Teaching All Children to Read Kathleen Theodore, MA, Program Specialist Southeast Comprehensive Center .

Teaching All Children to Read

Kathleen Theodore, MA, Program Specialist

Southeast Comprehensive Centerhttp://secc.sedl.org

Participants will be able to:• Understand the key components of effective reading

instruction• Engage in demonstrations of research-based reading

strategies • Discuss the importance of improving literacy

outcomes within the school improvement process

Objectives

Report of the National Put Reading First Reading Next

Reading Panel

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Research Base

“We can, whenever and wherever we choose, successfully teach all children to read. We already have reams of research, hundreds of successful programs, and thousands of effective schools to show us the way. Whether or not we do it must finally depend on how we feel about the fact that we haven’t so far.”

McEwan, 1998

Phonemic awarenessPhonemic awareness

PhonicsPhonics

FluencyFluency

VocabularyVocabulary

Comprehension strategiesComprehension strategies

Identifying words Identifying words accurately and accurately and

fluentlyfluently

Constructing Constructing meaning once meaning once

words are words are identifiedidentified

Research indicates that students need to acquire skills and knowledge in at least five main areas in order to become proficient readers.

Five Essential Components

Systematic and Explicit Instruction

What Is Systematic Instruction?

• Lessons and activities are divided into sequential, manageable steps.

• Concepts and tasks progress from simple to more complex.

• Concepts and skills are explicitly defined and order of introduction follows a preplanned sequence.

What Is Explicit Instruction?

• Nothing is left to chance; all skills are taught directly.

• Practice activities are carefully guided with “instructive” error correction.

• Practice activities are carefully engineered to produce mastery.

• Critical skills are developed through carefully monitored instruction, and the focus is on mastery.

• Review is built into every lesson.

Steps of Explicit Instruction

• Direct Instruction: The teacher explains to the students what they are learning and why.

• Modeling: The teacher models or demonstrates (how).

• Guided Practice: The teacher guides and assists students as they learn when or how to apply the strategy.

• Application: The teacher helps students practice the strategy until they can apply it independently.

Explicit Instruction

I DOYOU WATCH

I DOYOU HELP

YOU DOI HELP

YOU DOI WATCH

Wilhelm, J. D., Baker, T. D., & Dube, J. (2001). Strategic reading: Guiding students to lifelong literacy. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.

Phonemic Awareness (PA)

• The ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds—phonemes—in spoken words

• The understanding that sounds in spoken language work together to make words

Listening

Rhyming and Alliteration

Words in a Sentence

Onset-rime

Syllables

Phonemes

Simple

Complex

IsolationIdentityCategorization

1Blending Segmentation2

DeletionAdditionSubstitution

3

Levels of Complexity

Phonological Awareness Ladder

Adapted from Vaughn Gross Center

In the English language, all spoken words are constructed from about 44 different phonemes.

f – o – g

g – o – l – f

The English writing system is based on the discovery that we can represent words using marks (letters) to stand for the sounds in words.

Understanding Phonemes

Joe Torgesen, www.fcrr.org

Why is acquiring phonemic awareness hard for many children?

Phonemes are co-articulated in spoken words.

train dragon

The same thing that makes speech fluent makes reading hard for many children.

Acquiring PA

Adapted from Joe Torgesen, www.fcrr.org

Children must understand that words in their oral language are composed of small segments of sound in order to comprehend the way that language is represented by print.

Without at least emergent levels of phonemic awareness, the rationale for learning individual letter sounds and “sounding out” words is not understandable.

Without PA, “phonics” doesn’t make sense!

Why Is PA Important?

Adapted from Joe Torgesen, www.fcrr.org

Therefore: We must learn to produce and manipulate phonemes and to recognize common confusions in children.

PA: The Anchor for Phonics

Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling © 2003 Sopris West. All rights reserved.

PA Activity: Say-It Move-it

• The relationship between letters and sounds

• Alphabetic understanding

• Readers use these relationships to recognize familiar words accurately and automatically and to decode unfamiliar words.

b d m

Phonics

Joe Torgesen, fcrr.org

Phonics

Pronounce this word . . .

blit frachet

Joe Torgesen, fcrr.org

Demonstration of Explicit Instruction

• Teaching Letter Sound Correspondences• /m/

Continuous Blending

r

a 1. Write r and say /r/.

2. Write a and say /a/.

3. Slide fingers under ra and say /ra/.

4. Write t and say /t/.

5. Slide fingers under rat and say /rat/.

6. Say “The word is rat” and use it in a sentence.

1. 2.

3.t

4.

5.

(Louisa Moats, Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling)

Whole Word Blending

sh

a 1. Point to the digraph sh and say “sound.”

