Results

The majority of the students at Reading Connections Inc. are tested on a regular interval – typically every 6-8 weeks. The student's "rate of gain" for sight word recognition is determined by using the formula: (recent test sight word level – previous test sight word level) X (52/number of weeks between tests). Therefore, for example, if a student gains 1.2 years of sight word reading level in 8 weeks, that student has a rate of gain of (1.2 X 52)/8 or 7.8. This rate of gain number is a "slope" type of number and therefore is shown without units. This 7.8 number could be expressed as 7.8 years gained per year of instruction, or 7.8 months gained per month of instruction, etc.

The test results from a group of 126 Randomly Selected Students were collected and evaluated. Their rates of gain are charted in the following graph. The average rate of gain for the entire group was 4.71.

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PRACTICE AND WORD LEVEL GAINS

The group of 126 students was subdivided into three "practice consistency" groups. There were 37 students who were identified as "no practice," 42 students who were identified as "some practice" and 47 students who were identified as "consistent practice."

The sight word level rates of gain distribution for the subgroup that demonstrated no practice is illustrated in Figure 2. The group mean rate of gain was 3.07. This group received only their two, half-hour lessons each week and typically provided no evidence of practice (through completed practice sheets) between the lessons at Reading Connections.

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The sight word level rates of gain distribution for the subgroup that demonstrated some practice, though inconsistent, is illustrated in Figure 3. The group mean rate of gain was 4.50.

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The sight word level rates of gain distribution for the subgroup that demonstrated consistent practice is illustrated in Figure 4. The group mean rate of gain was 6.20.

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Helping students learn to read and evaluating our results through measurable tests continues to be the primary focus of our work. We continue to work to improve on our results so we can further help our students improve their reading.