Direct Instruction:
Twenty Year Review
‘Wesley C. Becker, University of Oregon
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‘The central visible atures of DI instruction sr small-group instruc-
‘ion, with equent responding bythe studens, steachers and abdes follow
scripts nan active, patcpaion-vinted classroom. Underlying the visible
feauresisa procedural structure built aroand the ule “Teach more in less
time.” Procedures are favored which reduce wasted time and hasten the
teaching of given objectives. Some procedures help to increase stent
contact time with adults (aides, small-group teaching, tight scheduling).
Some procedures help to increase the effective use of that hme (scripted
‘resentation of pretest lessons which focus on generl-case teaching.
{eacher training on program celevant skils, and monitoring with eierion-
referenced 18),
‘Atte core ofthe mode! are a set of principles and assumptions whic
Provide the bass for specific program detals. We appeal moder bei
Jor theory fr principes to guide teaching stateies and to set constrains
Inthe design ofa program. Most disincive in DI, however i «focus oo
Ihe logical analysis of knowledge sets and weaching examples,
In developing this chapter, I will begin with an overview ofthe more
luique aspect of DL With these underpinnings we can then lookback ens
see where they came from, and examine the research support of thee
effectiveness,
‘The Design of Direct Instruction Programs
‘Tounderstan whats involvedin the design instruction for cognitive
learning, itis necessary to make tre analyses. Pit, the ANALYSIS OF
[BEHAVIOR seeks empirically based principles that provie the basis fo
teaching any task. How to motivate and get steno, how to present
examples, howto secure stadentresponses, andow to renforc and correct
student response. Second the ANALYSIS OF COMMUNICATIONS used
Inteaching seeks peiaciples for the lopicaldestgn of sequences so that hey
‘ill effectively transmit knowledge. This analysis focuses onthe Ways =
‘which sets of stimuli are te same and how they are diferent (Le, what
discriminations must be taught). Third, te ANALYSIS OF KNOWL-
EDGE SYSTEMS is concerned with denying samenesses across appz
nly diferent pieces of knowledgeSeletion I
DI design stratepes are presented in detail in the book, Theory of
‘esrution, by Engelmann and Carine (1982). The design sratepes are
‘380 covered specially for reading in Direct Instruction Reading by
‘Carine and Silber (1979) and fr math in Direct Instruction Mathematics
by Sibert, Carine, and Stein (1981),
Cognitive Knowledge Forms
Thc amlyis ote suucur of knowledge fom uneties Engelmann
sax Carmine's theory ofinstracton. This analysis as two goals: (1) the
Semncaon of types of seuctures whose members en be aught With
a
hours 4371
By learning wo entity te rte nit in problem 3 Comets Per
fe mint) tan be writen as
Kx >
meant
By learning to Ment he preset of workin problem 4
aati predict Crowes) goes on op, the work (hours x
orders) onthe boom (or ce YE.
tows _ 8 a
Fours x workers Tx4 > ~ 93
.Todopobiem She dent simply esha iste se asthe
cess
‘ap=Tis the sameas3()=7
aly the peroeat problem i solved by knowing tat’ parent of
omeshng i five nares 7) of someting. SO:
5
net‘Additional Principles
‘Some addtional pincipes fr designing problem-solving routines te
(a) teach component skills before using them in a problem-soving route;
{@) make all steps overt st, ater fade the steps so tal they become covet,
{G) present example first in a simplified context, ltr we more complex
Fact Systems
{A fina ilastration of DI teaching stratepies wil focus on fac systems.
‘A oof what ciren ear in grades four, fve, sand ater, ar fats about
‘ur history, tbe world, our government, and ature. By rguniing related
‘acts ino grape presentations which show the relaions oft facts teach
Cer learning and retention canbe facia Figure 2.5 (from Engelmann
‘& Carine, 1982, p. 25) shows some fat related to factories. teaches
‘Sctpt would go long with such charts to guide te presentation, Aer group
‘exponre and verbal practice on the acts, dhe students work witha char jst
‘ike that in Figure 25, but without he words, and pay a game filing in the
facts, Tis helps to motive the practice needed for mastery.
In the past 17 years, these eas have been wed to ull 49 yer-ong
‘sexpid- program sequences, incuding the nine crginal DISTAR programs
{and thelr revision), Corrective Spelling Through Morphcgraphs, ve
levels of Mastery Spelling, ix levels of Reading Mastery, series of Math
‘Modules covering rates 396 (and remedial classes in praes 7-9), Love
Library Books, Expressive Writing Your World of Facts (1 and'2, Cursive
Wiring, six Corrective Reading programs, and 3 home reading progr
called Teach Your Child o Rei in 100 Easy Lessons.Selection
‘Some Historical Background
Siegfried Engelmann
Tn its cureat form, Diet Instruction i primarily the product of he
cetfors of one man SlegfiedEngetmann,altwough many oters have aided
‘hm. Engelmann’ volvement with education began in 1960 when he end
fs wife had cen and fl te ned wo teach them base cogitiv sks
[usted (othe book Give Your Child a Superior Mind (Exgsinann &
Engcimana, 1966) Intis book, which reflects Engelnana’s hiking fom
{cary sis, one ca find many of he dea hat cumenly distinguish
Di fom other educational approactes. The environment isthe teacher.
The physical environment is most consent and persistent teacher of
mow sil. The ative intervention of peopl nthe social environment
‘seen learning verblcopntve sil. In reviewing eal stuies on
fhe effects of eavionmental enrichment on ntellecial development,
Engelmann poins ou a corelation Between the degree of active pare
{suction and estimated 1Q's of such famous persons as Pascal, Goethe,
tnd John Stat Mill Engehmann was facinated with JS. Ml. He had
Studied Mill's works as an underpraiuae pilosophy major at Tins.
Engelmann writes:
From Mill's account you receive the picture of abo) —not
‘a machine-who learned Greek at 3 and Latin at 8
(Granted his performance i god, but notice the charac.
teristics of hs environment, videntfrom Mil's quote. The
‘environment works throughout the childs walking hows:
ft aes pains 10 enture thatthe child has learned is
lessons: t carefully reduces the possibilty of mistakes: i
stablses clear pattern for asin what is learned: it
Jorces the chd when necessary: itestalishesfirm models
Jor him to fll. This is an environment hat wil succeed
‘oi amy healthy infant” (Engelmann & Engelmann, 196,
ph
‘Authough Engelmann hid ead books oa learning theory and he re
specedthe importance of reinforcement in Iain, he was nt, and 88.
2° Skinnerian. Butitislso ler tat, ke Skinner, e knew the importanceSelection
“of dealing with she observables demonstrated to conto Tearing oucomes
ese ginner he teacher was viewed asa behavioral engineer: He
as ns athe beaming proess involved taking “oe sepa a ime.”
wrvceetestod ta mportat Tearing involves “rues” (fey need mot be
eal coded, but ic helps when they ar)- Rules reflect what common
Wrinrcat examples ofthe same hing He understood that generalization
tose mples involves Kenifying the samenesses that fe common 1)
‘poreaching examples. He understond at he cil doesn'tmerely “lear
but learns specific facts and relations
In his presentation to parents on how to present examples t tac
sameneoes one ean see the roments of Theory of Instruction. “The
‘attention designed leat the concept rom ielevant aspects of be
aan” Negaive examples ac selected to hei rule out misinterpreta-
‘Now, let ws fra moment jump forward to 1980 when Engelinann ws
completing Theory of Instruction. Ae Gveoping tis massive te Wit
Hee Carin he mnie was over 900 page), Engelmann exaie
‘Pe tixophic underplanings his wor, Cleary, be sw hms ene
eine pragmatic aspects of behaviorsm. He learned lt of formal and
THittanght behavior theory hough teaching chikren and contacts with
Doug Carnie and myself.
‘Engelmann wits; “eres soshing wrong wih behaviors a fo 38
sx goorbutwEngsimana jst does nog farenouge, Wists abortogy
rae anmal esearch, has rciedtoheavily onthe empiri analysis
aeifevior and neglected te importance of logical analysis of simul andy
ere generally, knowledge. According to Engelmann, the gos! of insruc,
$95. 1844) wit his own pinipes for he efficient design of instruction
‘Man's prints of Agreement, of Difference, Meod of Residues, and
aaa sspitant Variaton are sow to parallel Engelmann's principles for
Coneinetmmenes,acieenesatransormasin sequence, and coelated
features o facts.
