50,000 Cobb County, Georgia Students to Learn Reading with Innovative Research-based Program from Pearson
Research Study Verifies "Good Habits, Great Readers" Increases Reading Proficiency by One Full Grade Level
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) August 31, 2009
Nearly 50,000 elementary students in Cobb County, the second largest school district in Georgia, will learn reading this fall with Good Habits, Great Readers (http://pearsonschool. com/index. cfm? locator=PSZ16e&PMDbSiteId=2781&PMDbSolutionId=6724&PMDbSubSolutionId=&PMDbCategoryId=3289&PMDbSubCategoryId=28138&PMDbSubjectAreaId=&PMDbProgramId=28561), a research-based (http://pearsonschool. com/index. cfm? locator=PSZ16e&PMDBSUBCATEGORYID=28138&PMDBSITEID=2781&PMDBSUBSOLUTIONID=&PMDBSOLUTIONID=6724&PMDBSUBJECTAREAID=&PMDBCATEGORYID=3289&PMDbProgramID=28561&elementType=attribute&elementID=142), balanced-literacy reading and writing curriculum from the education and technology company Pearson (http://www. pearsoned. com/). Located outside Atlanta, Cobb County is one of many school districts across the nation choosing this balanced literacy program that is centered on individualized instruction to meet each student on his or her own level.
Good Habits, Great Readers provides balanced instruction, includes technology components to meet today's digital natives on their own turf, and aligns to Georgia Performance Standards.
Combined with Pearson's Words Their Way: Word Study in Action (http://pearsonschool. com/index. cfm? locator=PSZ16e&PMDbSiteId=2781&PMDbSolutionId=6724&PMDbSubSolutionId=&PMDbCategoryId=3289&PMDbSubCategoryId=28139&PMDbSubjectAreaId=&PMDbProgramId=18082), Good Habits, Great Readers (GHGR) will serve as a complete reading curriculum at Cobb County's 68 elementary schools. Elementary students in Georgia's Rabun and Hall counties also will learn with this program that includes more than 2,800 books at different reading levels.
Built on the National Reading Panel's essential instructional strategies for effective reading comprehension (http://pearsonschool. com/live/assets/200828/GHGR_WhitePaper_10263_1.pdf), Good Habits, Great Readers offers shared and guided reading lessons for whole-class or small-group instruction, embedded progress monitoring and integrated professional development. Since 2006, the program has been used in 139 school districts in 22 states across the country as either a core curriculum or supplemental reading program.
Another key component of Good Habits, Great Readers is its in-depth writing program based on research of best practices in writing instruction. With the writing solution, teachers help develop students' skills in prewriting, drafting, revising, editing and publishing, preparing them for the rigors of middle and high school.
Pearson's Director of Academic Research Marcy Baughman said, "An independent study, conducted by Magnolia Consulting, found that students using Good Habits Great Readers significantly increased their reading achievement as evidenced by percentile gains of 33 and 26 points on the Terra Nova Language and Reading tests, respectively." This study was designed to meet the rigorous standards of the Institute for Education Sciences What Works Clearinghouse.
Baughman noted that the same study showed that students learning with the program increased their reading proficiency by six reading levels on the Developmental Reading Assessment 2 (http://pearsonschool. com/index. cfm? locator=PSZ16e&PMDbSiteId=2781&PMDbSolutionId=6724&PMDbSubSolutionId=&PMDbCategoryId=3289&PMDbSubCategoryId=28139&PMDbSubjectAreaId=&PMDbProgramId=23661) (DRA2), an individually-administered assessment that measures student performance in reading engagement, oral reading fluency and comprehension, and that integrates seamlessly with GHGR to accurately and effectively monitor student progress.
"A strong research base and independent efficacy studies are essential components of our Pearson programs," said Laura Murphy, Pearson's Georgia representative. She added, "We are committed to demonstrating proven effectiveness in enabling students to learn the skills and concepts necessary for academic success. That solid research foundation and GHGR's ability to help students of all reading levels succeed is what makes the program a perfect fit for Georgia districts."
Murphy continued, "With GHGR, there isn't just one book for all students. Each student has access to materials that are tailored to his or her specific needs. And, teachers have all the tools and support necessary to ensure their students are successful."
For more information on Good Habits, Great Readers, visit www. pearsonschool. com.
About Pearson
Pearson (NYSE:PSO), the global leader in education and education technology, reaches and engages today's digital natives with effective and personalized learning, as well as dedicated professional development for their teachers. This commitment is demonstrated in the company's investment in innovative print and digital education materials for preK through college, student information systems and learning management systems, teacher professional development, career certification programs, and testing and assessment products that set the standard for the industry. The company's respected brands include Scott Foresman, Prentice Hall, Addison Wesley, Benjamin Cummings, PEMSolutions, Stanford 10, SuccessNet, MyLabs, PowerSchool, SuccessMaker and many others. Pearson's comprehensive offerings help inform targeted instruction and intervention so that success is within reach of every student at every level of education. Pearson's commitment to education for all is supported by the global philanthropic initiatives of the Pearson Foundation. Pearson's other primary businesses include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group. For more information, go to www. pearson. com.
###
