Welcome to the NIFDI Direct Instruction Research Database. Here, we have sought to create a comprehensive archive of all articles, reports and studies done on Direct Instruction. This is a free service. Once you have selected the articles you would like us to forward, click on the "Check out" button. After you enter the requested information, your request will be forwarded to our office and we will fulfill your request within 3 working days.
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1 of 8
"Promoting reading achievement and countering the “fourth-grade slump”: The impact of Direct Instruction on reading achievement in fifth grade"
| Author(s): | Stockard, J. |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Abstract: | Previous research has documented a substantial decline of standardized test scores of children from low-income backgrounds relative to more advantaged peers in later elementary grades, the so-called “fourth-grade slump.” This article examines changes in reading achievement from first to fifth grade for students in a large urban school system with a high proportion of students from economically deprived backgrounds. Students received first grade reading instruction from Direct Instruction (DI), Open Court, or a mixture of reading curricula. Results indicated that students in schools using DI had significantly greater gains in both reading vocabulary and comprehension than students in the two other settings and that their average levels of achievement in fifth grade were above the national norms, thus countering the fourth-grade slump. |
| Description of the Study: | Previous research has documented a substantial decline of standardized test scores of children from low-income backgrounds relative to more advantaged peers in later elementary grades, the so-called “fourth-grade slump.” This article examines changes in reading achievement from first to fifth grade for students in a large urban school system with a high proportion of students from economically deprived backgrounds. Students received first grade reading instruction from Direct Instruction (DI), Open Court, or a mixture of reading curricula. |
| Article Type: | Efficacy study |
| Journal/Source: | Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 15, 218-240 |
| Other Tags: | Reading Mastery, Open Court, norm referenced tests, Language for Learning, Language for Thinking, Reasoning and Writing, CTBS/Terra Nova, fourth grade slump, reading vocabulary, reading comprehension |
| Affiliation: | National Institute for Direct Instruction |
| Design Type: | Pretest Posttest Control Group Design with statistical adjustments |
| Fidelity Data Reported: | No |
| Location/Setting: | South/Atlantic, elementary school |
| Participants: | Elementary students, African American students, low-SES students, general education students |
| Results: | Results indicated that students in schools using DI had significantly greater gains in both reading vocabulary and comprehension than students in the two other settings and that their average levels of achievement in fifth grade were above the national norms, thus countering the fourth-grade slump. |
| Students Included: | Elementary students, African American students, low-SES students, general education students |
2 of 8
"A study of intensive, systematic Direct Instruction for an autistic child"
| Author(s): | Rodman, M. L. |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Abstract: | This five-year study examined the effect of supplemental instruction with Direct Instruction (DI) programs by a parent on the academic achievement of an elementary student with autism spectrum disorder. At the beginning of the study, the subject was an eight year old female who was functioning at a pre-kindergarten level. The student received instruction with a variety of DI programs covering language, reading, and math. Curriculum based tests were administered throughout the course of the study to measure academic achievement. Additional tests were administered to measure social skills and cognitive development. Results indicate the student demonstrated significant gains in all areas of development over the course of the study. By the conclusion of the intervention the student had transitioned into the range of “normal performance” for academic performance and social skills. Additionally, her IQ was measured to be in the near normal range for her age by the conclusion of the study. |
| Description of the Study: | This five-year study examined the effect of supplemental instruction with Direct Instruction (DI) programs by a parent on the academic achievement of an elementary student with autism spectrum disorder. At the beginning of the study, the subject was an eight year old female who was functioning at a pre-kindergarten level. The student received instruction with a variety of DI programs covering language, reading, and math. Curriculum based tests were administered throughout the course of the study to measure academic achievement. Additional tests were administered to measure social skills and cognitive development. |
