The Promise and Limitations of Reading Instruction in the Mainstream: The Need for a Multilevel Approach

The purpose of this article is to describe how increasingly intensive, multilevel interventions can be used to ensure the increase in number of children who learn to read. We first review the promise and limitations of empirically validated best practices for mainstream classrooms. We then discuss results from a recent multilevel intervention study. We conclude by examining implications of a multilevel instructional approach for special education service delivery.

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