Addressing Reading Difficulties in the Classroom using Research-Based Intervention Strategies

1. Addressing Reading Difficulties in the Classroom using Research-Based Intervention Strategies April Turner, M.A. Melissa Andersen, M.A. Sara Kupzyk, M.A.

2. Characteristics of a Functional Approach to Reading Intervention Student performance assessed directly in the curriculum Intervention targets student performance in important curricular tasks Intervention focuses on the components of instruction Criterion for successful intervention: observable and measurable improvement in student learning over time

3. The Master Plan for Effective Intervention Must start with strong curriculum Guide decision-making with frequent, on-going assessment Use research-based practices Tailor intervention to student’s actual need Develop and implement manageable plan Monitor plan implementation and student progress regularly

4. General Approaches to Intervention Selection Standard Protocol Problem-solving Regardless of the approach, selection of intervention must be based on the student’s actual need indicated by assessment data

5. Curriculum Based Measurement (CBM) Assessing basic indicators of educational performance Correct Read Words (CRW) Per Minute is reliable and valid indicator of reading competence Measures accurate and fluent performance across materials and time (generalization) Frequent, repeated measurement improves decision-making

6. What Type of Problem?

7. Instructional Hierarchy Haring, Lovitt, Eaton, & Hansen, 1978

8. Matching Instruction to Need

9. Interventions for Reading Words in Isolation Prerequisite skills for text reading Letter Sounds and Letter Names Segmenting and blending sounds (phonemes) Decoding phonetically regular words Reading sight words

10. Phoneme Blending InterventionSkill: Segmenting and blending sounds Materials: 4 Instructional words on flashcards, one blank flashcard Instructional Words: error words chosen from the student’s reading text Decodable words with predictable and not unusual sounds Appropriate: ship, soap, quick Inappropriate: what (“a” sounds like “u”), these (silent “e”) Procedure/Demonstration: First three times through the cards consists of sounding out each phoneme (expose one at a time using the blank card until student can see whole word), then blending them into each Instructional Word Last time through consists of student reading each Instructional Word

11. Phonics InterventionSkill: Decoding phonetically regular words Materials: Word list, instructional passage Procedure/Demonstration: Teach a phonics lesson Train phonics words in isolation: model + prompt responses Have students practice phonics words in passage Model, repeated readings, error correction, performance feedback

12. Flashcard InterventionSkills: Letter Sounds and Letter Names, Reading sight words Builds accuracy for unknown sounds, letters, and words Materials: Flashcards with letters or sight words Procedure/Demonstration (sight words): Identify unknown words Model the first two words and have the student repeat Have the student say the words on their own If student says all of the words correctly, shuffle the cards, model a new word and continue through remaining words. If student does not say a word correctly or doesn’t respond, model the word and have student repeat, shuffle the cards, and repeat (do not add a new word until the student gets all of the words correct the first time)

13. Flashcard Intervention Example Nick- a 1st grade student Weak sight word vocabulary

14. Reading Words in Connected Text • Fluency: • Those who read words in text • Accurately • Quickly • With less effort • Fluent Readers • Enjoy reading more • More confident in reading skills • Have higher levels of comprehension • Are more likely to choose to read

15. Connected Text Interventions Listening Passage Preview Repeated Reading Error Correction Phase Drill Syllable Segmentation

16. Listening Passage Preview Materials Two copies of the designated text Procedure/Demonstration Read the story aloud to the student at an age-appropriate pace Have the student follow along on the student copy as you read the text aloud

17. Repeated Readings Materials Two copies of the selected reading text Student copy Examiner copy Procedure/Demonstration Have the student read the text aloud three to four times Each time the student reads the passage aloud, follow on the examiner copy If the student hesitates on a word for more than 3 seconds, say the word and have the student read the word correctly

18. Enhancing Repeated Reading Choice of Reading Material Give the student options of what to read Limit the length and amount of material Keep the materials brief so student have multiple opportunities to read and re-read the same material Provide Encouragement Discuss material with the student Graph student progress!

