Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 MODULE 4: TIERED INSTRUCTION Adolescent Literacy – Professional Development Unit 3, Session 1

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 CHOOSING THE BEST INTERVENTION FOR YOUR STUDENTS 4.3.1

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Session Overview  Unit 3, Session 1 Questions:  What should your approach to literacy intervention include?  How do you evaluate the programs & tools that exist to assist in intervention?  Unit 3, Session 1 Objectives:  Understand how to choose effective literacy interventions  Be exposed to existing literacy programs that can assist students with specific deficits 3

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Warm-Up: Student Literacy Assessment  Complete the questionnaire to decide which literacy skills are weakest for your students. 4

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Intervention Decisions  Use of a prescribed program with fidelity to prescribed instruction? OR  Flexible use of a prescribed program’s resources in correlation with teacher-generated materials? OR  Unique, individualized teacher-generated materials? 5

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Selecting a Literacy Program  Consider 4 elements: 1.Program’s target audience: Does it focus on struggling readers? Adolescents? 2.Strength of literacy focus: Does its vision match the goals of your TI plan? 3.Resources: Are there adequate instructional & assessment materials for teacher & student? 4.Research-base: Is there evidence to support reliability? 6

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Evaluating Literacy Programs  Does the program offer the school…  Clear goals and benchmarks?  Professional development opportunities?  Assessment tools?  Motivation to read?  Technology components?  Cross-curricular application?  Flexibility of use? 7

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Discussion: Available Programs  What resources, materials, and/or programs already exist within the school building to aid literacy interventions? 8

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 What is Decoding? 9

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Decoding Strategies  Knowledge of individual phonemes  Combination of phonemes to make sounds  Phonetic patterns  Syllable types  Syllable blending  Irregular patterns  Prefixes, suffixes, endings, and roots 10

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Decoding Program Examples  Lindamood-Bell: Phonemic & orthographic awareness  Intensive, one-on-one or group  Assessment-driven  Print & web resources  Professional development opportunities  Significant research base 11

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 What is Fluency?  Reading orally with…  Appropriate speed  Pronunciation accuracy  Proper expression 12

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Fluency Strategies  Provide corrective feedback through…  Modeling reading  Repeated reading  Partner reading  Reader’s theater  Recorded reading 13

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Examples of Fluency Program  Read Right:  1978, basis in neurology  Small group modeling & practice oral reading  900+ book library & student management systems  Assessment & progress monitoring tools  Intensive teacher training offered  Frequently replicated, rarely externally studied 14

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 What is Comprehension?  The ability to discern meaning from text  Stated or implied…  Main ideas  Details  Purpose  Audience  Increasingly important at the secondary level because of the demands of content curriculum. 15

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Comprehension Strategies  Effective pre-reading  Learning & applying background knowledge  Assessing text structure  Answering questions  Taking active reading notes  Summarizing  Visualizing a text  Creating questions  Critical thinking & analysis 16

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Example of Comprehension Program  Disciplinary Literacy: Professional development program devised by the Institute for Learning at the University of Pittsburgh  How to read/think in each discipline  Rigorous teacher training course  Administrative guidance skills  Direct application to lesson plans  No packaged student materials  No research base 17

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 What is Vocabulary?  Knowing the definitions of words that are essential to the comprehension of a text. 18

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Vocabulary Strategies  Prefixes, suffixes, endings, and roots  Context clues  Memorization through repetitive practice  Visualization  Etymology  Application to content 19

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Example of Vocabulary Program  Vocabulary Improvement Program: Devised for Spanish ELLs, but applied to all students  Text-based 18-week curriculum  Context clues, morphology, cognates  Books & assessment tools  Available Professional Development, but thorough manual is enough  Several positive longitudinal studies 20

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Program Summary  Many programs address several areas of literacy at once  Program choice depends on student need & school plan 21

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Important Considerations  Level of reading independence  Areas of greater deficit  Age/maturity level of student  Interests (as related to reading motivation) 22

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Wrap-Up  Things to Remember:  Literacy interventions should address reading holistically, but focus on areas of student weakness.  Evaluate and research programs before deciding on which one to implement.  Keep student needs in mind when choosing programs.  Be flexible and patient. 23

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 Wrap-Up Activity  Use the evaluation of literacy programs in Shanahan (2005) to examine one program and evaluate its effectiveness for the student indentified in the warm- up activity. 24

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 For Next Time  Keep in mind…  The student whose profile you used during the warm-up activity  The program you evaluated during the wrap- up activity  Evaluate how effective the program would be for this student. 25

Module 4: Unit 3, Session 1 References Boardman, A. G., Roberts, G., Vaughn, S., Wexler, J., Murray, C. S., & Kosanovich, M. (2008). Effective instruction for adolescent struggling readers: A practice brief. Portsmouth, NH: RMC Research Corporation, Center on Instruction. Denton, C, Bryan, D, Wexler, J, Reed, D, & Vaughn, S. (2007). Effective instruction for middle school students with reading difficulties: The reading teacher’s sourcebook. University of Texas System/Texas Education Agency. Kamil, M. L., Borman, G. D., Dole, J., Kral, C. C., Salinger, T., and Torgesen, J. (2008). Improving adolescent literacy: Effective classroom and intervention practices: A Practice Guide (NCEE # ). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from Shanahan, C. (2005). Adolescent literacy intervention programs: Chart and program review guide. Retrieved from Slavin, R.E., Cheung, A., Groff, C., & Lake, C. (2008). Effective reading programs for middle and high schools: A best evidence synthesis. Reading Research Quarterly, 43, 3, 290 