program utilizes the best methods of teaching reading. The Distar reading program has consistently proven itself successful teaching all types of children to read effectively.
The most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress study of children's reading ability showed that 44 percent of the nations elementary and high school students read at levels below the "basic" level (Collins, 1997, p. 1). A student functioning below the "basic" level was defined as a student who exhibited "little or no mastery of the knowledge and skills necessary to perform work at each grade level" (Collins, 1997, p. 1). These students are unable to understand the meaning of the text or make simple inferences about the material (Palmaffy, 1997, p. 1). That 44 percent of all students in the United States are unable to function on grade level is dismal, but the scores of black students show that almost three-quarters (72 percent) cannot perform satisfactorily on grade level tasks which include reading (Collins, 1997, p. 1). Least the argument be put forth that minority students are responsible for the lowering of the average score, note that 32 percent of students in forth grade with two college educated parents, could not read at the basic level. These results testify to the unproductive state of reading education in this country. The blame can be laid squarely on the introduction of holistic philosophy into educational curriculum.
Historically, before the 20th century, the teaching of reading was based on the teaching of decoding skills, drill, and practice. The best known of the early reading texts are the McGuffy readers. Students were expected to master each page before they began the next step. The text was sequentially ordered with students beginning at the alphabet and learning the sounds associated with each letter. This approach would now be labeled as a phonics and basal reader program. It approaches the teaching of reading...