Cedar City, Utah
The Institute for Behavioral Research in Creativity (IBRIC), in partnership with the Utah State Office of Education and Iron County School District, conducted a three-year evaluation of a systematic phonics program, Discover Intensive Phonics for Yourself. This direct instruction and interactive software curriculum supplements reading programs in grades K-3 and has been reported to be effective with K-6 students who struggle with reading.
The State of Utah Criterion-Referenced Test (CRT) scores for grades 1–3 in 2007 and for grades 2–3 in 2008 and 2009
Conducted between 2007 and 2009
Kindergarten through third grade teachers at Iron Springs Elementary School in Cedar City, Utah were trained in the program and began implementing the curriculum in their classrooms during the 2006-2007 school year. Student achievement outcome data was gathered via multiple assessments and was compared with a control school similar in Socio-Economic Status (SES) and its suburban extent on the same state assessment tool.
Table 1: Percent Proficient on the Language Arts State CRT
Table 2: Grade 5 National Percentile Rank for Iowa Test of Basic Skills, Fall 2009
Table 3: Grades 2–5 Percent Proficient Language Arts CRT in 2009
Based on the findings of this study, the Discover Intensive Phonics for Yourself program positively impacted student outcomes, especially when implemented in the early grades. The positive reading attitudes of students and positive teacher attitudes regarding the professional development training and program elements adds to this program’s sustainability as a piece of the reading pedagogy in classrooms. The improved outcomes of K-3 students in this study motivates further research of the use of this program in more K-3 classrooms as well as with students in upper elementary grades who have difficulty reading. If the outcomes of students enrolled in the program in this study generalize to other students given access to the program, this supplemental curriculum could play a part in states closing the gap in student reading outcomes and schools achieving Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) goals.
Overall, teachers reported a very positve attitude about their professional development experience for all three years of the study. Overall, teachers reported a very postitive attitude about key areas of the program elements.
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