19. Error Correction: Phase Drill Materials Two copies of the reading passage Student copy, Examiner copy Highlighter Stopwatch

20. Error Correction: Phase Drill • Procedure/Demonstration • Have the student read the story aloud • While the student is reading the passage aloud, follow along on the Examiner Copy highlighting/underlining errors • If the student hesitates on a word for more than 3 seconds, sat the word and highlight/underline it • Show him/her your copy with the underline/highlighted errors • Read each error word to the student • Have the student read the phrase/sentence containing the word aloud three times • Have the student read the passage aloud again using the standard CBM error correction procedures

21. Error Correction: Syllable Segmentation Materials Two copies of the reading passage Examiner copy, student copy

22. Error Correction: Syllable Segmentation • Procedure/Demonstration • Identify error words using standard CBM procedures • The examiner uses an index card to cover each error word, uncovering and modeling the correct pronunciation of one syllable at a time • The student repeats the correct pronunciation of each syllable as the examiner uncovers them • The student then independently reads each syllable and blends the syllables together to pronounce the word • If mistakes are made, the previous steps are repeated

23. Connected Text Interventions Summary

24. Intervention for Interpreting Text • Comprehension • The ultimate goal in reading • Enhancing Comprehension • Pre-reading Activities • Post-reading Activities

25. Pre-Reading Comprehension Clarify purpose of reading What is purpose of reading? Activate prior knowledge Pre-teach vocabulary Pre-teach concepts Choose material that is appropriate

26. Pre-Reading Comprehension: Unknown Words Pre-Teach Vocabulary Say the word Tell the students what it means Use Context Clues

27. Pre-Reading Comprehension: Unknown Words • What does it mean? • Directions: • Make a list of words you do not know • Then, write a definition for each word • The definition can be another word that means the same thing or short description of that word WordDefinition __________ ___________________

28. Pre-Reading Comprehension: T.E.L.L.S T.E.L.L.S • Title • What is the title? What is this about? • Form hypothesis and now read to see if they are correct, activate prior knowledge • Examine • Clues • Pictures, headings and subheadings figures graphs • Look • Important words • Used often, in bold, illustration may provide clues • Unknown words • Setting • Clues about the setting (time, place, date)

29. Enhancing Pre-Reading Comprehension • Activities should be short and engaging • May be taught and done in small groups where students can discuss • T.E.L.L.S • Title • What do you think about? • Look • Unknown words (others can tell what it means) • Important words (others can explain why they think word is important)

30. Post-reading Comprehension Strategies Summarize Consolidate students knowledge Write down main ideas, important points, sequence of events Complete story maps, timelines, conflict charts

31. Incorporating Motivational/Reinforcement Strategies Motivational/Reinforcement Strategies If the task requires much effort then to get the student to chose the task we must provide strong reinforcement Frequent Immediate Meaningful

32. Motivation/Reinforcement • Student is given a story to read and questions to answer • Student completes the assignment with 95% correct • Student is praised and receives a good grade • The task required little effort and time from the student so the weaker reinforcement is sufficient

33. Motivation/Reinforcement • Joe tries really hard and completes three comprehension tasks • Joe gets 60% correct, which is a big improvement but not enough for a good grade • Done often enough, it is possible that Joe will stop trying because even if he did do well enough, all the effort would not be worth the reinforcement

34. Motivation/Reinforcement Solutions • Praise Joe for completing each task • Increased frequency and immediacy of reinforcement • Add an interdependent group-oriented contingency so that Joe’s effort and accuracy is reward • Example: if 70% of class gets 70% correct then the class gets a reward • Promote cooperative learning

35. Additional Motivation/Reinforcement Strategies • Reward Box • Comprised largely of activities (free and fun for all) • As long as one activity in the box is really cool for each student, then there is the possibility of something wonderful happening each day for each student • Also, high quality powerful reinforcer for students who need it because the task requires much effort

36. Group Adaptation Class-wide Peer Tutoring Student pairs take turns reading aloud for a fixed amount of time As the student reads “tutor” scores errors, provides correction Switch roles in the student pair

37. Mix and Matching Interventions • Identify student need • Acquisition • Sounds or words in isolation • Fluency • Reading connected text • Comprehension • Understanding what is read • Start with a research-based program • Enhance the research-based program with additional strategies tailored to student need

38. Conclusions Each student’s need is unique Must start with strong curriculum Guide decision-making with frequent & on-going assessment Use research-based practices Tailor Intervention to student’s actual need Develop and implement manageable plan Monitor plan implementation and student progress regularly