Effects of the failure free reading program on students with severe reading disabilities

Reading problems are among the most prevalent concerns for those who teach students with learning disabilities. In the present research, 39 students with severe reading problems were taught word recognition and comprehension skills using the failure free Reading Program. The intervention is based on principles identified in research on successful reading programs. Key steps in the program included (a) previewing the story, (b) listening to the story being read, (c) presenting content from the story, (d) reading the story, and (e) reviewing the story. Improved performance in letter-word identification, word attack, comprehension, and dictation was evident after intensive intervention. Discrepancies between intellectual ability and reading achievement decreased in more than half of the students. The failure free Reading Program seems to hold promise for improving reading in students with learning disabilities.