Alabama Scottish Rite Foundation
Learning Centers

The National Reading Panel’s Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Texas

Scottish Rite Dyslexia Training Program

At the President’s direction, the National Reading Panel, was appointed in 1997 to study the effectiveness of reading instruction and reading interventions by evaluating reading research using stringent criteria.  Out of many studies that were considered, only 38 met the criteria and were included in the meta-analysis.  One of these 38 was the research study conducted by Dr. Thomas Oakland and others, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Scottish Rite Dyslexia Training Program, which was published in the Journal of Learning Disabilities (1998) pages140-147.  The report of the National Reading Panel may be downloaded from www.nationalreadingpanel.org/Publications/subgroups.htm.   

In comparing the effectiveness of the studies, the NRP reported effect sizes indicating the relative effectiveness of each of the interventions included in the 38 studies.  Data reported by the NRP indicated that the Scottish Rite Dyslexia Training Program was a very effective intervention program.  The Scottish Rite research article is referred to as study #41 (Oakland, et al.) in the Report of the Subgroups of the National Reading Panel.  The table below is derived from data included in the tables of Chapter 2 of the Report of the Subgroups of the National Reading Panel. 

The analysis by the NRP indicates that the Scottish Rite Dyslexia program is extremely effective and backed by exemplary research.  Of special note:  Of the 38 studies included in this section of the NRP report, only 10 targeted students with severe reading difficulties and the Scottish Rite study was one of those 10.  The average age of the students in the Scottish Rite study was 11 years of age which further illustrates the power of this reading intervention program.  For additional information, contact Dr. Denise P. Gibbs, Director Alabama Scottish Rite Foundation Learning Centers at gibbsdenise@aol.com.