Effects of Standards-Based Instruction and Grading in Reading for Students with Disabilities

Effective reading instruction and student grading are frequently debated topics in education. Reading instruction for students with disabilities is vitally important, according to Denton, Vaughn, and Fletcher (2003), as 90% of students identified with a learning disability prior to fifth grade are due to reading difficulties. Unfortunately, current reading instruction for these students can be ineffective as it tends to stabilize reading growth rather than accelerate it (Denton, Vaughn & Fletcher, 2003). Further complications arise in providing accurate and informative grading for students with disabilities. Marzano (2000) found teachers include a variety of factors when assigning grades to students, which makes it difficult to determine the true value of the grade. The purpose of this study was to consider the effects of standards-based instruction and grading in reading for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities received reading instruction in a co-taught general education classroom. The general and special education teacher provided explicit instruction on district standards which were deemed appropriate for each student's current reading level. The teachers also utilized rubrics for grading each task that outlined what constituted proficiency on each assignment. Data was collected and analyzed to determine whether standards-based instruction and grading improved the learning of students with disabilities. The results showed some improvement in rubric scores for students and implications for future research on this subject are included