Research
The foundational program of Imagine It! has consistently proven its effectiveness across the country with a diverse population of students for over four decades.
- Students' results from standardized tests are used to validate the program
- Field testing shows that the explicit, systematic instructional approach used to develop Imagine It! is more effective for at-risk students than other approaches as measured by a variety of tests, including standardized measures*
- Comprehensive reports from the National Reading Panel and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) support the strategies and instructional models use d to develop Imagine It!
When it comes to building reading comprehension, a strong vocabulary makes all the difference. Research has shown that students with inadequate vocabularies rarely succeed in school, due largely to the fact that their poor understanding of texts dissuades them from reading on their own. For these students, the primary source of difficulty is their lack of general vocabulary, rather than technical terms. Imagine It! responds to these findings by utilizing a system of tiered vocabulary instruction that places strong emphasis on research and interpretation skills. Relevant words are divided into three categories: words already known without school instruction; words to be learned as part of general lessons; and words to be learned in a specific content area. Instructors use orally presented texts and content-based explanations to directly teach over twenty new meanings each week, with the intent that students will be adequately exposed to all twenty and fully retain ten to twelve. Adhering to this schedule will keep every child up to speed in terms of vocabulary and comprehension.
In addition to informed strategies for enhancing comprehension, Imagine It! draws on more than twenty-five years of author research to help struggling students develop both powerful writing skills and critical methods of self-regulation. This system, known as Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD), guides students toward a mastery of the higher-level cognitive processes involved in written composition. In a recent report commissioned by Carnegie Corporation and the Alliance for Excellent Education, the SRSD was praised as the most effective writing intervention to date; its emphasis on goal-setting, self-monitoring, and self-instruction allows students to be more autonomous and reflective in their writing, giving them the confidence they need to succeed.
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Inquiry as an Instructional Approach |
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Vocabulary: The Missing Link Between Reading and Literacy |
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Helping Young Students Become Self-Regulated Writers - Related Link: http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/CASL/ |
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The McRae Report:: A Comparison Study |
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Leveled Readers Readability Summary for Grades 1-8 |
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Tapping in to Kids' Yearning for Learning: First Graders' Understanding of Inquiry |
