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1. What does research say about the topic? GJ: Research says children must receive help early in their school career in order to be good readers. It also shows that remedial programs are not getting the wanted results,while interventions and prevention programs are showing more favorable results.

JZ: As we have heard over and over, it is so important for our young children to be read to and surrounded by books early on and to see their families reading and writing. Anderson, Hiebert, Scott and Wilkinson concluded "the single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children"(p.23) What a POWERFUL statement! It is so unfortunate and unfair that everyone does not come to school having had these types of experiences:(.  JD: Research says if a student starts out a poor reader and will continue to be a poor reading throughout his academic education.

2. How has reading's shift from remediation to prevention and intervention affected your programs? GJ: This has forced homeroom teachers to be responsible for prevention and intervention strategies. It seemed before that there was a specific teacher for the remedial programs, now the interventions are done in the regular classroom.

JZ: We have tried to do a better job of identifying children early on so we can get them the help they need.We have also tried to incorporate more of a learning styles approach.  JD: Identifying students and providing Tier I,III, III invention with these students has help in providing the extra one on one for a student to become successful in reading. However, low funding has hindered our school for provided the appropriate time needed for intervention for these students.

3. Discuss the concept that everyone is responsible for struggling readers and how does that affect you? GJ: As a special education teacher,I have seen the difference a good teacher makes in a child's life. Every teacher is responsible for doing all they can to help a child learn to read. Some do all they can, others do just enough to say they do something. JZ: Gerri's comment is very interesting! I do agree that everyone is responsible and sometimes I get so FRUSTRATED when I have parents who do not seem to grasp the importance/urgency of their child's reading ability even though I stress it throughout the year! I do not get it!!! JD: Our school policy is every student is everybody's student. With that said, reading instruction does not stop in the reading classroom setting. I am also a special eduation teacher, and for the long time the general educaion teachers thought if a child was on an IEP then to the resource room you go. It took the longest time for accountability for every student's education became a school-wide practice. We are all here to educate all students the best we can.

Your questions GJ: What is the most important element of successful prevention/intervention programs? JZ:Will you explain Title 1 to me? I am at a small parochial school and I do not really understand what it is and how it works. JD: Do you think RtI is a fad that will eventually go away because of the lack of funding to provide the reading specialist needed to provide these interventions?: