Module+3+Questions

Participants: Ashly Call, Lori Jones, Audra Bull, PJ Parsons - Group 2

Module 3 Questions:

1. What does research say about the topic?

AC - Although this chapter discussed many different programs that had shown success, the implications reflected is not a one size fits all solution. Different strategies need to be used. It also appears from the chapter that teachers need to work on strategies to intervene with struggling students (much like Response to Intervention). I felt most of the implications listed in the chapter were commonly known best practices for all students, not necessarily struggling ones.

AB - Research confirms that reading difficulties start early and persist sometimes through all years of school. Prevention and/or Intervention is critical. However, programs likde Title 1 and Head Start have had mixed results.

LJ - The research points to prevent or intervene early to prevent continuous reading problems. Many programs mentioned in this chapter are good programs as it points out yet if not implemented correctly and fully it may not help the student.

PJ- In special education, two years ago, the terminology for placing children in IEP's, ages 0-9, is developmentally delayed. If the IEP team can work together to help those children learn to read before they end 2nd or 3rd grade, they are not identified as LD or ID (Intellectually Disabled). In my experience, not very many of the children placed on IEPs reach reading proficiency before age 9. I feel Title I interventions work if the reading specialist isn't overloaded with all the other students who didn't qualify for an IEP. At our elementary, the Title I reading specialist had so many students identified by the teachers, they were rotating students in every three weeks just to get them "some" help. I have taken the stance, identification of reading difficulties and intervention in PreK and K is very important. I had a good friend who worked the HIPPY program (a program for 3 to 5 year olds who stayed at home and didn't attend head start) in Van Buren, AR. She spent a lot of time running off worksheets and instructing the parents how to help their child with them. To me, providing worksheets on Mondays to be filled out over the week wasn't reading instruction. I know worksheets have their place, but not with the very young. My friend was very proud of her work with the parents and felt she was really helping. I was in my early educational process of becoming a teacher. Even back then, it didn't "feel" right to me. My friend had no training in education. Now, as a reading specialist, the HIPPY program at Van Buren should have had more support from the HIPPY representative and more games and playing with language and songs should have been the ticket for those 3, 4, and 5 year olds.

I agree with Ashly, the chapter went over many different kinds of prevention and intervention programs. The effectiveness of any program is in the attention and devotion from the teachers and the directors. I had several opporutnities to observe at the Head Start programs in Van Buren and Fort Smith through my early childhood education rotations. What I saw was worksheets and crowd control in VB, but in Fort Smith, there was appropriate play, lots of interaction with the teachers, appropriate play to work times. The Ft. Smith Head Start was in the projects and was state of the art! In Hot Springs, I took my youngest child to a day care center there and Ms. Kay stole my heart and set my feet on my path to getting my teaching degree. She was the best preschool director I have ever known. She and her workers actually taught the youngsters to read, not just two meals and a nap with movie time in the afternoons. No, no, when those kids were through learning and napping, they were outside creating, not just playing, but creating. So, the research says there are all these programs. The programs are only as good as the people in charge of administering them.

MS: RESEARCH IS ON TWO TINES: ONE SAYS THE EARLIER THE BETTER; THE OTHER SAYS THAT EARLY IDENTIFICATION LABELS THE STUDENT AND THE STUDENT PERFORMS WITH THE LABEL. I PERSONALLY LIKE THE EARLY INTERVENTION. I FEEL ALSO THAT LEARNED HELPLESSNESS, LOW PERFORMANCE, UNDERACHIEVEMENT ARE TRAITS THAT START EARLY AND ARE "DEVELOPED" AND "SUPPORTED" BY THE TEACHER. TEACHERS SHOULD IDENTIFY THESE NEGATIVE TRAITS AND "ERASE" THEM FROM THE CHILD'S KINDERGARTEN EXPERIENCES. (SEE, I SAID KINDERGARTEN!!!!)

2. How has reading's shift from remediation to prevention and intervention affected your programs?

AC - I don't feel that I have been affected by the shift to prevention and intervention. I have only taught for 3 years and my school has used the principles of RtI (unbeknownst to me until I read the RtI article) for our child study meetings. When I notice that a child is struggling in my class I sign up for and attend a child study meeting. At this meeting and the next I'm given strategies to use with the student. Usually after 2 months or so, if problems still persist, my student is tested. We have tutoring and special education available but most of the prevention, intervention, and remediation falls on the regular classroom teacher.

AB - Funny you should ask that since I am now the new READ 180 teacher. We will see how well I can conform to a scripted program. I don't feel there really has been a shift. At the secondary level, we are just trying to get the kid up to the next benchmark level on the OCCT so we can get that extra point on the API meter.

LJ - I have taught for 10 years and I can say that maybe when I taught the upper elementary grades I saw a need for remediation and had to start that. When I taught the younger K and 1st I feel there was more prevention and intervention programs. Early on I see the difficulties that students may have and try to find ways to help the learner before it becomes a bigger problem.