2. Point to the a and say “sound.”

3. Point to the ck and say “sound.”

4. Slide fingers under the whole word to blend it.

1. 2. 3.

k

4.

c

(Louisa Moats, Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling)

Vowel First Blending

r

a 1. Write a and say /a/.

2. Write t and say /t/.

3. Slide fingers under at and say /at/.

4. Write r and say /r/.

5. Slide fingers under rat and say /rat/.

6. Say “The word is rat” and use it in a sentence.

4. 1.

3.t

2.

5.

Letter to Sound Linking

Initial/Final Consonant Sounds

Short Vowels

Digraphs and Blends

Long Vowel Patterns

Other Vowel Patterns

Consonant Doubling

Plural Endings

Compound Words

Simple Inflectional Endings

Final Y to I

Simple Prefixes, Roots, and Base WordsThe Long Trek Up Mount

Decoding

Fluency

• The ability to read text accurately and quickly with expression

• The bridge between word recognition and comprehension

• “44% of a representative sample of the nation’s fourth- and eighth-graders were low in fluency.” (NAEP)

• “Fluency is a neglected skill in many American classrooms, affecting many students’ reading comprehension.”

• “It provides a bridge between word recognition and comprehension.”

Why Fluency?Fluency

• Speed + Accuracy = Fluency• Reading quickly and in a meaningful way (prosody)• Decoding and comprehending simultaneously• Freedom from word identification problems• Fluency is derived from the Latin word fluens which

means “to flow”• Smooth and effortless reading

What Is Fluency?

Cognitive Desk Space Activity

dvancs n nrscnc, spcll nrmgng tchnqus, llw rsrchrs to dcmnt dffrncs btwn go nd pr rdrs. Mgntc rsnnc mgng (MR) nd thr tchnqs llstrt qt cncrtl tht pr rdrs r strgglng wth th bscs,sndng t nd rcgnzng wrds bt b bt. G rdrs, hwvr, hv dvlpd wrd dntfctn hbts tht r sbsmd b th pstrr r bck rs f th brn. Th “pr rdr” pttrns chng whn rmdtn s sccssfl.

Who Has Felt Like This?

Advances in neuroscience, especially neuroimaging techniques, allow researchers to document differences between good and poor readers. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other techniques illustrate quite concretely that poor readers are struggling with the basics, sounding out and recognizing words bit by bit.Good readers, however, have developed wordidentification habits that are subsumed by the posterior or back areas of the brain. The “poor reader” patterns change when remediation is successful.

• Recognize words automatically

• Read aloud effortlessly and with expression

• Do not have to concentrate on decoding

• Can focus on comprehension

Put Reading First 2001, p. 22

Fluent Readers . . .

• Words per minute

• Reading with expression

• Recall/retelling

Indicators of Fluency

• Unfamiliarity with text

• Limited vocabulary

• Difficulty with syntax

• Decoding breakdown

Factors That Inhibit Fluency

“The fluent reader sounds good, is easy to listen to, and reads

with enough expression to help the listener understand and enjoy

the material.”

Charles Clark, 1999

• Decoding skills

• Comprehension skills

What Skills Do Students Need to Be Fluent?

“The goal in fluency instruction is not fast reading, although

that happens to be a by-product of the instruction, but fluent

meaning-filled reading.”

International Reading Association

But why can’t we just do what we’ve always done?

Round Robin Oral Reading

Each child reads too little;engagement is low

Teacher-provided feedback is of low quality

Instructional time is wasted

Guided Oral Reading

• Read the same passage several times until the desired rate is reached.

• Keep reading at the same level until the same rate is reached three times, then move on to a new level and repeat the procedure.

• Do this daily.• Perform at least 3-4 repetitions of the text each

day.

Repeated Readings

What Is Vocabulary?

• Vocabulary refers to the words we must know to communicate effectively.

• Oral vocabulary refers to words that we use in speaking or recognize in listening.

• Reading vocabulary refers to words we recognize or use in print.

A Longitudinal Study

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Meaningful Differences in theEveryday Experience of YoungAmerican Children

Betty Hart & Todd Risley, 1995

Reading Difficulties Begin Here . . .

• Actual differences in quantity of words heard• In a typical hour, the average child would

hear:

Low-SES family: 615 words

Working-class family: 1,250 words

Professional family: 2,153 words

What Does the Research Say?

Homes rich in communication: Children

before the age of 4 have heard 45 million words.

Homes that lack rich communication: Children

before the age of 4 have heard 13 million words.

Hart and Risley, 1996

Meaningful Differences

Affirmative statements• Professional = 30 per hour• Working class = 15 per hour• Welfare = 6 per hour

Hart and Risley, 1996

The Achievement Gap

• It is now well accepted that the chief cause of the achievement gap between socioeconomic groups is a language gap.

Hirsch, 2003

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The Research Says . . .

