Using Assessment to Organize and Implement Effective Reading Instruction

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Using Assessment to Organize and Implement
Effective Reading Instruction

• Diane Haager, Ph.D.
• California State University, Los Angeles

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What we will cover today

• Diagnostic Assessment- a process of determining
  individual students strengths and needs
• Instructional Grouping for Reading What the
  Research Says about
• Reading Intervention for Struggling Readers
• Ongoing Progress Monitoring Essential Ingredient
  of a Reading Intervention Program
• Structuring Your Classroom for Reading
  Intervention Instruction Scheduling, Planning,
  Management, and Materials

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Diagnostic Assessment
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There are three essential types of skill for good
reading in the upper grades. Assessment should
focus on these areas

• Ability to accurately and fluently identify words
  in print. Most poor readers struggle with this.
• Vocabulary and comprehension
• Knowledge and application of specific reading
  strategies
• Torgesen, 1998

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Phonological and Decoding Skills
Fluency
Active Reading Strategies
Vocabulary
Comprehension
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A Diagnostic Perspective on Reading Assessment

• Use an investigative approach
• What? Look at specific skills and behaviors
• How? Look at process, history
• Where? Look at setting
• When? Onset, duration, timing
• Why? Try to understand underlying causes
• Make good instructional decisions based on data

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Putting the Puzzle Together

• Assess basic components of reading
• Examine process AND skills
• Look at styudents STRENGTHS and NEEDS
• Use multiple data sources
• Find an instructional starting point

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Instructionally Relevant Assessment Tools for
Reading

• Curriculum-Based Measurement
• Commercial reading programs
• TORF, DORF
• State or district assessment
• Diagnostic inventory (Brigance, WRMT, etc.)
• Informal Reading Inventory (IRI)
• Direct observation of reading performance
• Informal checklists tools

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How to conduct diagnostic assessment

• Select assessment tools that reflect curriculum
  standards
• Phonological and decoding skills
• Sight words
• Oral reading fluency
• Vocabulary and comprehension

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What the Research Says about Instructional
Grouping for Reading
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• Whole-class instruction and mixed-ability groups
  are prevailing practice
• Schumm, Moody Vaughn, 2000)
• Small teacher-led groups are effective for
  improving students reading skills
• (Vaughn, 2001 Thurlow, Ysseldyke, Wotruba,
  Algozzine, 1993)
• Explicit, intensive instruction is important for
  accelerating learning of struggling readers

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Grouping Formats Used for Reading Intervention

• Ability groups of 3-6
• One-to-one instruction
• Paired and partner reading

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Base Intervention Groups on Assessment

• Use assessment data to identify students with
  similar needs
• Assess students in key areas
• Phonological awareness
• Phonics, sight words, structural analysis
• Oral reading fluency
• Vocabulary and comprehension

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For Decoding Intervention

• Form small groups of students with similar
  decoding/phonological needs
• Use a diagnostic assessment tool, such as a
  skills checklist, to identify similar student
  needs
• Provide systematic, explicit, intensive word
  study instruction
• 15-30 minutes per day

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Forming Pairs for Fluency Intervention

• Rank order students by fluency scores (number
  correct words per minute)
• Divide class in half. Pair top reader of each
  group, second highest of each group, etc.

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Sample Class Results

• Group 1
• Juan 128
• Monica 101
• Deshon 94
• Melissa 77
• Travis 75
• Tony 75

• Group 2
• Mary Beth 73
• Josh 70
• Bennett 59
• Shawna 45
• David 42
• Tania 29

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Sample Class Results

• Group 1
• Juan 128
• Monica 101
• Deshon 94
• Melissa 77
• Travis 75
• Tony 75

• Group 2
• Mary Beth 73
• Josh 70
• Bennett 59
• Shawna 45
• David 42
• Tania 29

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Other Intervention Activities Suitable for Ranked
Pairs

• Sight word practice
• Phonics and decoding review
• Comprehension checks
• Vocabulary memorization

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Use Heterogeneous Groups for Comprehension,
Vocabulary and Strategy Instruction

• Mixed ability groups offer a range of student
  interests and strengths
• Mixed ability groups foster rich discussion,
  collaboration and peer support

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Providing Reading Intervention for Struggling
Readers
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Focus on the Big Ideas of Reading

• Phonological Awareness
• Alphabetic Principle
• Decoding, Word Study
• Fluency
• Comprehension
• Vocabulary

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Instructional Guidelines

• Instruction must be
• Systematic
• Explicit
• Research based
• Intensive
• Tailored to student needs
• Positive and encouraging
• Fun and engaging

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Accelerating Progress

• Provide ample opportunity to practice
• enormous reading practice differences that occur
  between disabled and normal readers produce large
  differences in the number of words that can be
  readily recognized huge differences in sight
  word recognition can account for most of the
  fluency differences J. Torgesen
• Ongoing Progress Monitoring is key to
  accelerating student learning
• Fluency charts
• Frequently updated checklists of essential skills

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Ongoing Progress Monitoring

• Essential Ingredient of a Reading Intervention
  Program
• It is a capital mistake to theorize before one
  has data.
• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventures of
  Sherlock Holmes, 1891

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Curriculum Based Measurement (CBM)

• Students complete frequent, brief assessment
  tasks and scores are recorded over time to track
  progress
• CBM allows teachers to make informed decisions
  about instruction
• Haager Klingner, in press

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CBM for Reading Intervention

• Reading Fluency Charts
• WCPM charted over regular intervals (e.g.,
  weekly).
• Timed Cloze Test
• Score is number of correct word choices per
  minute
• Spelling Dictation
• Students write dictated words at specified
  intervals (either 5, 7, or 10 seconds) for 2
  minutes. Score is number of words spelled
  correctly

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Sample CBM Chart
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Sample Line Graph
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Other Options for OPM

• Unit tests that accompany basal readers
• Skills checklists
• State or district standards-based assessments

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Essential Ingredients for OPM

• Set clear expectations for students
• Assess frequently
• Involve students in charting progress
• Adjust instruction when progress is sluggish
• Celebrate success

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Structuring Your Classroom for Reading
Intervention Instruction

• Scheduling, Planning, Management, and Materials

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Scheduling Activity
How much time do you spend In
Reading/Language Arts In whole-class
instruction Transitioning between
activities Monitoring and correcting
behavior Where in your day could you fit in
15-30 minute blocks to work with intervention
groups?
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Helpful Tips for Planning Reading Intervention

• Let assessment be your guide
• Focus on essential skills
• Get organized! Have materials ready.
• Be efficient! Time wasted is time you cannot
  spend on student learning
• Work collaboratively with grade level team and
  support personnel to plan and implement
  intervention
• Remember that intervention is SUPPLEMENTAL to
  core instruction

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Guide for Selecting Intervention Materials

• Select materials that
• incorporate sound, research-based instruction
• have a strong track record of accelerating
  student learning
• focus on essential skills of phonological
  awareness, decoding, fluency, comprehension,
  vocabulary
• are designed for intervention (rather than a core
  program)
• have consistent teaching formats and routines

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A Not-So-Complete List of Supplemental Programs

• Language! (SoprisWest)
• SRA Corrective Reading
• Open Court intervention program
• Wilson Reading
• Phonographix
• Read Naturally
• Rewards