‘Engelmann noes that Mis work ould have been taken aba asi for
satnec of ration for 140 yeas, butt was not Engelmana also notesSelection I
‘athe i not refer to Mis work in producing his theory of struction,
He nod the similares afer he fact, Good 1g, il td
the est of tine
Engslmann’s sameness principe sales:
‘To show sameneses across examples, jexapose examples
Tht are greaty dierent and indicate that the examples
have the seme label (Engelmann & Carine, 1982, p. 39)
Mats principle of agreement estate to esac clay) sas: “1
samples ie feet except fer a common feature, nde outcome =
exams fr all tance, the only possible cause ofthe outcome is
Ue fete”. 367, In modern beiavioal esearch is pine is
Sted replication aros ferences in subjects, places, an time,
‘Engelmann'sdiference principe sates
To show diferences benveen examples ustapose exam
‘les that are minimally differen and treat the examples
Tliferenty (p. 39). postive and negative examples of 8
sari arethe sae inal ws but one hat dfeence
must pertain wo aerial concept feature.
a sprincipt of ference (again estate) states “Ife positive ans
seguiveeuamples of given outcome are the same inal fetes but oh
arsngle feature muse eset tothe outcome” (p39) Mail's pinile
aa tence when applied tbeavira research meanssimply thats
anal variable, change only oe hing in changing experimental conde
“Thus the loge for knowing aout causes in basic research is closely
elated the Tope fr learning from examples and provides in part a basis
forte efficient design of insirvction.
‘Bereiter, Hecker & Carmine
‘ne interest of space, I must skip the contributions of Cat Berets.
‘ous Carine, ad mysel But must mention the erste Engehmans
aon te fall of 1968, Bereler decided 10 give up stadis of
raeidal preschool ciktren Because he fund that no spect strategies
idmrrging,Inscad, appears at whatever he chose to teach couldSelection I
be taught. Te problem became one of deciding what teach and develop-
{nga program fo teach it Beret, 1967) Engelmann joined with Beiter
in 1964 to help develop the preschool with financing from the Carnegie
Foundation
“Twelve low income cfildren who spent two years in te preschool
(tore hours a day) averaged a 26 pont gan in Binet 1Q (from 95 o 121)
fand performed at mid-second grade in feading and math atthe end of
preschool Tese promising rests led to Engelmann being asked in 1967
to participate nx nallonwide experiment to "see what works i eaching
economically disadvantaged chien in kindergarten through third grade,
‘This enperiment became known asthe Follow Through Projet, a sequel 10
effort in Head Start.
‘Before the tart of Follow Tarugh in te 1967, Berit ef inst
take @ positon atthe Ontario Intute for Studies in Education, Since
Engeimann di not have a PhD. and a faculty appoiatmea, Be needed
faculty member to serve as sponsor fr the Camepie rant. agreed to il
this oe, When the opportunity to cia he Follow Through Project arose in
‘December, 1967, berame an active participant with Engelmann, Douglas
CCamine, who had been an undergraduate National Science Foundation
Fellow in Psychology wit be, jolned wit Engelmann about this ime t
‘work onthe DISTAR Arithmetic sexes
Research Background of Direct Instruction
“There a four kinds of esearch findings which can be viewed a
supporting DI: (1) basic behavioral esearch (2) studies of fective each-
ing practices (3) studies ofthe outcomes of I instruction, and (4) studies
fof design principles and specte DI teaching practices. Space restrictions
equie me to restrict this review primarily oa tif coverage of de Tat
wosreas.