| Article Type: | Efficacy study |
| Journal/Source: | Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Capella University: Minneapolis, MN |
| Other Tags: | Parent tutoring, Reading Mastery Rainbow Edition, Corrective Reading, Language for Learning, Language for Thinking, Reasoning and Writing, Cursive Writing, Connecting Math Concepts, Spelling Mastery, Corrective Spelling Through Morphographs, social skills |
| Affiliation: | Capella University |
| Design Type: | Single subject design |
| Fidelity Data Reported: | No |
| Location/Setting: | Student’s home |
| Participants: | |
| Results: | Results indicate the student demonstrated significant gains in all areas of development over the course of the study. By the conclusion of the intervention the student had transitioned into the range of “normal performance” for academic performance and social skills. Additionally, her IQ was measured to be in the near normal range for her age by the conclusion of the study. |
| Students Included: | Students with autism spectrum disorder, elementary student, students with learning disabilities, low-performing students, Caucasian students |
3 of 8
"Milwaukee elementary nearly doubles reading scores"
| Author(s): | SRA/McGraw-Hill |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Abstract: | This study examined the effect of Direct Instruction language and reading programs on the reading achievement of kindergarten and elementary students. In response to less than half of Honey Creek Continuous Progress Elementary School’s fourth grade students scoring proficient or advanced on the reading portion of the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam (WKCE), Direct Instruction programs were implemented in 1998. Language for Learning and Language for Thinking were implemented in kindergarten classrooms and Reading Mastery was implemented in classrooms for 1st to 5th grade students. Results from the WKCE indicated that fourth grade students scoring proficient or advanced on the reading portion, increased from 45% to 90% between 1997 and 2005. Additionally, teachers reported being enthusiastic and motivated due to the success of the programs as well as their organization. |
| Description of the Study: | This study examined the effect of Direct Instruction language and reading programs on the reading achievement of kindergarten and elementary students. In response to less than half of Honey Creek Continuous Progress Elementary School’s fourth grade students scoring proficient or advanced on the reading portion of the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam (WKCE), Direct Instruction programs were implemented in 1998. Language for Learning and Language for Thinking were implemented in kindergarten classrooms and Reading Mastery was implemented in classrooms for 1st to 5th grade students. |
| Article Type: | Efficacy study |
| Journal/Source: | Columbus, OH: The McGraw-Hill Companies |
| Other Tags: | Reading, language, Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam (WKCE), Language for Learning, Language for Thinking, Reading Mastery |
| Affiliation: | SRA/McGraw-Hill |
| Design Type: | Cohort Control Group Historical Comparison Design |
| Fidelity Data Reported: | Yes |
| Location/Setting: | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Honey Creek Continuous Progress Elementary School, elementary school |
| Participants: | Elementary students, kindergarten students, Caucasian students, Hispanic students, African American students, low-SES students |
| Results: | Results from the WKCE indicated that fourth grade students scoring proficient or advanced on the reading portion, increased from 45% to 90% between 1997 and 2005. Additionally, teachers reported being enthusiastic and motivated due to the success of the programs as well as their organization. |
| Students Included: | Elementary students, kindergarten students, Caucasian students, Hispanic students, African American students, low-SES students |
4 of 8
"English Learners in California Elementary School Achieve AYP with Direct Instruction"
| Author(s): | SRA/McGraw-Hill |
| Year: | 2008 |
| Abstract: | This study examined the effect of Direct Instruction (DI) programs on the academic achievement of elementary English Language Learner (ELL) students in one school. In 2005 the school implemented Language for Learning and Language for Thinking. The California Standards Test (CST) was administered yearly to all students in grades 2-6. Results from the CST indicated that after two years with DI the percentage of both general education and ELL students scoring proficient or advanced in English Language Arts increased in grades 2-6. Additionally, the school’s Academic Performance Index increased each of the next two years following the implementation of DI with both ELL and general education students. |
