The basal reading approach teaches reading through a series of books that have been written especially for that purpose. Also known as graded readers, the books in a basal program are designed to teach children to read. A basal reading curriculum includes a series of readers, workbooks, activity sheets and a teacher's guide with lessons already planned. The approach works best when students are divided into groups according to their reading level.
The McGuffey Readers, used in American schools as early as 1836, were some of the first basal readers. These books came into the education scene as children began to move from a home-based education into public schools. The McGuffey books remained a popular choice among American schools until the 1960s. In the 1930s the popular "Dick and Jane" books were published by the Scott-Foresman Company. They were in frequent use until the 1960s, when the company stopped production. The basal reading approach is still used in education; however, it has been expanded to include supplemental resources.
One of the major benefits of the basal reading approach is that it provides the teacher with pre-planned lessons and the tools needed to assess student's reading abilities. Other advantages include books arranged in a logical sequence of increasing difficulty, the gradual introduction of reading skills and assurance to educators that those important skills are being taught. Students using a basal reading approach are also introduced to a wide range of genres.
What some educators see as advantages to the approach, others see as limitations. Some teachers feel the program is too rigid and doesn't engage students. Often times, the stories do not match students interests, making it hard to capture the attention of a reluctant reader. The approach is designed to work best in a group and is often difficult to alter for students who learn better individually or have learning disabilities.