• Most vocabulary is learned indirectly.

• Some vocabulary must be taught directly.

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How Are Words Learned Indirectly?

• Children learn the meanings of most words indirectly through everyday experiences with oral and written language.

• Everyday experiences include engaging daily in oral language, listening to adults read to them, and reading extensively on their own.

Vocabulary can be developed directly when students are explicitly taught both individual words and word-learning strategies.

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How Are Words Learned Directly?

Past Practice: Dictionary

“Rote memorization of words anddefinitions is the least effective instructional method resulting in little long-term effect.”

Kameenui, Dixon, & Carine, 1987)

Levels of Word Knowledge

• Never Saw It Before• Have Heard It, But Don’t Know What It Means• Know Something About It• Know It Well/Can Use It in a Sentence

You Try It

Word

Do not know the word

Have seen or heard the word

Know some-thing about it; can relate it to a situation

Know it well, can explain it, use it

plethora

stupendous

pugnacious

sensitive

dubious

How Do We Increase Vocabulary Knowledge?

New words are:

1. Encountered repeatedly in context through reading and listening

2. Linked to students’ prior knowledge

3. Connected with other words that are semantically related

Bringing Words to Bringing Words to LifeLife

I. Beck, M. McKeown, & L. KucanI. Beck, M. McKeown, & L. Kucan

Guilford Press, 2002Guilford Press, 2002

Which Words to Teach?

As a way to begin thinking about which words to teach, consider that words in language have different levels of utility. In this regard, researchers have found the notion of tiers.

Three Tiers

• Tier One consists of the most basic words that rarely require instruction in school.

• Tier Three includes words whose frequency of use is quite low, often being limited to specific domains.

• Tier Two are high-frequency words that appear in a wide variety of texts and in oral and written language of mature language users; thus, instruction in these words can add productively to an individual’s language ability.

Beck, I. L., Mc Keown, M. G., Kucan, L. (2002). Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction.

Some Criteria for Identifying Tier-Two Words

• Importance and utility: Words that are characteristics of mature language users and appear across a variety of domains

• Instructional potential: Words that can be worked with in a variety of ways so that students can build rich representations of them and of their connections to other words and concepts

• Conceptual understanding: Words for which students understand the general concept but provide precision in describing the concept

I. L. Beck, M. G. McKeown, & L. Kucan, 2002

Identifying Tier-Two Words in Text

Johnny Harrington was a kind master who treated his servants fairly. He was also a successful wool merchant, and his business required that he travel often. In his absence, his servants would tend to the fields and cattle and maintain the upkeep of his mansion. They performed their duties happily, for they felt fortunate to have such a benevolent and trusting master.

Tier-Two Words

merchant

required

tend

maintain

performed

fortunate

benevolent

Students’ Likely Expressions

salesperson or a clerk

have to

take care of

keep going

did

lucky

kind

You Try It

The servants would never comment on this strange occurrence (finding the kitchen clean even though none of them were seen doing the cleaning), each servant hoping the other had tended to the chores. Never would they mention the loud noises they’d hear emerging from the kitchen in the middle of the night. Nor would they admit to pulling the covers under their chins as they listened to the sound of haunting laughter that drifted down the halls to their bedrooms each night. In reality they knew there was a more sinister reason behind their good fortune.

Tier-Two Wordscomment

occurrence

tended

mention

emerging

admit

haunting

reality

sinister

fortune

Students’ Likely Expressionssomething someone says

something happening

took care of

tell

coming out

to say you did something

scary

being real

scary

luck

What Is Comprehension?

Comprehension is . . .

• The reason for reading• Purposeful and active thinking in

which meaning is constructed and reconstructed through interactions between the text and the reader

Text Reader

Context

Comprehension

Text structure, vocabulary, print style and font, discourse, genre, motivating features

Word recognition, vocabulary, background knowledge, strategy use, inference-making abilities, motivation

Environment, purpose, social relations, cultural norms, motivating features (e.g., school/classroom climate, families, peers)

Levels of Comprehension

Evaluative

Inferential

Literal“Right There”

“Think and Search” or reading between the lines

“Think and Search” and reading beyond the lines

Characteristics of Effective Reading

• Passage 1

• Passage 2

• Passage 3

The boy’s arrows were nearly gone so they sat down on the

grass and stopped hunting. Over at the edge of the forest

they saw Henry making a bow to a small girl who was

coming down the road. She had tears in her dress and also

tears in her eyes. She gave Henry a note which he brought

over to the group of young hunters. Read to the boys, it

caused great excitement. After a minute but rapid

examination of their weapons, they ran down to the valley.

Does were standing near the edge of the lake making an

excellent target.

