Cooperative Study of Reading 



31 



do several cities with which they are compared. Hence there 

 is need for more emphasis on rate of silent reading beginning 

 with the third grade if the cities of Indiana are to approxi- 

 mate the achievement of other progressive cities. 



Diagram 5 reveals other significant facts. It should be 

 noted that progress in rate of reading is rapid in the lower 

 and intermediate grades and approaches a high level in the 



ViJords per 

 second 

 5.00 



1 







1 





4 . 00 





; 



3i21 







2. '97 „ 





3.00 





2 ! 21 



/' 



/' 



/' 



— TT^- ' ' ' 



ij97 



■ — - 



2.00 





1 y 



^--"''^ ^ 









1.00 



/ 



.'21 









1 



2d 3d 4th 5th 6th '~th 8th 



Group I — Group III 



Group II - Indiana 



Diagram 7. Average Silent Reading Rates for Indiana and for 

 Groups I, II, and III 



seventh and eighth grades. Altho the different cities vary 

 widely in rate of reading during the lovv^er grades, they ap- 

 proach the same level of achievement in the upper grades. 

 Since much of the information which the pupil secures in the 

 intermediate grades is gained during periods of silent study, 

 it is evident that the pupil v^ho learns to read rapidly and 

 intelligently during the third and fourth grades will be able to 

 progress much more rapidly than the pupil who does not 

 develop this ability until he reaches the upper grades. In 



