Evaluating the Impact of a Prevention-Based Model of Reading on Children Who Are At Risk

Large numbers of students are not benefiting from current reading curricula and practices. However, despite the presence of a scientifically validated basis for teaching reading, the nuances of exactly how to translate beginning reading research into day-to-day classroom practice remain to be validated. In this article, beginning literacy outcomes for the instructional practices employed in Project PRIDE are presented. Project PRIDE is a model for preventing reading failure that employs a combination of systematic, explicit instruction in phonemic awareness and phonics with a total classroom reading program; a multitiered teaching approach; data-based decision making; and professional development that includes ongoing, on-site coaching. The effects of 2 years of PRIDE implementation in three inner-city schools in a medium-sized midwestern city are presented, and the implications of these findings for current practice and future research are discussed.