PJ - I have been teaching in Special Education since 2004 with 2 Oklahoma school districts. Before that, I took long term substitute positions from 2002 to 2004. As my first special ed position was at a high school, I saw the looks in my students' eyes when it came to reading. They were old enough and had learned evading behaviors, they had given up hope of learning to read. I jumped at the chance to teach at the elementary level so I could save as many "star fish" as I could before they got to the giving up stage. At my present school, they are steeped in traditional ways. However, we did get a new superintendent who is progressive, but the wheels of change turn very slowly. I hear comments like, "Because of that kid's mom (or dad or grandparents), he/she doesn't have a chance." I also hear it is the reading specialist's or my job to teach students to read. In a way, I don't blame the reg ed teachers for thinking its our job and not theirs. They haven't had specialized training in teaching reading. When the teachers ask me in the future if I know of some strategies to help this child or that, I will have a bag of tricks to pull from. Until everyone in every school building throughout the state accepts responsibility for teaching reading, students are going to continue to suffer. Working together in professional teams with lots of open communication is the way to get going in the right direction. I like Ashly's school with the child study meetings and strategies given. Also, Inola elementary is doing some exciting things related to teaching reading. I'd like to observe at both Ashly's school and Inola.

MS: THE BEST FORM OF REMEDIATION FOR THE UPPER LEVEL STUDENTS AND UP IS A THREE LEGGED FORMAT: FIRST OF ALL READING INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE PART OF EVERY LESSON. THE TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE BEST LITERACY STRATEGIES AND MODEL THEM, INSTRUCT THE STUDENTS TO USE THEM, AND REINFORCE THEM. THE SECOND LEG IS TUTORING. TUTORING SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL STUDENTS --FROM THE LOWEST TO THE COLLEGE BOUND. THE THIRD LEG IS DEFINITE READING INSTRUCTION WHICH FOCUSES ON WORD STUDY, STUDY SKILLS, COLLEGE PREP, REMEDIAL...THIS SHOULD BE THE CHOICE OF THE STUDENTS.

3. Discuss the concept that everyone is responsible for struggling readers and how does that affect you?

AC - I agree with this statement. If you have a child in your class that is struggling, then you have to be the person who helps. Since we started a push-in program with special education and reading, my special education students and students who see the reading specialist are not guaranteed to see these teachers. In fact, I'm not sure of the quality of instruction they are receiving when they do see these teachers. Therefore, I'm the one who has to make sure that they receive appropriate instruction.

AB - NCLB states that no matter how the student scored on their previous OCCT test, it is my responsibility to get that child up to grade level.

LJ - I definitely feel I am responsible for a students success. When working with Kindergarten and 1st grade students I have to know where they are and where they need to be. Students that struggle I know I need to spend more time with. These students need the extra boost to help them succeed.

PJ- Well, in my last "monologue", I stated we all had to work together as a team with OPEN communication to help students learn to read. My students have individual education plans with strategies and modifications written out and I still have difficulty getting reg ed teachers to follow those instructions. I realize in a room full of students with three or more on IEPs, each one different for each child most of the time, it is hard to keep up with all that information. I see, from working with my group here, you also feel the responsibility of teaching children to read. Maybe with the Teach Grant, more teachers will go back for their Masters in Reading Specialist and there will be more of a workforce out there for the children to teach them to read. Unless you have specialized training, understanding how children learn to read is such a mystery. Hopefully, more schools will accept the fact that some of us are reading specialists and will harness our knowledge to get the other teachers around us more trained in teaching reading so professional groups can be formed that will advocate for children and literacy. I plan to work with the other reading specialist in my building (the Title I teacher) to get some professional development going on our PD days to at least teach stategies approaches to text and other important things like word work and writing. Many of the students at my school don't even have to write formally until they are in the sixth grade. I hope to stress the importance of writing in the context of learning to read at my school. Maybe it will catch on and other elementaries in my district will want the information, too. I want to build our professional community where I am to catch as many children as possible while they are still excited about life in general and about learning to read.

MS: MY PHILOSOPHY OF A STRUGGLING READER IS A READER WHO IS NOT READING HIS/HER FULLEST POTENTIAL. THAT MEANS A GIFTED READER CAN BE A STRUGGLING READER!!! WOW!!! THAT IS AN UNUSUAL AND POWERFUL STATEMENT. THAT PHILOSOPHY MEANS EVERYONE CAN IMPROVE HIS/HER LITERACY SKILLS AND NEEDS HELP. IF THE TEACHERS WOULD ALSO FOCUS ON THE "ABLE" READERS, THEN THE SCORES WOULD GO UP FURTHER AND BETTER.

4. Your questions for your group.

AC - A. What is your opinion of the effectiveness of pull-out programs?

(LJ) It all depends on the teacher. I had a student this year that they felt would do better because of his severe ADHD to be pulled out for 30-40 minutes every morning. It made the rest of my day horrible because he didn't want to work for me anymore he just wanted to be pulled out.

