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Reading Intervention After Grade 1:

Serving Maximum Numbers of Struggling Readers Effectively

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University of Utah Reading Clinic Appalachian State University

Kathleen J. Brown, Darrell Morris, Matt Fields, Stacey Lowe, Debbie Skidmore,

Debbie Van Gorder,Connie Weinstein

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Theoretical Framework

Virginia Model of Intervention:

Early Steps = effective for at-risk G1 students in embedded, implicit, and explicit code classrooms

Next Steps = effective for struggling G2-3 students when delivered by volunteers

(Brown et al., 2000; Morris, Shaw, & Perney, 1990; Morris, Tyner, & Perney, 2000; Santa & Hoien, 1999)

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Theoretical Framework

Virginia Model of Intervention:

– guided reading @ instructional level

– systematic, isolated code instruction

– fluency instruction

– 1-on-1 format

(Brown et al., 2000; Morris, Shaw, & Perney, 1990; Morris, Tyner, & Perney, 2000; Santa & Hoien, 1999

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Research Questions:

Replication of Morris et al., (1990) Is Next Steps effective for struggling readers above G1?

Extension of Morris et al., (1990) Can Next Steps be delivered effectively by non-certified educators, who are supervised by an intervention specialist?

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Method N = 81 G2-G6 students from 8 Title 1

schools

39% ethnic minority; 46% free or reduced lunch; 23.5% ELL

NS and Control students equivalent at baseline; reading level = “primer”

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Method Next Steps Intervention (Tx)

– 1-on-1 45 min. 2x per week– guided reading at instructional level– word study– fluency training (rate + accuracy)

Title 1 Intervention (Control)– 30-45 min. daily small group, – reinforce Open Court

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Method Assessment Data Sources

– NSSI Passage Reading & Word Recognition• 90% accuracy, grade level rate, comprehension

– WRMT (Woodcock Reading Mastery Test)

ANCOVA– Pretest scores used as covariates– Analyses:

• Next Steps Treatment vs. Control• Certified vs. Non-Certified Instructor• Non-Certified Instructor vs. Control

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Research Questions:

Replication: Is Next Steps effective for struggling

readers above G1?

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Results: Treatment vs. ControlNextSteps

Control F P Effectsize

NSSI Passage MReading (SD)

4.1a

(1.2)3.3b

(1.2)17.7 <.01* .72

NSSI Word MRecognition (SD)

31.8(3.3)

28.7(4.8)

17.75 <.01* .93

WRMT MWord Attack (SD)

25.6(6.8)

21.4(5.9)

5.27 < .05* .51

WRMT MComprehension(SD)

29.3(4.3)

24.4(4.2)

28.24 <.01* 1.18

a early G2+ b late G1+

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Passage Reading Level Coding

Pre-PrimerReading Level

Primer1.2 (late G1)

2.1 (early G2)

2.2 (late G2)

3.0

123456

Code #

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Results: WRMT PercentilesWRMT Word Attack

Next Steps Control

Grade

AverageRaw

ScorePercentileEquivalent Grade

AverageRaw

ScorePercentileEquivalent

2 25.8 77th 2 23.4 71st

3 27.3 67th 3 18.8 40th

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Results: WRMT Percentiles

WRMT Passage Comprehension

Next Steps Control

Grade

AverageRaw

ScorePercentileEquivalent Grade

AverageRaw

ScorePercentileEquivalent

2 28.4 52nd 2 24.3 38th

3 30.1 39th 3 23.9 20th

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Discussion Next Steps is effective at helping struggling readers

above G1--even in Open Court classrooms

Next Steps students gained approximately 1 year’s’ growth in reading ability in only 45 sessions

Contrast this with control students who gained approximately 1/2 year’s growth in over 100 sessions

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Research Questions:

Extension: Can Next Steps be delivered effectively by non-certified educators, who are supervised by an intervention specialist?

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Results: Non-Certified vs. Control

Non-Certified

Control F P Effectsize

NSSI Passage MReading (SD)

3.9a

(1.1)3.3b

(1.5)4.3 < .05* .55

NSSI Word MRecognition (SD)

31.2(3.2)

28.7(4.8)

8.6 < .01** .78

WRMT MWord Attack (SD)

23.5(6.1)

21.4(5.9)

.1 .7457 n.s.

WRMT MComprehension (SD)

28.6(4.5)

24.4(4.2)

14.3 < .01** 1.01

a almost early G2 b late G1+

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Results: Non-Certified vs. TeachersNon-

certifiedTeachers F P Effect

Size

NSSI Passage MReading (SD)

3.9a

(1.1)4.4b

(1.2)1.8 n.s.

NSSI Word MRecognition (SD)

31.2(3.2)

32.4(3.5)

1.5 n.s.

WRMT MWord Attack (SD)

23.5(6.1)

27.9(6.0)

11.3 < .01** 1.10

WRMT MComprehension (SD)

28.6(4.5)

30.2(4.3)

1.0 n.s.

a almost early G2 b middle G2

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Discussion Next Steps can be delivered effectively by non-certified

educators – with supervision from intervention specialist

Next Steps students tutored by non-certified educators outperformed control students on all measures--except word attack

Only significant difference between certified & non-certified NS students = word attack

– exception may be due to teacher expertise & Open Court phonics strand

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Discussion

What makes Virginia model effective?– 1-on-1– targets reading instructional level – systematic, isolated decoding instruction– fluency work– pacing: “raise the bar” asap– time on task (packed 45 min.)

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Discussion

What accounts for effectiveness of non-certified personnel?– all participants supervised by IS– high experience level – practicum model = ongoing mentoring

• modeling• observation• feedback