Selecting Research-Based Instructional Strategies for K-7 Students With Learning Difficulties

Martha J. Larkin, PhD43rd Annual Conference of the Virginia State Reading AssociationMarch 2010

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The Problem

About 20% of students nationwide encounter reading difficulties before third grade

Nearly 40% of children read below grade level

(Kame’enui, Carnine, Dixon, Simmons, & Coyne, 2002)

About 85% of students with a learning disability have a primary disability in reading and language processing.(IDA, 2007)

http://www.ldonline.org/article/Dyslexia_Basics

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A Solution

A mnemonic, READING, can help to evaluate powerful instructional strategies to use with diverse groups of elementary and middle school students who struggle with reading.

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A Mnemonic Can Help

Research-basedEfficient and effectiveApplicableDoableI nterestingNeeded nowGeneralizable

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Research-based

No Child Left Behind (NCLB)Teachers are expected to use only research-based instructional strategies and intervene for every child as soon as a reading problem is noticed.

Response to Intervention (RTI)

(Bender & Larkin, 2009)

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Research-based

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org/Publications/summary.htm

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Research-based

National Reading Panel (NRP) Report Alphabetics

Phonemic Awareness Phonics

Fluency Comprehension

Vocabulary Text Comprehension Teacher Preparation and Comprehension

Strategies Teacher Education and Reading Instruction Computer Technology and Reading Instruction.

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Research-based

Developed using concepts and/or information shown to be successful (i.e., achieve desired results) as indicated by studies reported in professional literature Credibility of source(s) reporting studies When research was conducted Appropriateness of study design and/or

credibility of researchers Applicability to your students and situation

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Efficient and effective

Efficient – works well without waste time is well spent effort is well spent

Effective – produces desired result achievement, may be

assessed by test scores or other measures

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Applicable

Applicable – put to practical use Does it “apply” to

the lesson/assignment?

Does it have the potential to help?

May not be “one size fits all”.

May be used sometimes, but not others.

10

Doable

Do I have knowledge and skills

time

curricula/materials

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Interesting

To students To teacher

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Needed now

Does the student have the prerequisite skills?

Will this teach a skill or concept in a different way, supplement current instruction, provide extra practice, etc.?

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Generalizable

Applying strategies learned in different ways and situations Same class, but

different topic Other subjects and

classes In the “real world”

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Applying The READING Mnemonic Select an instructional strategy

or activity

Evaluate the selected strategy or activity using the READING checklist Does the strategy/activity meet

most or all of the criteria on the checklist?

If yes, proceed with the strategy/activity.

If no, determine if the strategy/activity meets enough of the criteria to be beneficial to students.

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Picture Sort (Beginning Letter/Sound)(Bender & Larkin, 2009)

Bb Cc Dd

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Word Sort (Word Families) (Bender & Larkin, 2009)

edfamily

adfamily

idfamily

bed bad bid

red dad kid

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Word Sort (Consonant and Vowel Patterns) (Bender & Larkin, 2009)

CVVC CVCC

look rest

beat camp

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Applying READING to Picture/Word Sorts

Research-based NRP Report indicated that teaching students

to manipulate phonemes in words was highly effective

Joseph, L. M. & Orlins (2005) Reading Improvement

Joseph, L. M. (2002) School Psychology Review article & (2000) Reading Research and Instruction article

Joseph referenced other studies in her articles

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Applying READING to Picture/Word Sorts

Efficient and Effective Can take as little or as long as desired

or needed Can be done daily or several times a

week Some preparation of word cards

necessary (teacher may prepare for younger students while older students can make their own)

Student effort is required

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Applying READING to Picture/Word Sorts

Applicable Can be used with a variety of lessons

and assignments Can help students who need practice

with the targeted skill(s) Can be used with individuals, small

groups, or large groups of students

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Applying READING to Picture/Word Sorts

Doable You have just learned the basics (knowledge

and skills) of using picture/word sorts. See Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton, & Johnston, 2008 ;Bender & Larkin, 2009 for more ideas.

You have time to teach word sorts because they only take a few minutes each day or several times a week

You can use existing curricula and materials along with index cards, clip art, and markers to create word sort activities

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Applying READING to Picture/Word Sorts

Interesting To students – picture/word sorts can be

made game like. Also, each student can be involved and work at his or her own pace.

To teachers – picture/word sorts can bring out a teacher’s creative side to create a variety of picture/word activities to target individual and group needs.

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Applying READING to Picture/Word Sorts

Needed Now Picture/word sorts can be created or

adapted for almost any lesson and can target a variety of different skills that individuals or groups of students need.

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Applying READING to Picture/Word Sorts

Generalizable Picture/word sorting activities have the

potential to be generalizable. Students may not always have cards to

sort in many situations, but the sorting practice helps them to look for similar and different characteristics of pictures/words to help them categorize information.

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Vocabulary Cartoons

Vocabulary Word with pronunciation and most common definition

Association Link Word – rhyming word or phrase that sounds like vocabulary word and links the two together

Mnemonic Cartoon - visually reinforces vocabulary and linking word

Caption – reinforces vocabulary and linking word in a sentence

Sample Sentences – use the vocabulary word in context and may give different tenses of it

www.vocabularycartoons.com

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Vocabulary Cartoons

www.vocabularycartoons.com 27

www.vocabularycartoons.com

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www.vocabularycartoons.com

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www.vocabularycartoons.com

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Your Turn

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References

Bear, D. R., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnson, F. (2008). Words their way: Word study for phonics, vocabulary, and spelling instruction (4th ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Bender, W. N., & Larkin, M. J. (2009). Reading strategies for elementary students with learning difficulties: Strategies for RTI (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.

Burchers, S., Burchers, M., & Burchers, B. (1998). Vocabulary cartoons: Building an educated vocabulary with visual mnemonics (Elementary ed.). Punta Gorda, FL: New Monic Books. www.vocabularycartoons.com

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References

Joseph, L. M. (2000). Developing first- graders’ phonemic awareness, word identification, and spelling: A comparison of two contemporary phonic instructional approaches. Reading Research and Instruction, 39, 160-169.

Joseph, L. M. (2002). Facilitating word recognition and spelling using word boxes and word sort phonic procedures, School Psychology Review 31(1), 122-129.

Joseph, L. M. & Orlins, A. (2005). Multiple uses of a word study technique. Reading

Improvement 42 (2), 73-79.

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References

Kame’enui, E.J., Carnine, D.W., Dixon, R.C., Simmons,D.C., & Coyne, M.D. (2002). Effective teaching

strategies that accommodate diverse learners. (2nd ed.) Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill- Prentice Hall.

International Dyslexia Association. (2007). Dyslexia basics. http://www.ldonline.org/article/Dyslexia_Basics

National Institute of Child Health and Development. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel. Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction http://www.nationalreadingpanel.org/Publications/summary.htm

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A Resource

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http://www.corwin.com/corwinSearch.nav?&_requestid=1304780