shoud be noted ist, however, that D was no developed onthe basis
of any ofthese research findings, except pezhas ina general way from
behavior theory. Rate, rew nally from logical analyses of what was
to be taught and how to teach it. The analyses wore then used to generate
lesson scrips which were este to see if they were eficiat. The ultimate
test was wheter the procedures produced the learing intended. This
aSelection
ayy day eld texting andthe analysis of eros provided was
day 2 efor DL. Again, this paral to Stnne's ace, Stns
au saying, "Lette pigens each you.” agetmann et
»
‘Outcome Research on Direct Instruction
‘Research on Effective Teaching Practices
Rocent research on effective teaching practices has seve 19 conn
‘ne Rane ofthe base structure of Diet Instruction prcties: Stacy
i 19s anameroFtnvestiator nctoding Bloom. Bry, EVEN,
Gnd, Korie, Stallings, eave cerelationally and expeneS”
rape tober aching practices fo stent outcomes, Roem
tay ree mer of summaries of hese stadles (Rosenehine, 1976
aa oe Benet, 1978 Rsenstie, 1980) He tees tha he
Rosen acest doses te pstiveccones: Resenstie se
ieee caching avis fused on academic ales We
ine arte dentine lat friatructonSutiC
a conte covereds extensive, set pecformancs monitors
aunty of questions have acest cl igh o€W0RS ANSE, PONS
ae rs responses. and feedhack o students immediate A 9
ny eciened The teacher conros the insiactonl goa, owes
a opiate forth ede Tevel and paces the ech nach
{sstructired, but ively and fu, not austrian.
se rc for teaching cen since it was no secretes,
fadividualzed nor focused on afletive OuEOMeSSelection I
‘Head Start and Follow Through,
‘Asaplanned-yariationfeldexperiment Follow Through began in 1968
and ened in 1976. Asa service program t sil continues. By 1970, the Dt
“Model was responsible or9,000chiren each year, inkinderarten trough,
‘thir rade, in 20 communities allover the US. The ethic groups involved
‘included Native Americans, Hispanics, urban and rural Blacks, and rural
‘Whites. By 1970, 20 diferent educational models were working in 170,
‘communities, with total of 75,000 eld cach year, This waste arpest.
‘educational experiment ever undertaken, While there have been atiacks on
Ue statistical analyses (eg, House, Glass, Me.ean& Walker, 1978) there
‘is much agreement that the DI Model peformed the best of aay Bereter
‘& Kurland, 1981; Stebbins, St Pierre, Prope, Anderson & Cerva, 1977;
‘Wiser, Burn, Iwamoto, 1978),
‘TheDI Model in Follow Taough wasevaluated using he children who
started in 1970 and 1971. The Mod! was also evaluated in Head Start in
tree communities for 1969, 1970, and 1971. The Head Start evlustion
‘compared eight models and showed tht the DI Model and the Kancas
[havior Analysis Model had the most postive achievement outcomes
(Weisberg, 1974),
‘The data inthe Abt Report (Stebbins, ta, 1977 show the DI Model
‘o have more significant pastive outcomes than any other model on asc
skill measures (Word Koowledge, Spelling, Math Computation, and Lan
ue). comprehension measures (Reading Comprehension, Math Con-
‘cepts, Math Problem Solving), and the afective measures Selt-steem and
[Locus of Contra) In terms of normative levels of performance on the
Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT) at the end of third grade, DI
students who started Follow Through in kindergarten performed the highest
‘ofthe nine major sponsors on Tot Reading, Total Mathematics, Spelling,
and Language: Most immpertantis th fact ha the students were performing
at of near the Sth percetle on all academic measures, Tis provides
‘rong demonsiration that compensatory education can work.
Figure 2.6 shows the normative performance using our own data on
lose 103,000 clea from 13 commuaiues over sx starting yeas (Becker
& Carine, 1980). Our own daa on the MAT are nearly idesticalt those
Independently coleted as part of he national evaluation. In aan, our
‘own data show disadvantaged childenreating onthe Wide Range Achieve-
‘ment Testa the S2nd percentile (5.2 rade equivalents at the end of thirdww ippasee sue
ecto # Ornate Dan fae
i
liSelection I
‘rade. The Wide Range assesses the hldren's bitty to decode (rl word
‘eading), wile the Metropolitan assesses reading comprehension. Clearly,
‘disadvantaged children donot have ofall in school.