PJ - I have worked as a pull-out teacher and an inclusion teacher. As an inclusion teacher, I was at the high school level. Let me tell you, the teachers hated it. I had one teacher who called me out in front of the students on a daily basis to challenge my knowledge of the subject area. It evicerated me in front of all the students, not just the special ed students. When I finally told my principal I wasn't going to work in there any more, my students wouldn't come to me for help, even though I was quite knowlegeable. Another teacher at the same school called an interdepartmental meeting and told the principal I was wreaking havoc in her classroom because I was trying to teach the subject. She told the students, in my presence, she wanted them coming to her for help, not me. Since the students were told their grades would come from her and not me, they did what they were told because they were afraid she would lower their grades if they asked me for help. Also, students were uncomfortable using manipulatives in front of other students, even though algebra can be taught using manipulatives. The work would have benefitted all the students in the classroom, but it wasn't allowed because the reg ed teachers didn't understand how to use them so they didn't want them in the classroom. It was very uncomfortable for me to be inclusion. However, one of my friendsis a special ed teacher and works at BA 9th-10th grade building where they do inclusion. She's in literature and English and she loves it. In a pull out situation, I can get the students to do more on their level without fear of being made fun of by their same-age peers. I am able to get them to grow 8 mos to 2 years in one school year in reading, depending on how much they are motivated to learn. I like my pull out program and I don't want to trade it in for inclusion. Pull out is less expensive, as well. You need more special ed teachers to have in classrooms with inclusion.

AC - Inclusion IS very tricky. Ideally, I would meet with the special ed teacher to discuss how we could coteach whatever topic I'm working on, but I think my dream is just a dream. Typically, the teachers come in and sit by the student and help on whatever we're doing or they pull them off to the side and work on reading. Either way, it always was a disruption to the class routine. I would prefer something where the teacher and I could work together and not single out one or two students.

B. Are there any resources you use to plan for multilevel activities?*

C. Has your school used Response to Intervention? If so, what is your opinion of it?

AB - A - Again, why is the focus almost exclusively on the school?

PJ- My school has taken the stance RtI is on its way out. It still uses descrepancy scores to identify students with special needs and the BEAR test to identify other students who require Title I. I think RtI is the way to go to make us teachers have to work together for the benefit of the students. I know it would be hard to do, lots of paperwork and it would be time consuming on all partys' parts, but in the long run, it would be worth it. It opens new doors to new research studies!!!

AC - I don't know. I feel that many of students' problems are put on our shoulders. Teachers always need to strive to do their best and use effective teaching methods, but we're not miracle workers. If the only time a struggling student is receiving academic help is at school, then it is unlikely that child will make huge leaps. Families need to work with teachers in order for struggling students to make significant gains.

LJ - My son's school does have this program and it doesn't seem to be much different then what I do in Tulsa as a teacher. I think teachers just know when their students are struggling.

B - What programs, if any, have you been involved with?

AC - I have not worked in any of the programs. However, I have toured and evaluated a Head Start. Although I dislike somethings they do; they do try awfully hard to get parents involved. Like your school, we also have Read 180, but this is for 4th and 5th graders primarily. I have not been apart of this, but many of the upper grade teachers really approve it.

PJ-Multisensory Reading and Spelling Program and Saxon Phonics. These two programs are very similar. Lately, I have discovered they are only one piece of the puzzle, not complete reading programs. They are only phonemic awareness programs. I thought the MSR&S program was all inclusive and the magic bullet to teach children to read by knowing their letters and sounds. It's a great program, but now I know, I have to be more balanced and well-rounded. I must have more, much more, to be effective in teaching reading.

C - What are the benefits/limitations of a district wide intervention?

AC - Benefits: More resources (both people and materials) and consistency; Limitations - program might not be effective for all students, if the district paid for it, then generally teachers are required to use it in place of other worthy interventions

LJ - *A. What is the best program you have seen that helps your students succeed? MS:I LIKE THE MADISON PLAN WHERE EACH SCHOOL HAS LITERACY INSTRUCTION, TUTORING HELP, AND A POWERFUL TEACHER INSERVICE PROGRAM SO THE TEACHERS HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO USE GREAT PROGRAMS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. DOUG BUEHL IS THE READING SPECIALIST WHO DEVELOPED THE PROGRAM AND HE HAS GREAT BOOKS OUT THERE.

B. Do you like it when other teachers and/or volunteers come in your room to work with students?

AB - At any one time there are 2-3 other teachers or adults in my room. It took a little while for me to get used to the extra bodies. In addition, our vice-principal likes to have the parents of behavior issues follow their child for a day or two. Again, this took some getting used to, but all of the extra bodies really come in handy.

AC - Honestly, no. Most of the teachers who come in my room do not care to plan and teach with me (like coteaching) or do not come often enough to my class for it to do any real good.

C. Would you rather have a child pulled out for help or helped in the classroom?

AB - Normally, helped IN the classroom. However, one of our SPED parateachers talks REALLY loud and I asked her to pull her students.

AC - If a child is seriously behind all the other students or has difficulty focusing in class, then I prefer them to be pulled out of the classroom. If a special ed teacher is going to do their own thing anyway and not try to teach with me, then I think it is best they pull their students.

Step 6 - Group activity

Design a parental involvement project for your school--See Module 3 for further instructions

PJ-I have some articles printed off regarding this. I will read and share tomorrow, June 10th.