A Co-Operative Study of Reading in Eleven Cities of Northern Illinois

Abstract

A co-operative study of reading was organized during the month of September by the committee in charge of the gradeteacher's section of the Illinois State Teachers Association (Northeastern Section), which met at Elgin, Illinois, November 3 and 4. The purpose of this study was to secure a body of facts in regard to the achievement of boys and girls in reading in a number of schools represented in the Association. The superintendents and teachers of Aurora, Barrington, Berwyn, Cicero, Crystal Lake, Harvey, Hinsdale, Joliet, River Forest, Sycamore, and Winnetka co-operated. All of these cities are located within a radius of fifty miles of Chicago. The College of Education of the University of Chicago organized the details of this study, carried on a number of conferences with representatives of the various schools, sent out the tests, scored the results, and returned the material together with. detailed reports to the respective schools. The results of the study were presented by the writer at two sectional conferences of grade teachers at the Elgin meeting. In organizing this investigation the distinction between oral reading and silent reading was recognized as one of first importance. Justification for this distinction will come out more fully in later paragraphs. For the purposes of introduction it is sufficient to remark that the importance of silent reading is not recognized as fully as it should be. In the primary grades of the elementary school special emphasis has usually been given to oral reading. This type of reading proves to be appropriate and economical during that period in which the pupil is mastering the fundamental steps in reading. During the intermediate and upper grades the pupil is frequently called upon to read orally in con-