(Our own data also show that twas beter to start ermal teaching ia
Kindergarten (five-year ols) than fst grade (-year olds) clear van
lage of about 7 grade equivaleats was preset athe end of third prade. TQ
ins were found averaging 7 poins overall and 18 points fo cilien
‘Starting with Q's under $0 (mean 1Q of 72; the 18 pol pain is acted for
‘egrssion artifact) (Becker & Engelmann, 1978),
‘An analysis ofachievernet gain by Q levels ofthe children shows
that lower 1Q students start lower in reading abd mat and end up ower,
‘but gain as mack on almost every measure (Geren, Becker, Heiry, &
‘White, 1984), Lower IQ chularen canbe taht
Follow-up studisin Sthand 6th grade showed thatthe DI chien were
significandy beter in reading and math on 50% ofthe comparisons made,
bout there was some oss against national norms (in eading comprehension
‘and math, but not decoding) probably duc to the inadequacies of the
Programs afer the cilren lt Follow Through (Becker & Gersen, 1982).
‘We have recenily examined the fst high school graduates (18-year
‘lds several communes, Results show tat there were fewer retentions,
fewer dropouts, and more high schoo! graduates among the DI Follow
‘Through students than non Follow Through comparison students.
‘The hardest task faced in Follow Through was bulding reading com-
prehension skills (Becker, 1977) Ublive ths was because ofthe voabn-
lary learning load face by children growing up in homes where the adult
‘caretakers were not well educated and/or id 80tspeak English well In
‘homes with reasonably edocated parents, cilden ae constantly learning
new words. Tiss les ikely to oceurla homes of the disadvantaged. Much
‘School learing asumer knowledge of vocabulary.
‘The Australian Studies
‘Since 1972, Alex Mages and his sudo ns have confucted more than 30
studies ofthe effectiveness of DI programs on a varity of normal and
special populations. Tei states have included eight of the nine DISTAR
Programs, two Corrective Reading Programe, snd MorphographicSpel-Selection
ing. In ation wo his work at Macquarie Universty (Spey), there hes
been along series of studies with Dow's Syndrome crea by Cues
Ross and his wife, an student tthe Preston Insti in Melbourne, These
‘Austalian studies are summarized in Lockey and Mages (1982).
One sty was cared out by Maggs and Morath (1976) with 28
‘moderately and severely reared children who had been insttutonalizes
teas five years. The children were randomly assigned ether a DISTAR
Language groop wsing behavicrl teaching techniques o 1 a Peabody
‘Language Kit group. nsruction was povided for one hour a day ove wo
calendar yews. Independent testers (Did to groups) tested the children
before and afer the two years of instucton, Te result re summarized in
Thale2,
‘The results show the DISTAR group dd beter on all measures of
‘ogaitive functioning. The last ine in Table 21 (Omega Squared) shows
the percent of variance atrbuable to experimental teatnens. These ae
‘powerful eects, The 1Q gains show thatthe DISTAR Language ! group
—————
‘TABLED
‘Mean Gain Scores on Six Tests
Hepat | suntes.
Senate om
(itm) "ae | ea | ‘aa | rl
ot | seste | See) | Sar) | So)
Fr
cumwsquet | oe | oe | on | ae | me |eSelon I
guined 225 moots in 24 months, while the Peabody Language Kit roup
{gained only 7S moath in 24 moni. The DISTAR group galed a lost
§ normal rate. The Peabody group guied atthe rat to be expected from
tose with an average TQ inthe how 30's (hich is where the cilen
stared).
na study by Booth, Hewit, Jenkins, and Mages (1979), 12 moderately
‘retarded children with IQ’ saveraping abou 40 were followed for five year
DISTAR Language was startet te firs yea and Reading was SSeS aM
Language I as complete (18 oaths late). The cilren wee in begin-
hing Reading 11 when ested. While there was no pretest on reading, the
ilcen were reading a he eary-third grade level on posts. Their mean
1Q's ad risen from 419 10 $0.6 (p<001) (Gesten & Maggs, 1982).
LLockery and Mapes conclude thir review by indicating that DE has
hanged approaches 1p teaching both retarded and normal chien in
‘Asalia and that the work strongly supports the eated findings in the
United States.
‘Studies with Bilingual Students
Four of our Follow ‘Through sites (E. Las Vegas, NM, Dimi, TX,
‘Uvalde, TX, and San Diego, CA) hadhigh percentages of Spanish speaking
student. Our approach in hese seings was fst 0 get English speech and
‘eaing strong, an then a oral Spanish followed by reading im Spanish.
