARIES: J. Silbert, Commentary. B. Rosenshine, Helping Students From Low-Income Homes Read at a Grade Level.