The Improvement of Children's Oral Reading through the Use of Teacher Modeling

Abstract

The influence of the classroom teacher reading orally before the child reads was investigated. The teacher read at a proficient rate (approximately 100 words per minute) from the child's basal reader. Three learning disabled students participated in the study, and in every case the correct and error rates for oral reading improved remarkably. The tactic selected — modeling — is inexpensive in teacher time and cost and is easily scheduled. The data indicate that modeling could be an appropriate intervention to select when children are not yet proficient in oral reading.