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2008-4: The What Works Clearinghouse Beginning Reading Reports and Rating of Reading Mastery: An Evaluation and Comment

This report evaluates the procedures of the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), and specifically examines a WWC report on the effectiveness of the Direct Instruction program Reading Mastery. Stockard’s evaluation is divided into three sections: a criticism of the WWC procedures, a detailed analysis of the WWC’s report on Reading Mastery, and general concerns about the WWC and the misrepresentation of research.

Stockard examined the WWC report on Reading Mastery in terms of their conclusions and the WWC procedures for conducting their reviews. The WWC report determined that no studies met their evidence standards for review, and therefore, they could not make any conclusions based on research about the effectiveness of Reading Mastery. However, Stockard determined the WWC failed to examine almost 100 research studies that were cited in other well-known reviews of the literature. Many of these studies demonstrated the effectiveness of Direct Instruction and Reading Mastery with a variety of students in different settings.

Apart from the absence of these relevant studies, Stockard argues that reviews of some of the studies included were flawed. In conclusion, Stockard provides recommendations for changes in WWC procedures.

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Categories: Technical Reports, What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)

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