Examining the effectiveness of a multi-sensory instructional reading program in one rural Midwestern school district

Scope and Method of Study:The purpose of this research study was to examine the effectiveness of an (IMSE) OrtonGillingham based multi-sensory instructional reading program when incorporated with kindergarten through first grade classroom reading instruction in one rural Midwestern school district. The IMSE supplemental reading program is designed to be integrated into existing reading curricula to provide a multi-sensory, phonetic, and organized instructional tool. The IMSE supplemental reading program involves direct instruction in phonemic awareness and application of phonetic rules for 30 minutes of a 90 minute reading instructional block each day. The remaining 60 minutes of the reading instructional block includes systematic instruction using Scott Foresman (2009) basal reading instruction curriculum.Findings and Conclusions: Students who received the IMSE Orton-Gillingham based multi-sensory supplemental phonics instructional program when used in conjunction with the Scott Foresman basal reading program improved from the beginning of the year to the end of the year based on the measurements of the DIBELS assessments. Students who were instructed using the IMSE supplemental phonics instructional program with the Scott Foresman basal reading program (Experimental Group) scored higher on the DIBELS reading assessments than students instructed using the Macmillan-Mcgraw Hill (Control Group) basal reading instruction program