1. READING PROGRAMS TEN MYTHS OF READING INSTRUCTION – PART 1
By dr. sebastian wren
4-Block Reading vs Reading First – Part 2

2. Myth #1: Reading is a NATURAL process.

3. Myth #2: All Children will eventually learn to read
The gap b/w those w/ well developed skills
And those who do not gets WIDER & WIDER!
IF given enough time!

4. The Matthew Effect – What is it?
In Biblical times: The rich get richer, the poor get poorer.
In Reading: The literacy gap is easy to cross with diagnostic, focused instruction. If literary skills are not taught early on with a focused, sequential program, then the literacy gap just gets wider and wider
THE MATTHEW EFFECT!

5. No Quick Fixes Myth #3: Reading Programs are “successful!”
The TEACHER is the most important ingredient to teaching reading. To achieve success for all children, teachers need to become extremely sophisticated and diagnostic in their approach to reading instruction.

6. Myth #4: In the GOOD ‘OLE DAYS WE
DID A BETTER JOB OF TEACHING CHILDREN
TO READ!
ABSOLUTELY FALSE!
ONLY 35% TO 55% LEARNED TO READ
WITH STRONG, FOCUSED, DIAGNOSTIC READING INSTRUCTION 80%-90% OF ALL CHILDREN CAN LEARN TO READ PROFICIENTLY!

7. Myth #5: Skilled reading involves using syntactic and semantic cues to “guess” words, and good readers make many “mistakes” as they read authentic text.
GOOD readers depend on visual information – letter/word cues to quickly identify words.
GOOD readers almost never make any mistakes at al when they read.

8. Myth #6: Research can be used to support whatever your beliefs are –lots of programs are “research based.”
1. Real Research requires peer review
2. Real Reseach is tested and scrutinized from many angles by multiple, unrelated researchers.
3. Real Research has documented objectivity associate with it.
4. Real Research can be replicated…must have convergent evidence from multiple sources.

9. Phoneme Awareness is a necessity!
Myth # 7: Phoneme awareness is a consequence (not a cause) of reading acquisition.
Phoneme Awareness is a necessity!
What does this mean to you as a teacher of all students? Especially when 50% or more of your students will be of Hispanic origin?

10. MYTH #8: Some people are just genetically “dyslexic”
THE TERM MEANS “DIFFICULTY WITH WORDS”. Goes along with the notion that reading is natural. 3 Reasons people can’t read…
They have difficulty developing decoding skills.
They have difficulty developing language comprehension skills, or,
Both
none of these areas could be described as “genetic” factors…they are environmental factors.

11. Myth #8 contined…
Simply put…
they were NEVER
taught to READ!

12. Myth #9: Short-term tutoring for struggling readers can get them caught up with their peers, and the gains will be sustained.
Studies show this to be false. The best hope for these children is sustained work with a strong, focused, organized, diagnostic classroom reading instructor.
Interview Question…
How will you organize your reading instruction to meet the needs of ALL students?

13. Myth #10: If it is in the curriculum, then the children will learn it, and a balanced reading curriculum is ideal.
More focus is generally given to what needs to be taught…NOT what is learned!
What does have an impact on a student’s performance?
YOU! The quality, strength, knowledge, and sophistication you bring to the classroom to help children become proficient readers.

14. Self-selected Reading
4 Block Reading
Guided
Reading
Writing
Self-selected Reading
Working with
Words

15. Phonemic Awareness Comprehen-sion 4 Block - 5 Big Ideas Fluency
Vocabulary
Comprehen-sion
Phonics

16. 4 – Block Reading – Balanced Program
Contains Good Literature
120 Minutes of Language Arts
Self-selected reading
Assessments
Outcomes based program
5 Big Ideas (Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency, Comprehension)

17. Reading First – An Explicit Reading Program
Contains Good Literature
90 Minutes of Language Arts
3 Tier Approach
90 minute block for all students
Extra 30 minutes for some
Extra 30 for struggling readers
Assessments
DIBELS and other screenings
Reading Coach and professional development
5 Big Ideas (Phoenemic Awareness, Phonics, Vocabulary, Fluency, Comprehension)
Writing is NOT part of Reading First