Reading Comprehension
One of the most compelling findings from recent reading research is that children who get off to a poor start in reading rarely catch up (Torgesen, 1998). The poor first-grade reader almost invariably continues to be a poor reader (Francis, Shaywitz, Stuebing, Shaywitz, & Fletcher, 1996; Torgesen & Burgess, 1988). The consequences of a slow start in reading become monumental as they grow over time. The best solution to the problem of reading failure is to allocate resources for early identification and prevention.
Kindergarten is the grade during which to begin intervention. Children who are behind at the end of first grade have only a one-in-five to one-in-eight chance of being on grade level (Moats, 1999).