Accommodating Student Diversity in Reading and Writing Instruction

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Abstract
Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) combines mixed-ability cooperative learning teams and same-ability reading groups to teach reading, writing, and language arts in heterogeneous intermediate classes containing mainstreamed special education and remedial reading students. Students engage in a wide range of cooperative activities in four- to five-member teams. In reading, students read aloud with their partners, identify components of the story grammar; practice vocabulary, decoding, and spelling; and write a composition in response to stories. They receive direct instruction in reading comprehension skills and practice them in their teams. In writing/langauge arts, a structured writing process is used in which students work with teammates to plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish compositions. Two studies of the full CIRC model and one of the reading comprehension component found that the program increased the reading, language arts, and writing achievemnt of all students, including mainstreamed special education and remedial reading students.