Individualizing Teaching in Beginning Reading

The best way to teach children how to read has been debated for more than a century. Accumulating research now shows that there is no one best way to teach reading. The effect of various types of instruction depends on the constellation of skills learners bring to the classroom. In this article, we discuss the idea of child-characteristic-by-instruction interaction effects and how teachers can use this information to effectively individualize (or differentiate or personalize) their reading instruction more effectively from kindergarten to third grade (Year 1 to Year 4). [This paper was published in: "Better: Evidence-Based Education" by the Institute for Effective Education, University of York, Heslington, York and the Center for Research and Reform in Education at Johns Hopkins School of Education, Baltimore.]