Why might the Fifth Dimension be a valuable intervention in middle school settings?
This is an ideal question to begin our discussion. According to the NAEP 1998 Reading Report Card for the Nation and the States (Donahue, Voelkl, Campbell, & Mazzeo, 1999), reading achievement has increased for U.S. children in grades 4 and 8 over the last 4 years. However, closer examination reveals that the increase is limited to subgroups of children. The data show that while 62% and 74% of fourth and eighth graders, respectively, have mastered the knowledge and skills prerequisite for proficient grade-level performance, only 31% and 33% have mastered knowledge and skills necessary for analysis and application in subject matter. Less than 10% of children at these grade levels performed at the advanced level. On another front, many middle grade schools seem to be falling short of meeting the social and emotional needs of young adolescents (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1989). An often suggested intervention is extracurricular programs, before and after school, that prov
