Field Study EDU 533Amie DenkenbergerWilmington College

Allen is a vibrant first grader who was excited to have extra reading attention. He loves to read and is truly excited to learn more. He is from an economically disadvantaged background. His parents are divorced. He lives with his mother, who has primary custody, and his stepfather. He has two older siblings, one in fourth grade and another in sixth. He loves animals, sports, and talking to his friends.

According to his classroom teacher, he struggled with constant ear infections last year. At one point, it became so bad that he was removed from school for several days to have tubes placed in his ears. His teacher questions whether this is where his struggles with speech and reading came from. His missed crucial periods of development, and now he must catch up. He was evaluated by a Speech and Language Pathologist who stated that he read at grade level and was able to retell the story to her. (Although his teacher, reading specialist, and I question the accuracy of these results.) She did identify, however, that he struggled with initial “ch,” “th,” and “s” sounds. He replaces this sounds on several occasions with the “d” sound. She stated that with minimal intervention, this issue should be able to be corrected relatively quickly. He tested at a level 4 DRA at the beginning of the school year (his teacher said that many of the students were testing at level 12). He was able to read 47 out of 259 Dolch sight words (the class average is 100 words). One struggle that I had to be careful with is that when he is unsure of a word, he gets nervous and frustrated easily. On several occasions he would start a sentence, reach a word he did not know, and then close the book. With some encouragement and shared reading, he returns relatively quickly to the task.

•Our tutoring sessions took place in one of three settings:•The reading circle area in the back of the library-This location was often noisy as it was situated in the back of one open classroom and situated between two hallways•The reading intervention room- This location was a priority when not in use as it was small, had few distractions, and was isolated from distracting sounds•The spare classroom next to his homeroom- This location was used early on until other groups/teachers began using it for activities. This room was originally quiet and free from distractions.

•My sessions with Aiden have lasted throughout his academic year. Each session ranged from at least 15 minutes to approximately 45 minutes depending on his attention span and his availability in class. The frequency was at least twice a week throughout the duration of the school year.

Test used to place studentsI used the Basic Reading Inventory by Jerry L. John’s 10 th Edition. I primarily focuses on gradedword lists, word recognition, and comprehension scores. I also used scores from DRA results, sight word tests, hearing and speech test performed by SLP and observation.

ProceduresThe IRI’s I began with, the DRA results, Diebels results, and the sight word lists were all administered by Either myself or the reading intervention specialist in a relatively quiet location with as few distractions aspossible.

Test used to determine student progressAside for an occasional IRI exam, I used results from his DRA, Diebels and sight word tests to continuemonitoring progress. I also used informal measures of evaluation such as cold reads and KWL charts to gauge his progress.

ProceduresI kept a close eye on the result provided by his teachers in order to make decisions about the directionour tutoring took. For example, when he seemed to struggle in his comprehension during his testing,we focused our attention on KWL charts, question and answers, and sequencing. When he was Struggling with his sight words we shifted our focus to some of his key ring words for a portion of Our session. I tried to tailor our lessons to his needs without distracting from our overall goals.

•I would like to see Aiden’s reading interventions to continue with reinforcement of the tools his is now using. Because he gained these tools so much later than his peers, he is still unsure of himself when making specific sounds/blends. More reinforcement activities would help to make these tools second nature to him rather than something he needs to focus on so intently. •Aiden could still use comprehension training. Again, because this is such a new skill to him, he will need to hone that talent with continual practice and manipulation of the central theme. KWL charts, question and answer sessions, and sequencing activities would all help to hone his skill set.

•Finally, Aiden should continue to work on his sight words. This is an activity that I often intentionally neglected in order to teach him decoding skill sets. He should catch up with other students in his grade with the number of sight, or automatic recall, words he recognizes. This can be done through use of flash cards, continual reading, and memory games.

Participant Description

Setting

Participant GrowthMethods Used

Lessons Learned

Assessments Used

Recommendations for Further Instruction

Aiden’s DRA level has increased from a frustration level 4 Aiden’s DRA level has increased from a frustration level 4 to an instructional level 12 to an instructional level 12

Aiden has enhanced his Aiden has enhanced his comprehension skills. comprehension skills.

Aiden now has the proper tools Aiden now has the proper tools to decode words.to decode words.

We used a variety of methods to focus on three primary areas (that are We used a variety of methods to focus on three primary areas (that are both intertwined and progressive skills).both intertwined and progressive skills).