‘This approach was qute succesful in reducing the typical “Texmex™
confusions of many bilingual eins,
‘A recent study fom the Marina Det Mar schoo! ia Monterey, CA,
(Gersten, Brockway & Henares, 1983), gives further support othe use of
DDISTAR Reading and Language programs, 38 well ste Corrective Read-
ing Programs, i lingual stings,
(Cis van Rensburg (1982) aidan experimental comparison of DIS-
‘TAR with two other programs in South Afica sing random assignment
groups of al childenin rst grade five schools, The eiren wee from
Tk and bilingual, and the schools had aster of high fll rates. Me
DISTAR students achieved significantly higher scores onal est (deco
ng, comprehension, speling, and writing),Selection
Suuctured-immerson approaches (as the DI program is) have bees
‘ound superce 0 tudtonlbiagual approaches instdesby Lambert an
“Tucker (1972) and Bark, Swain and Nwanunobi (1977.
‘Weisberg’ Preschool Studies
Paul Welsberg (1984) has run a preschoo! for poverylevel stan
since 1970 at be Univesity of Alabana. From the begining, De was
‘concerned wit reading skis, At fist, his staf focused onthe tational
“readiness” skills
‘going to the book area, holding a book right side-up.
fuming the pages property, looking at pictres and dis-
‘issing then listening to stories and learning about plo
land soon. We soon dcovered that reading did not magi-
‘aly evolve fom these ‘prereadin” actives
We subsequently adopted @ whole-word, meaning-empha-
‘isapprodch which incorporated many basa reader meth-
ods a recognition vocabulary of 40 to 69 words was
possible, but onl forthe highest performers... However,
ugh withou reliable prompt (ples, redundant sy-
Tactic and semantic sentences), guessing of became the
Chiren's major word-attch soaegy. . They had
trouble with ilar words suchas ion, no-no, rar.
favs... When reading simple sentences, they readily
‘nitinied boat for ship, ator Kiter, wate for wel, and
900
“Weisberg goes on to esenibe the other problems his students ad in
teaming base conceps. He needed something beter.
In mid 1975, we observed a DISTAR Reading program it
dtvuralall-Black choo. The teacher's taining consisted
‘faweckend workshop. Her pacing was marginal and she
Spoteina monotone, hardly ever challenging the cilren
We worried abouall hose signals an dil and teaching
from sripted materia. Yet, the children didn’t seem to
‘mind and. to cur astonishment, they energetically ond
‘Carefly sounded outeach word (Weisberg 1984 pp. 1-2).Selection I
About tis tine, Weisberg was also impressed by a movie ofthe Kis
fiom the Bereiter-Engeimann Preschool and by some erly data on DI in
Follow Tough (Becker, Engelmann & Thomas, 1973). In 1976, Pa and
his wife Roberta spent their sabbatical year atthe University of Oregon
fearing about and teaching DISTAR, Upon retwaing to Alabama, the
‘preschool was converted to DI methods (and subsequently, Roberta ino-
‘oced DISTAR into several schools in Tuscaloosa),
‘The data collected inthe next seven years is truly remarkable, Pat's
teachers (three per class) ad their poverty-level chien all day in &
{falar rogram (oot haf day for nine mont), He wed the coninaoss
[progress tests developed by Becker and Engehmann for Follow Through
‘monitor stage and teacher progress. His data shows scores on these tests
ange from 85% comec (unfamiliar word reading) (097% comec (Sound
Idenificton). Duriag 1980, he gahered comparative data on similar
chien from a Head Stat preschool, the University Home Economics
preschool and entering kindergarten and first grade cildeninoca schools
to hd not had preschool. These comparison groups dd not ifr from
ach oer on the achievement ess and therefore were combined by Be
‘roups(K Starting Age and Is Starting Age)- Four-year olds afer one year
frecalledK Staring Age by Weisbergand ater two years, Ist Starting Age.
