Identifying Tier One Instructional Strategies Related to Students’ Academic Achievement

1. Identifying Tier One Instructional Strategies Related to Students’ Academic Achievement Jennifer Wilson September 13, 2012

2. Background • My experiences • My question

3. Introduction • Tier one = general education instruction (Burns, Jacob, & Wagner, 2008; Fuchs & Fuchs, 2007; Gersten et al., 2009) • Need for evidence based practices (IDEA, 2004; NCLB, 2001) • Gap between effective strategies and what occurs in classrooms(Cook & Cothren Cook, 2011) • Failure to link strategies and achievement (Foorman, 2007; Foorman & Schatschneider, 2003) • Little examination of tier one instruction (Al Otaiba et al., 2011)

4. Proposed Strategies • Literature • Danielson (2007) • Stronge (2002) • Observation Tools • Ecobehavioral Assessment Software System (EBASS) • Classroom Climate Scale • English-Language Learner Classroom Observation Instrument for Beginning Readers

5. Proposed Strategies • Communicating High Expectations • Establishing Routines/Procedures • Promoting Student Engagement • Modeling or Coaching • Using Questioning Techniques • Providing Feedback • Differentiating Instruction • Using Student Assessment / Progress Monitoring • Managing Student Behavior • Organizing Physical Space • Grouping Practices

6. Standards for Evaluating Strategies • Multiple research methodologies support evidence (Odom et al., 2005) • Experimental / Quasi-experimental designs evaluated  Gersten et al. (2005) • Correlational research designs  Thompson, Diamond, McWilliam, Snyder, and Snyder (2005) • Qualitative studies  Brantlinger, Jimenez, Klinger, Pugach, and Richardson (2005)

7. Results Summary • 45 studies • 11 qualitative studies • Met credibility measures  53% • Met quality indicators (interviews)  80% • Met quality indicators (observations)  67% • 17 correlational studies • Met quality indicators  38% • 17 experimental / quasi-experimental studies • Met quality indicators  87%

8. “Substantial evidence” • More than one design (except experiments) • 6 or more studies showed a relation between the strategy and academic achievement

9. “Substantial evidence” • Student engagement • 12 studies (7 correlational, 5 qualitative) • Teacher questioning • 7 studies (4 experiments/quasi-experiments, 1 correlational, 2 qualitative) • Teacher feedback • 6 studies (2 experiments/quasi-experiments, 2 correlational, 2 qualitative) • Classroom management • 7 studies (5 experiments/quasi-experiments, 2 qualitative)

10. “Lacking evidence” • Only one design (except experiments) • Fewer than 6 studies

11. “Lacking evidence” • High expectations • Classroom routines • Teacher modeling or coaching • Differentiating instruction • Monitoring student progress • Organizing space

12. “Conflicting evidence” • Grouping • Type of grouping practices • Ability grouping • Cooperative learning

13. Limitations • Peer reviewed journals • Synonyms for strategies • Strategies not “common” in literature and observation tools – not studied • Quality indicators – Exceptional Children (2005) • Success of meeting indicators varied

14. Implications for Practice • Teach strategies • Teacher preparation • Professional development • Observation

15. Implications for Research • Line of research needs to be expanded • Evidence base not substantial • Look at a variety of strategies and their relation to student achievement