Precision Reading
Abstract:
One important foundation for participation in the new economy is the ability to read in a wide variety of content areas that reflect the technological complexity and sophistication of the "cognitive" workplace. Unfortunately, many technical and vocational students do not have the reading skills they need to succeed. Precision Reading offers an innovative research-based remedy to this problem. It is a short, daily reading activity designed to dramatically improve students' sight word recognition, knowledge of word meanings, reading fluency, and passage comprehension. Precision Reading combines the proven techniques of direct instruction, repeated readings, positive reinforcement, automaticity training, and continuous measurement. Studies of Precision Reading have demonstrated its usefulness with low achievers and students with learning disabilities, ADHD, and cognitive impairments. It is an effective, practical, inexpensive, and highly supportive and motivating way to recover low achieving students to grade level literacy in only a few minutes a day using existing classroom reading materials.
Presenter:
Rick Freeze
Dr. Rick Freeze, B.A., B.Ed., M.A., Ph.D., is a professor of inclusive special education in the Administration, Foundations, and Pscyhology Department of the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba. Over the years, Rick has worked as an elementary and secondary classroom teacher, a special educator, a school principal, and an educational psychologist. Today, Rick teaches inclusive special education courses in the after degree (B.Ed.), graduate (M.Ed. & Ph.D.), and professional development (P.B.C.E. & E.P.D.) programs of the Faculty of Education.
Rick has investigated and written about a variety of inclusive special education topics including: precision reading, consultation and collaboration, resource teacher programs, inclusive schooling, promoting responsible behaviour, student self-determination, differentiating instruction and assessment, and the transition from school to work and post-secondary education for students with cognitive disabilities. Rick has written books, book chapters, journal articles, and curricula on these and related topics. He has presented at academic and professional conferences in the U.S.A., the U.K., Europe, the Caribbean, and Canada. Rick has worked extensively with schools, communities, and disability groups in the areas of research and professional development. He has presented papers and conducted workshops in all parts of Canada, in the U.S.A., and overseas on a wide variety of inclusive and special education topics including precision reading. Rick is married and has a daughter in senior high school.