| Description of the Study: | This study examined the effect of Direct Instruction (DI) programs on the academic achievement of elementary English Language Learner (ELL) students in one school. In 2005 the school implemented Language for Learning and Language for Thinking. The California Standards Test (CST) was administered yearly to all students in grades 2-6. |
| Article Type: | Efficacy study |
| Journal/Source: | SRA/McGraw-Hill |
| Other Tags: | English Language Learners, Language for Learning, Language for Thinking, Language Arts, California Standards Test, Academic Performance Index |
| Affiliation: | SRA/McGraw-Hill |
| Design Type: | Cohort control with historical comparison design |
| Fidelity Data Reported: | No |
| Location/Setting: | Elementary school, Potrero, California, West |
| Participants: | |
| Results: | Results from the CST indicated that after two years with DI the percentage of both general education and ELL students scoring proficient or advanced in English Language Arts increased in grades 2-6. Additionally, the school’s Academic Performance Index increased each of the next two years following the implementation of DI with both ELL and general education students. |
| Students Included: | Elementary students, Hispanic students, English Language Learner students, English as a Second Language students |
5 of 8
"Improving First Grade Reaching Achievement in a Large Urban District: The Effects of NIFDI-Supported Implementation of Direct Instruction in the Baltimore City Public School System"
| Author(s): | Stockard, J. |
| Year: | 2008 |
| Abstract: | Responding to very low reading achievement scores, the Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) began implementing curricular reforms in the mid-1990s. Direct Instruction was implemented in 16 schools, specifically using the curricular programs; Reading Mastery Classic, Language for Learning, Language for Thinking, and Reasoning and Writing. Throughout the study 11 of these schools received technical support from the National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI). The remaining five schools discontinued support from NIFDI or used an alternative provider. Beginning in the spring of the 1997-1998 school year through the 2002-2003 school year the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) was administered to all first graders. Data was retrieved from over 40,000 students on reading vocabulary, comprehension, and a composite score. This study compared students’ achievement in 1) schools with NIFDI support, 2) schools that implemented Direct Instruction without NIFDI support (other DI schools), and 3) schools without Direct Instruction (the Control schools). Results showed that students in the NIFDI-supported schools had significantly higher achievement than students in the control schools on all three measures of achievement and significantly higher comprehension scores than students in the Other DI schools. Additionally the achievement scores of first grade students in all 3 groups increased from 1998 to 2003. The average first grade composite reading achievement scores for the students in the NIFDI-supported schools increased by 113% during that time period while student scores in the control schools and the Other DI schools increased by 56% or less. |
| Description of the Study: | |
| Article Type: | Efficacy study |
| Journal/Source: | National Institute for Direct Instruction Technical Report 2008-1 |
| Other Tags: | Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS), Direct Instruction, Reading Mastery Classic, Language for Learning, Language for Thinking, Reasoning and Writing, Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS), Open Court Reading |
| Affiliation: | |
| Design Type: | Longitudinal study |
| Fidelity Data Reported: | No |
| Location/Setting: | Baltimore, public elementary schools, large urban school district |
| Participants: | |
| Results: | |
| Students Included: | First grade students, students with high levels of poverty, African American students, Hispanic students, Native American students, Caucasian students, Asian students |
6 of 8
"Delano, California ELL Students Outscore District"
| Author(s): | SRA/McGraw-Hill |
| Year: | 2008 |
| Abstract: | This study examined the effect of Direct Instruction (DI) language programs on the English language skills of elementary English Language Learner (ELL) students. Language for Learning (LL) and Language for Thinking (LT) were implemented in grades 1-5 in 2000. The California English Language Development Test (CELDT) was administered to all ELL students in grades 1-5 to measure language skills. Prior to the implementation of DI, less than 1% of ELL students in grades 1-5 scored Early Advanced or Advanced. One year after the implementation of DI, the average percentage increased to 18%. After four years with DI, 32% of students scored Early Advanced or Advanced. Prior to the implementation of DI, the Academic Performance Index for the school was 511, but by 2007 it increased to an all-time high of 721. |
