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Program information
Developer and contact
Read Naturally was developed by Candyce Ihnot. Read Naturally, 750 S. Plaza Dr. #100, Saint Paul, MN 55120. Web: www.readnaturally.com. Email: info@readnaturally.com. Telephone: (651) 452-4085 or (800) 788-4085. Fax: (651) 452-9204.
Scope of use
The program was first published in 1991. According to the developer, it has been implemented with special education, Title I, and ELL students throughout the U. S.
Teaching
The Read Naturally materials come with a teacher’s manual that includes the rationale for the program, descriptions of the materials needed to implement the program, instructions for implementing the program, and sample lesson plans for introducing the program to students. As part of the intervention, students practice reading expository passages until they are able to demonstrate improvement in oral language fluency and appropriate phrasing and expression. As discussed in footnote 1 above, the Denton et al. (2004) study made some modifications to the program. The study authors included pre-reading activities and post-reading questioning to facilitate comprehension. Tutors identified two vocabulary words for each Read Naturally passage. These words were subsequently introduced to students using sentences from the passages where they appeared; follow-up questions were asked to facilitate discussion about the meaning of a given word. These words were also placed on flashcards and reviewed. Tutors also asked students to identify words they did not know prior to using the repeated reading practice, and they then taught those words. In addition, group size varied from 1–4 students, and completed stories were sent home with students to be read with their parents.
Cost
Individual Read Naturally materials range in price from $5 to $299. The specific needs of the students served will determine the materials needed and the cost of implementation. There are eight levels of Read Naturally materials developed specifically for English language learners. The materials for each level cost $109.