Teaching Reading to Students with Learning Disabilities - Essay Example

The development of effective reading strategies can have positive consequences for students with learning disabilities, yet many students do not learn to use strategies automatically. Finally, the implications for reading instruction for students with and without disabilities in inclusive settings are discussed. The ability to read is a critical component of school success. A strong correlation exists between poor reading ability and school failure, and students who do not learn how to read during their elementary years have difficulty navigating the school curriculum during middle and upper grades (Marston, Deno, Dongil, Diment, & Rogers, 2005).

The National Center for Education Statistics reported that more than 75% of all fourth graders and eighth graders scored below the reading proficiency range on the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading assessment (U.S. Department of Education, 2002). These numbers suggest that a large number of students with and without disabilities are not benefiting from current traditional reading curricula and instructional practices (Carnine, Silbert, & Kameenui, 2001; Simmons & Kameenui, 2000).

Improving reading instruction is a top priority for both general and special education. These concerns are paramount for students with high-incide. Among the students with high-incidence disabilities, children classified with learning disabilities constitute the largest group of students receiving special education services. More than 2 million students in the United States are classified with a learning disability, a number that has increased dramatically since the late 1970s. In the past decade alone, the number of students classified with a learning disability increased 38%, and currently students identified with a learning disability represent 51% of all students with disabilities (U.S. Department of Education, 2000).

The 2001 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) specifically identified the general education setting as the most appropriate placement for all students, and about half of the students classified with a learning disability participate full time in a general education classroom. Full-time placement in the general education classroom is commonly called inclusion or inclusive education (U.S. Department of Education, 2000). In inclusion settings, students with disabilities may or may not receive additional support from a special education teacher.

Some programs involve general and special education teacher collaboration, but in many cases the general education teacher is responsible for implementing all academic support services, curricular adaptations, and testing modifications (Schulte, Osborne, & Erchul, 2002). Moreover, most new standards-based reform initiatives require that students with learning disabilities meet minimum local and state competency requirements. Despite the extra responsibilities this places on teachers, many school districts continue to reshape the roles of