Passage 1

A newspaper is better than a magazine, and on a seashore is a

better place than a street. At first, it is better to run than to

walk. Also, you may have to try several times. It takes some

skill but it’s easy to learn. Even young children can enjoy it.

Once successful, complications are minimal. Birds seldom get

too close. One needs lots of room. Rain soaks in very fast. Too

many people doing the same thing can also cause problems. If

there are no complications, it can be very peaceful. A rock will

serve as an anchor. If things break loose from it, however, you

will never get a second chance.

Passage 2

The two boys ran until they came to the driveway. “See, I told you today was good for skipping school,” said Mark. “Mom is never home on Thursday,” he added. The boys strolled across the finely landscaped yard. “I never knew your place was so big,” said Pete. “Yeah, but it’s nicer now than it used to be since Dad had the new stone siding put on and added a fireplace.”

There were front and back doors and a side door that led to the garage, which was empty except for three 10-speed bikes.They went in the side door, which Mark said was always open.

Pete wanted to see the house so Mark started in the living room. It, like the rest of the downstairs, was newly painted. Mark turned on the stereo, and the noise worried Pete. “Don’t worry, the nearest house is a quarter of a mile away,” Mark shouted. Pete felt more comfortable knowing that no houses could be seen in any direction beyond the huge yard.

Passage 3

The dining room, with all the china, silver, and cut glass, was no place to play so the boys moved to the kitchen, where they made sandwiches. Mark said they wouldn’t go in the basement because it had been damp ever since the new plumbing was installed.

“This is where my Dad keeps his famous paintings and his coin collection,” Mark said as they went into the den. Mark bragged that he could get spending money whenever he needed it since he discovered that his Dad kept $20 bills in the desk drawer.

There were three upstairs bedrooms. Mark showed Pete his mother’s closet, which was filled with furs and a locked box that held her jewels. His sister’s room was uninteresting except for the color TV and the new carpet. The big highlight in Mark’s room, however, was a leak in the ceiling where the old roof had rotted.

Comprehension Strategies

• Monitoring comprehension• Using graphic and semantic organizers• Answering questions• Generating questions• Recognizing story structure• Summarizing• Making use of prior knowledge• Using mental imagery

Improving Literacy Outcomes

School Improvement Plan

Six Key Elements• Commitment to meeting individual student needs at all

levels• Adopting and implementing a research-based reading

curriculum• Objective assessment to evaluate student progress and

the effectiveness of reading programs• Designing and implementing an effective instructional

delivery system• Maximizing available instructional time• Administrative monitoring of student progress and

program implementation

Improving the Reading Program by Adding Assessment and Intervention• Hartsfield Elementary School characteristics:

– 70% free and reduced lunch (increasing)– 65% minority (mostly Black)

• Elements of curriculum change:– Movement to a more research-based reading curriculum

beginning in 1994–1995 school year for K–2 (incomplete implementation)

– Improved implementation in 1995–1996

• Implementation of screening and more intensive small-group instruction for at-risk students in Fall 1996

Improved implementation of research-based comprehensive reading program

Screening at beginning of first grade, with additional instructional intervention for those in bottom 30–40%

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

Proportion falling below the 25th percentile in word-reading ability at the end of first grade

10

20

3031.8

20.4

10.96.7

3.7

Average percentile for entire grade (n = 105)

Hartsfield Elementary School Progress Over 5 Years

48.9 55.2 61.4 73.5 81.7

Talking Point

Review of Key Elements

SBRI

Assessment

SBRR

Key Element: SBRR Foundation

• Scientifically based reading research (SBRR) provides a general knowledge and understanding of the reading research

– Phonemic awareness– Phonics– Fluency– Vocabulary – Comprehension

Key Element: Assessment

• Assessment for instructional decision making prepares educators to administer reading assessments and use that data for differentiating instruction, planning PD, and problem solving

– Screening– Diagnosis– Progress monitoring– Outcome measures

The Heart of Prevention

Progress Monitoring: The Teacher’s Map

10

20

30

40

Dec.Scores

Feb.Scores

Jan.Scores

MarchScores

AprilScores

MayScores

JuneScores

60

50

Aim-line

A change in intervention

The Delivery of Instruction: Instructional Design Principles

• Big Ideas• Mediated scaffolding• Conspicuous strategies• Strategic integration• Primed background knowledge• Judicious review

The Design Principles Are Structured Around . . .

• The schoolwide establishment of long-term reading goals and intermediate performance benchmarks

• The early identification and frequent monitoring of students experiencing reading difficulties

• The development of coordinated and differentiated instructional interventions for the full range of learners

Talking Point

No Excuses• Believe in the students• Communicate high expectations• Meet the students where they are• Problem solve

• 3 things I learned

• 2 things I am going to try

• 1 thing I want to know more about

3-2-1 Reflection

Piggyback Wraparound