1.1. DecodingDecoding2.2. Sight wordsSight words3.3. ComprehensionComprehensionI used lessons from two primary sources. The Florida Center for I used lessons from two primary sources. The Florida Center for

Reading Research and “When Readers Struggle Teaching That Reading Research and “When Readers Struggle Teaching That Works” by Gay Su Pinnell and Irene C. Fountas. These sources Works” by Gay Su Pinnell and Irene C. Fountas. These sources provided research based interventions that were both entertaining provided research based interventions that were both entertaining and educational for my tutee(s). I also used lessons from his and educational for my tutee(s). I also used lessons from his classroom intervention plan from his Diebels test results (lessons classroom intervention plan from his Diebels test results (lessons were from test company based on specific strengths and weaknesses. were from test company based on specific strengths and weaknesses. We also used magnet letters to separate phonemes in order to We also used magnet letters to separate phonemes in order to understand the building blocks that make a word. We used his own understand the building blocks that make a word. We used his own reading books based on DRA level, his key ring words, and reading books based on DRA level, his key ring words, and classroom assignments in some of our longer sessions to help him classroom assignments in some of our longer sessions to help him with his immediate needs of progressing in the classroom. with his immediate needs of progressing in the classroom.

Throughout the entirety of my sessions with Aiden I have learned a great deal about being a reading teacher. When I first met Aiden I was completely overwhelmed Throughout the entirety of my sessions with Aiden I have learned a great deal about being a reading teacher. When I first met Aiden I was completely overwhelmed with a scenario that I had no practice with. His teacher selected him as the student struggling the most in the class and I was worried that he needed someone “more with a scenario that I had no practice with. His teacher selected him as the student struggling the most in the class and I was worried that he needed someone “more qualified” to help him through his issues. The first discussions about his struggles were focused around the possibility of disabilities or health issues. I was admittedly qualified” to help him through his issues. The first discussions about his struggles were focused around the possibility of disabilities or health issues. I was admittedly worried that with a health issue or a possible disability I would not be able to make a difference. When I finally decided that I needed to focus on what he COULD do, I worried that with a health issue or a possible disability I would not be able to make a difference. When I finally decided that I needed to focus on what he COULD do, I lost sight of the other problems. I am not a doctor and so I cannot fix or diagnose any possible issues, but what I could do is help him where he was. This semester I lost sight of the other problems. I am not a doctor and so I cannot fix or diagnose any possible issues, but what I could do is help him where he was. This semester I was able to focus my time and energy on helping him in areas I knew I could help and lost focus on the rest. I believe that because of this, I was able to help him make was able to focus my time and energy on helping him in areas I knew I could help and lost focus on the rest. I believe that because of this, I was able to help him make the progress he needed to make without overwhelming him with an unachievable amount of goals. I am now excited to see him put up his hand to tell me to wait and the progress he needed to make without overwhelming him with an unachievable amount of goals. I am now excited to see him put up his hand to tell me to wait and let him sound out a word without my help. I now see him behaving in manners more typical of a first grade reader such as hearing him sound out a word or cover parts let him sound out a word without my help. I now see him behaving in manners more typical of a first grade reader such as hearing him sound out a word or cover parts of a word with his finger to make sense of it. I also see him asking his own questions while reading which tells me that he is becoming a reader making meanings rather of a word with his finger to make sense of it. I also see him asking his own questions while reading which tells me that he is becoming a reader making meanings rather than a decoder trying to make the right sounds. than a decoder trying to make the right sounds.

At the beginning of this academic year (approximately At the beginning of this academic year (approximately September/October) Aiden was struggling with DRA level 4 readers. September/October) Aiden was struggling with DRA level 4 readers. As of March Aiden is now reading DRA level 12 on cold reads. As of March Aiden is now reading DRA level 12 on cold reads.

As his teacher pointed out, he is now using “chunking” techniques, As his teacher pointed out, he is now using “chunking” techniques, breaking down sounds, and covering parts of words with his fingers so breaking down sounds, and covering parts of words with his fingers so that he can focus on sounds he knows. She commented that she has that he can focus on sounds he knows. She commented that she has experienced that level 12 is a “magic” level in that it typically means experienced that level 12 is a “magic” level in that it typically means that the child “gets it” and the rest they have the tools to figure out. that the child “gets it” and the rest they have the tools to figure out.

At the beginning of our sessions Aiden struggled so much with the At the beginning of our sessions Aiden struggled so much with the comprehension portion of a Pre-Primary level of a IRI that I gave in comprehension portion of a Pre-Primary level of a IRI that I gave in and helped him knowing that I would not get a usable result and helped him knowing that I would not get a usable result regardless. Recently, I tested him with the same test and he flew regardless. Recently, I tested him with the same test and he flew through it. I reached instructional level two steps higher than where through it. I reached instructional level two steps higher than where we began. we began.