| Description of the Study: | This study examined the effect of Direct Instruction (DI) language programs on the English language skills of elementary English Language Learner (ELL) students. Language for Learning (LL) and Language for Thinking (LT) were implemented in grades 1-5 in 2000. The California English Language Development Test (CELDT) was administered to all ELL students in grades 1-5 to measure language skills. |
| Article Type: | Efficacy study |
| Journal/Source: | SRA/McGraw-Hill |
| Other Tags: | English Language Learner students. Language for Learning, Language for Thinking, English language proficiency, California English Language Development Test, Academic Performance Index |
| Affiliation: | SRA/McGraw-Hill |
| Design Type: | Cohort control with historical comparison design |
| Fidelity Data Reported: | No |
| Location/Setting: | Elementary school, Delano, California |
| Participants: | |
| Results: | Prior to the implementation of DI, less than 1% of ELL students in grades 1-5 scored Early Advanced or Advanced. One year after the implementation of DI, the average percentage increased to 18%. After four years with DI, 32% of students scored Early Advanced or Advanced. Prior to the implementation of DI, the Academic Performance Index for the school was 511, but by 2007 it increased to an all-time high of 721. |
| Students Included: | Elementary students, Hispanic students, English Language Learner students, English as a Second Language students |
7 of 8
"Direct Instruction and first grade reading achievement: The role of technical support and time of implementation"
| Author(s): | Stockard, J. |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of two implementation variables (source of technical support and time of implementation) to first grade reading achievement across three naturally occurring conditions over a six year time span. All first graders (n=40,000) who were in the Baltimore City Public School System from 1997-98 through 2002-03 were included in the study. Two of the conditions involved implementation of Direct Instruction (DI) curriculum programs, one with technical support from a purveyor associated with the curriculum’s developer (the National Institute for Direct Instruction) and the other with a group not associated with the developer. Eleven schools were in the first group, and five schools were in the second. The third condition involved implementation of Open Court (103 schools). The study examined changes in average first grade achievement, measured by the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (vocabulary, comprehension, and composite scores) over the six year time-span. Combining data across all years (1998-2003), students in NIFDI-supported schools had significantly higher achievement than students in the control schools on all three measures of achievement and significantly higher comprehension scores than students in the Other DI schools. When the socio-economic characteristics of the schools were controlled, the students in the NIFDI-supported schools had significantly higher achievement scores than students in both the Other DI schools and the control schools on all measures of achievement. First grade students in all 3 groups of schools had higher achievement scores in 2003 than in 1998, but the increase was significantly larger for students in NIFDI-supported schools than for students in the other schools. On average, first grade composite reading achievement scores in the NIFDI-supported schools increased by 113 percent from 1998 to 2003, while achievement in the control schools and the Other DI schools increased by 56 percent or less. The magnitude of the effect on first grade achievement from attending a NIFDI-supported school was statistically significant and substantively large. At the end of the study period (2003) the effect size (Cohen’s d) of attending a NIFDI-supported school versus attending an Other DI school on composite achievement was .63. The effect of attending a NIFDI-supported school versus a Control school was .82. Thus, the use of Direct Instruction curricula, the purveyor of technical support and the time of implementation all had significant effects on reading achievement. |
| Description of the Study: | The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of two implementation variables (source of technical support and time of implementation) to first grade reading achievement across three naturally occurring conditions over a six year time span. All first graders (n=40,000) who were in the Baltimore City Public School System from 1997-98 through 2002-03 were included in the study. Two of the conditions involved implementation of Direct Instruction (DI) curriculum programs, one with technical support from a purveyor associated with the curriculum’s developer (the National Institute for Direct Instruction) and the other with a group not associated with the developer. Eleven schools were in the first group, and five schools were in the second. The third condition involved implementation of Open Court (103 schools). The study examined changes in average first grade achievement, measured by the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (vocabulary, comprehension, and composite scores) over the six year time-span. |
