Cooperative Study of Reading 



23 



during the school year, we should naturally expect that the 

 scores would be approximately the same. The diagram shows 

 that Indiana is more than one-half year behind Grand Rapids 

 in oral reading achievement. This situation should challenge 

 the attention of every teacher and supervisor of Indiana. If 

 the teachers of Indiana are devoting as much time and energy 

 to instruction in reading as are the teachers in Grand Rapids 

 and St. Louis, or even in Northern Illinois, it is evident that 

 the results secured per unit of time are distinctly inferior. 

 Expert supervisors and teachers should make careful and con- 

 tinued studies of the reading problem in order to determine 

 the real cause of the slow progress in Indiana. 



Diagram 2, on the other hand, shows clearly that excel- 

 lent results are possible. The diagram presents the average 

 oral reading scores for Indiana and for two selected cities; 

 also the highest and lowest scores for each grade. The scores 

 for City 14 are uniformly high. They approximate, and in 

 some places even excel, the scores for Grand Rapids. The 

 scores for City 10 are uniformly low. The wide difference 

 in the results secured by these two cities is evidence that 

 there are fundamental differences within these cities which 

 should be investigated. Investigations of this type enable the 

 teachers in a given state or section to locate the cities in which 

 superior results are secured. Special studies should be made 

 of the reading material and methods of teaching in such 

 cities in order that the less successful cities may profit thru 

 the use of more effective methods. In a number of recent 

 investigations of reading it has been found that an abundance 

 of interesting and appropriate reading material is a factor of 

 greatest importance in securing superior results. Each city 

 which ranks below Grand Rapids should study its own needs 

 carefully and should take steps immediately to improve its 

 instruction. A limited number of constructive suggestions 

 will be found in the recommendations which are given at the 

 end of the report. 



The average oral reading scores for Indiana and for three 

 selected cities are presented in Diagram 3. The interesting 

 fact in connection with this diagram is revealed by the curve 

 of progress for City 6. In contrast to the uniformly high 

 scores which are made by City 9, City 6 starts at a very low 

 level in the second grade and makes but little progress dur- 



