Reading Mastery

Category: Language/Reading

Grade Level: K to 6

1. What is the purpose of Reading Mastery?

Reading Mastery is a basal reading program designed to foster reading using a systematic, structured, teacher-guided approach.

2. With whom can it be used?

Reading Mastery was developed for children in kindergarten through to grade 6. It may also be used with children who are pre-K. Reading Mastery can be beneficial to students of all ability levels and can therefore be implemented on a whole-class or whole-school basis. However, it is both a preventative measure and an effective intervention for childrenwho are at-risk for reading difficulties, or who have reading difficulties.

3. What is the format of Reading Mastery?

Reading Mastery targets the development of five reading-related skills, in sequential order:

  • Phonemic Awareness

Children are taught how to segment or break words down in their smaller sound-units. Common, high-frequency letters and sounds are taught first. Children are also taught how to blend phonemes together to form words.

  • Decoding

Children are then taught to use what they have learned in decoding and spelling words.Reading Mastery uses a specific orthography at this stage, designed to aid children with decoding words. The orthography provides visual cues about, for example, which letters are stressed and which are not. It is gradually faded out so that students read conventional letter-

formations after having sufficient practice with phoneme awareness.

  • Irregularities

The next step involves teaching sight recognition of common irregular words, i.e. those which cannot be decoded phonetically. It involves repetition and practice.

  • Reading Accuracy and Fluency

Children read stories aloud which are primarily composed of words they already know. This is meant to foster both reading comprehension and a sense of success on the part of the student. A high emphasis on oral reading (vs. silent reading) means that studentscan be constantly monitoredfor reading the words correctly and quickly.

  • Reading Comprehension

In the context of teacher-guided activities, children learn to answer questions about a story, as well as how to draw conclusions and make inferences while reading. Emphasis is placed on learning new vocabulary, understanding literal meanings, making interpretations, and using reasoning strategies.

4. What teaching procedures are used with Reading Mastery?

Reading mastery is based on explicit instruction wherein the teacher models desired behaviour and attainable skills for the students. This direct approach involves a carefully sequenced step-by-step approach, continuous assessment and immediate student-feedback. Teachers have detailed handbooks with scripted lessons designed to be comprehensive for both the teacher and the students. Students are given extensive opportunities and time to practice new skills, with the aim of developing fluency.

5. In what types of settings should Reading Mastery be used?

Reading Mastery is best used in a small-group setting, and is often adopted by a whole school. Direct instruction takes place between the teacher and the students. During the initial phases of a lesson, children respond to the teacher as a group. Once the concept or skill is firm, children are called on to respond on an individual basis. Students also do private work in a series of workbooks, designed to consolidate their learning.

6. To what extent has research shown Reading Mastery to be useful?

There is an extensive research base on Reading Mastery, due partly to the fact that it has been in use for over 30 years (it was originally called DISTAR). Research has shown the program to be beneficial to children who are just beginning to learn how to read, who are at-risk for reading difficulties, or who are diagnosed with reading difficulties. Reading Mastery has been successfully used with minority, ESL (English as a Second Language) and low-SES (Socio-Economic Status) students. Research supports the early emphasis on oral language skills and phonemic awareness, the explicit instruction and modelling techniques, immediate corrective feedback during oral reading, as well as the comprehension techniques of focusing on vocabulary, literal meaning, interpretation and reasoning. Thus, both the validity of the techniques and the overall effectiveness of Reading Mastery have been supported by research.

References:

1. Adams, G.L., & Englemann, S. (1996) Research on Direct Instruction: 25 years beyond DISTAR. Seattle, WA: Educational Achievement Series.

2. American Federation of Teachers. (1998) Building on the best, learning from what works: Seven promising English language arts programs. (Report No. CS011326). Washington, D.C. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 421 695)

3. Briggs, K., & Clark, C. (1997) Reading programs for students in the lower elementary grades: What does the research say? (ERIC document Reproduction Service No. ED 420046)

4. Engelmann, S.. (2000) About reading – A comparison of Reading Mastery and Horizons. EffectiveSchool Practices, 18(3), 15-26.

5. Foorman, B. (1995) Research on the “Great Debate”: Code-oriented versus whole language approaches to reading instruction. School Psychology Review, 24, 376-392.

6. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (1996) Thirty years of NICHD research: What we now know about how children learn to read. EffectiveSchool Practices, 15(3), 33-46.

7. National Reading Panel. (2000) Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Retrieved November 7, 2004 from

8. Salerno, C. (1992) A comparison of classrooms using a meaning centered approach and a code-centered approach, ADI News, 11(2), 26-29.

9. Schieffer, C., Marchand-Martella, N., Martella, R., & Simonsen, F. (2003) The Research Base for Reading Mastery. Direct Instruction Reading. Retrieved October 19, 2004 from

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Reviewed by: Kate Herbert