‘Weisberg carefully documents the entry comparability Of his groups and
‘bei sl deficits On he Slosson Inieigence Tes over the pas fur yeas,
‘58 students in his preschool had averaged IQ's of87, with only 19% higher
‘than 10,
Figure 27 shows outcomes on the Wide Range Achievement Test
(WRAT, The Di-tained Int Stating Aged group was consistendy above
{he 98th percentile G4 grade equivalents) (v0 standard deviations above
the Nalonal average)! Those with two yeas of DI (N = 31) averaged 38
‘rade equivalens The K Agodstudeatsaveraged between the T7dvand 98th
percentile across program years In comparison to prior stuces of children
‘vith two years of DISTAR in preschool, these arth highest performances
Yetobiained. He Bereiter-Engeimann Preschool chien eached 2.6 rae
{quivaleats (GE) in their second group and Anderson (1971) reached 26
‘GE. wit slightly shove average cen. The ade time in Wesbers's
‘preschool was obviously Wed advange. Cldrea staying fortwo years
{ypically completed Level If Reading and Language, and at east half of
Arithmetic Il. Those staying one year complete Level I Reading and Lan-
‘guage and three fous of Arithmetic
*FIGURES?
WRAT ending cos rogtm years: Dat ate plot in gu
Pecenticantions desbmant screech
A sushi analysis of tie WRAT shows where the performance citer
noes come from. On the sbslsirelevan to reading (Labeling Two
Letiers im Name, Leter Matching, and Lester Naming) Di and non DI
_100ns are comparable. But on Word Reading, the Dl stidensencelled (A
‘Stung Age: DL=9.1,non-DI= 2; Is Stating Age: DI= 28, non Dl
2.20n number of words read),
Comprehension sls were tested using end offs grade tests, The
(Gates-MacGinte Test (Primary A, Form 2) was used in 1977, andthe
“Metropolitan Achievement Test(MAT) (Primary Level derealtr Median
Grade Bguvalents across rogram years onthe MATT fr Is Staring Aged
children were
+ Word Knowledge 2.1
+ Word Anaiysis 30
‘+ Reading Seatences and Sores 24
+ Tota Reading 22
‘+ NomDI groups performed ata chance-evel
10Selection I
‘A comparison of Ist Starting ge children wit one (N = 12) vesis|
two years (N= 31 gear of Df, show mean Teal Reaing rade equivalent
scores fo be 15 and 24, respocively. Weisberg concludes by pointing out
that two years of DISTAR are noededto be tly fonctional readers.
“Tis sudy i truly a remarkable demonstration of what canbe doe in
teaching povery-leve chen
Other DISTAR Studi
would be imposible fo cover al ofthe studs of DI programs that
have occrted in the past 15 yes, The best we can doi to meniona few
ofthe beter ones. Early sumares of ver 25 sues, mostly noom-eer-
fenced, ean be found in Gordon (1971) apd Kim, Berger & Krotcetvl
(1972), Sates by Richard and Marilyn Crozier (1974) demonstrated he
effectiveness of DISTAR programs with educable mentally retarded cil-
ten inthe Edmonton Pubic soools, Antony Branvtite (1982) compared
the use of DISTAR for remedial reading stdeats in England. The same
teacher taught ooh programs. After 11 weeks, the conventional remedial
program group bad gained sx month and the DISTAR group had gale
12 montis.
LE Stein and Goldman 1980) compared the effectiveness of DISTAR
Reading and the Palo Alo Reading Program, anoter phonics based pro
‘gram. The stadeats were sit-to-ipht year-olds with reading problems, bat
bad average IQ's, and were sid to have “minimal brain dysfunction.”
Psttesting onthe Peabody Individualized Achievement Test PLAT) nine
months ater, the DISTAR group had galned 15 months and the Palo Alto
[troup seven months. Differences were present for boch decoding and
comprehension
Engelmann and Carnie (1976) stoi the progres of 28 middle-class
second graders who had been in DISTAR in ist grade (he top hal ofthe
{otal ist grade), Twolow performing children were also addedintbe group.
University student in DI tinng tat acing and math to he groups 30
minutes dy, and were supervised by anexcelent teacher anda University
DI supervise
(nthe Sanford Achievement Test Total Reading (comprehension), the
230 students averaged 4.6 grade equivalents (only two students were below
27, te two low performers aed othe class Were at 2.6). On the WideSelection
‘Range (decoding) the class averaged 5.1 grad equivalents, On Teal
(Stanford) they averaged 3.4 grad equivalents, andon SAT Science (
is much of the subject mater of te Reading 1 program), they a
240, A questionnaire fr the studens showed very posiveatindes
reading and sel.
