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Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC)
Beginning Reading

Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition® was found to have potentially positive effects on comprehension and no discernible effects on general reading achievement for beginning readers.

Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition® (CIRC®) is a comprehensive reading and writing program for students in grades 2–8. It includes story-related activities, direct instruction in reading comprehension, and integrated reading and language arts activities. Pairs of students (grouped either by or across ability levels) read to each other, predict how stories will end, summarize stories, write responses, and practice spelling, decoding, and vocabulary. Within cooperative teams of four, students work to understand the main idea of a story and work through the writing process. The CIRC® process includes teacher instruction, team practice, peer assessment, and team/partner recognition. A Spanish version of the program was also designed for grades 2–5.

Findings

2
studies that met standards out of
5
eligible studies reviewed
Outcome
domain
Effectiveness Rating Grades Evidence Tier
Comprehension Potentially positive effects 3-4
Reading achievement No discernible effects 3-4

Last Updated: June 2012

Race

Black
69%
White
19%
Other or unknown
2%

Ethnicity

Hispanic
11%
Not Hispanic or Latino
89%

Delivery Method

whole class icon
Small Group
Whole Class

Urbanicity

Rural

Locations

PA, OH
Midwest, Northeast
Note: This summary only includes data from studies that reported sample information. The Intervention Report may include evidence from other studies that met standards, but did not report sample information.


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