| Article Type: | Efficacy study |
| Journal/Source: | Journal of Direct Instruction, 11 (1), 31-50 |
| Other Tags: | Reading Mastery, Language for Learning, Language for Thinking, Reasoning and Writing, Open Court, beginning reading, Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS), beginning reading, norm referenced tests, implementation |
| Affiliation: | National Institute for Direct Instruction |
| Design Type: | Cohort Control Group Design |
| Fidelity Data Reported: | No |
| Location/Setting: | Baltimore, Maryland, urban area |
| Participants: | Elementary students, general education students, African American students, low-SES students |
| Results: | Combining data across all years (1998-2003), students in NIFDI-supported schools had significantly higher achievement than students in the control schools on all three measures of achievement and significantly higher comprehension scores than students in the Other DI schools. When the socio-economic characteristics of the schools were controlled, the students in the NIFDI-supported schools had significantly higher achievement scores than students in both the Other DI schools and the control schools on all measures of achievement. First grade students in all 3 groups of schools had higher achievement scores in 2003 than in 1998, but the increase was significantly larger for students in NIFDI-supported schools than for students in the other schools. On average, first grade composite reading achievement scores in the NIFDI-supported schools increased by 113 percent from 1998 to 2003, while achievement in the control schools and the Other DI schools increased by 56 percent or less. The magnitude of the effect on first grade achievement from attending a NIFDI-supported school was statistically significant and substantively large. At the end of the study period (2003) the effect size (Cohen’s d) of attending a NIFDI-supported school versus attending an Other DI school on composite achievement was .63. The effect of attending a NIFDI-supported school versus a Control school was .82. Thus, the use of Direct Instruction curricula, the purveyor of technical support and the time of implementation all had significant effects on reading achievement. |
| Students Included: | Elementary students, general education students, African American students, low-SES students |
8 of 8
"SRA/McGraw-Hill’s reading programs bring increases in Baltimore’s scores"
| Author(s): | SRA/McGraw-Hill |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Abstract: | This study examines the effect of Reading Mastery (RM) on the reading achievement of elementary students in Baltimore. RM as well as other Direct Instruction programs were implemented in 18 elementary schools in 1996. By 2007 Reading Mastery, Language for Learning, Language for Thinking, and Reasoning and Writing were all in use with students in grades pre-K to 8. The Maryland State Assessment (MSA) and the Terra Nova Reading Test (TNRT) were administered annually to measure students’ reading achievement. Results from the MSA reading subtest indicate that the percentage of students in grades 3-5 scoring proficient or advanced increased from 2003 to 2007. Results from the TNRT indicate that the median national percentile rank for students in grades 3-6 increased from the 1998-1999 to 2002-2003 school years. |
| Description of the Study: | This study examines the effect of Reading Mastery (RM) on the reading achievement of elementary students in Baltimore. RM as well as other Direct Instruction programs were implemented in 18 elementary schools in 1996. By 2007 Reading Mastery, Language for Learning, Language for Thinking, and Reasoning and Writing were all in use with students in grades pre-K to 8. The Maryland State Assessment (MSA) and the Terra Nova Reading Test (TNRT) were administered annually to measure students’ reading achievement. |
| Article Type: | Efficacy study |
| Journal/Source: | SRA/McGraw-Hill |
| Other Tags: | Reading Mastery, Language for Learning, Language for Thinking, Reasoning and Writing, Maryland State Assessment, Terra Nova Reading Test |
| Affiliation: | SRA/McGraw-Hill |
| Design Type: | Cohort control with historical comparison design |
| Fidelity Data Reported: | No |
| Location/Setting: | Elementary school, urban area, Baltimore, Maryland, East |
| Participants: | |
| Results: | Results from the MSA reading subtest indicate that the percentage of students in grades 3-5 scoring proficient or advanced increased from 2003 to 2007. Results from the TNRT indicate that the median national percentile rank for students in grades 3-6 increased from the 1998-1999 to 2002-2003 school years. |
| Students Included: | Elementary students, African American students, low-SES students |