Subject: Re: Who is Siegfried Engelmann?? Date: 8 Aug 1998 03:57:53 GMT From: eric@linux-hw.com (Eric Lee Green) Organization: Airnews.net! at Internet America Newsgroups: misc.education, alt.education, k12.chat.teacher References: 1 On Wed, 05 Aug 1998 07:15:56 -0700, jim blair wrote: >Hi, >I am looking for information and references to Siegfried Engelmann and >his theories on Direct Instruction. > >I have read that DI gave the best results in project Follow Through, >described as being the largest controlled comparative study of teaching >methods in human history. > >Anyone know about it? Siggy's pride and joy was later marketed as DISTAR, and does work for what it's intended -- teaching decoding skills to children. He also wrote a book on the subject. Unfortunately, it is still boxed up in a storage shed back in Louisiana while I'm currently in North Carolina, so I can't give you a title or etc. The nice part about DI is that it requires relatively little "voodoo" compared to most methods of teaching decoding. Everything is scripted even down to hand movements to the point where even the stupidest teacher is hard pressed to mess it up. I'm always disappointed with teachers who say "Well, I get just as good results using method 'X'" because the point is that not all teachers are good teachers who can get results with method 'X' -- but only vegetables can't get results with DI. When we're past 2nd grade and we're talking about comprehension, we're in a different realm, and DI is of little use there. (Hmm, a former teacher, and I support DI because stupid teachers are hard pressed to mess it up? :-). -- Eric Lee Green eric@linux-hw.com Linux Hardware Solutions Systems Specialist Quality Systems Designed For Linux Hi, This agrees with what I read: that DI is very effective in the lower grades. But that the effect of getting higher test scores and better grades carries on into high school for the students who had DI while they were in the first and second grades. AND: To: jeblair@facstaff.wisc.edu From: Julie Rutledge Subject: S. Engelmann Hi! Are you still looking for info regarding DI and Siegfried Engelmann? I found a couple websites that might be of some interest as well as the phone number and e-mail address for the Engelmann-Becker Corporation. I use their program and tutoring services for my sons as they are a local company. Here is the info: (541)485-1163 EBCorpers@aol.com (I hope I got this right) http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~adiep/ http://www.pacificcoast.net/~vicwest/lacdi.html There's alot more too! He's a really great educator. julie rutledge