Like behavior andysis and other anovatons in education, the Di
approach has often ben tacked a being inconsistent with humanistic ani
‘the philosopies of education, From our experiences in Foiow Throuph,
sve knew tha for 99 out of 100 teachers the Feelings of philosophic clas
‘Ssappeared in tree to ix months as the teachers gained competence, and
tespetally as they saw chile learning who had filed with ether methods
‘Serving as an independent contacter, Croain (1980) documented thous
“Theough Stes. “Although there were several Cohort and imited- first-year
teaches hone “ols” educational plosopy ad nally clase with
(Ghat they had perceived as DISTAR's less ‘humanistic’ approach 1
‘aching all ofthese teachers now found DISTAR to be compatible Wit
their educational plosophy” (23).
‘About half ofthe teachers cited the dramatic changes in progress by
theirtandergarien and first rade students asthe basis for change in atta,
‘Many reported that Black and Chicano students were performing at Teves
hey had thooght impossible afr ten years of teaching experience. One
vicdeher sessed the importance of teaching DISTAR before an accurate
appeal of ts underying philosophy could be made (Cronin, 1980, p
B
‘Studies with Other Programs
Corrective Reading and Morphographic Spelling have alsobeen eval
‘ated Laer versions of each consisted of One program: fatter versions
‘Signa the marber of levels and poalsinvolved. Most but nota) of te
‘Sbarh son the earlier programs. In genera, wo months or more gain for
‘aan mont of insrvtion has been typically found using a variety of tests.Selection TL
Studies of Design Principles and
Specific Teaching Practices
‘Chapters 29 and 30 of Theory of Instruction Eagelmann & Canine,
1989) summarize many ofthe specific studies of DI theories and practices.
‘Many ofthese statis ar sls reviewed in Beck and Canine (1980) and
eter, Packer, and Weisberg (1981. I will highlight few ofthe stdies
to lose their characte,
Positive Examples Only
[Negative examples ae necessary 10 rue out the misinerretations
posible om use of onl positive examples, This assumption was ested
By Willams and Carine (1981), A hypothetical concept "Gertie" angles
oaween and 110 depress) vas tnught to 28 subjects, Half received 12
postive examples andthe eral eight psives and fur negatives, The
af test nctaded oth positives and mepatives. The postive-only UP
“Tad 0% and the positives-plus-ngatives group secred 88%.
‘Sameness Principle
“The sameness principe sats: "Show the range of postive examples
by jntaporing widely dlfering examples and labeling them inthe sae
asepery sven stdenis Wid knowledge of rats, Dut not decimal,
Ne premtbe came numberof examples of how to convert factions of 100,
Jo deta The numerator fr Group One was always 2 cps for Group
‘Ruoltwas 12,or3 digits Tests inlodedall tree types. Group Twoscored
‘30% and Group One scored 36% (Carine, 19800).
Sprague and Horner (1961) sie the sameness principle sing vending
smachhosy and severely relardedhigh schoo stdent. Ten different varieties
sr macnes were ellced, Tailng on one machine or on thee highly
Simular machines didnot lead to generalization to the other, Teining Oo
1981) was cared out ina sheltered workshop, Severely retarded high
Show student were to attach 20 different kinds of Biaxle capacitors 1Selection I
ciroltbords. Tring on one example edo no transfer. Training on hee
‘tance sclece to sample the ange produced generalized performance
[An Ielevant Samencss
‘landers (1978) followed the procure wed by Ges (1968) tte
a generized se of pla low performers, Two sameneses {0
{esching procedure followed by Guess were hypothesized cause mises
{obe learned. The examples in one group alays had one objet and
‘Sr apo. The proup of two was aays of te sme las an abel
lander ound that when cil was presente these proups—{1) do, om:
td (2) og, dog op—the cid tended to respond to the smaller group ==
Singular When sted with (1) dog and (2) dog, cat—the second group Wat
‘aed poral (eer “dogs” or "cals", A corected teaching Sequence
‘Siminuing the inappropriate sameness, led to camect responding
appropriate test als.
Many hers ave ste the eet ofirelevant sameness in ear
tng aciminations, ‘The resus clearly flow the ue, “ITH logical
possible, learning wil ecu."
Minimum-