Teachers believe in their early intervention programs--and in their students' ability to learn to read.

Though this is not a characteristic that is reflected in the research articles about the early intervention programs, it is a characteristic that is very evident if one talks with or observes teachers in these programs. They clearly see and can document the progress of their students; they have evidence that the instruction they are providing is having a very significant effect. Children who would almost certainly struggle and have experienced growing frustration in trying to learn to read are succeeding.