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Deborah C. SimmonsTexas A&M University

November, 2004

Colorado Reading FirstColorado Reading First

The Analysis (Selection) of Scientifically Based Reading

Programs: The Why, The What, and

The How

The Analysis (Selection) of Scientifically Based Reading

Programs: The Why, The What, and

The How

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Contributors and AcknowledgmentsContributors and Acknowledgments

• Colorado Reading First Leadership Team and Reviewers

• The Institute for the Development of Educational Achievement, College of Education, University of Oregon

• Sharon Vaughn & University of Texas

• U.S. Department of Education

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• The Purposes of Reading First: Why the Focus on Reading Programs Now

• 7 Elements of Schoolwide Reading Models

• Core Program Evaluation Process

The Why, The What, The How

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Objective of Reading FirstObjective of Reading First

(1) “To provide assistance to State educational agencies

and local educational agencies in establishing reading

programs for students in kindergarten through grade 3

that are based on scientifically based reading research

to ensure that every student can read at grade

level or above not later than the end of grade 3.”• NCLB, 2001, Part B, Sec. 1201.

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The Role of ScienceThe Role of Science

• to keep us from passing on mistakes• to distinguish a profession from craft • to be more efficient in reaching our

desired outcomes

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What is SBRR?What is SBRR?

• Scientifically based reading research– relies on experimental or quasi-

experimental studies (control/comparison and experimental groups)

– uses dependent measures that directly assess reading proficiency

– published in peer-reviewed journals

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Learningto Read

Reading to Learn

Why Children Must LearnWhy Children Must LearnTo Read By Grade 3To Read By Grade 3

Educational Timeline

PreK K 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Infinity

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Correcting A MisconceptionCorrecting A Misconception

• The reading performance of our students today is not significantly different from that of previous generations.

• The difference is the bar has been raised.

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• Unprecedented Convergence About What Children Need to Be Successful Readers

• National Syntheses Provide Scientific Evidence on Which to Base Practice

• Much Classroom Practice is Shaped by Textbooks

• State Standards Are Embracing the Science

• Publishers Respond to The Marketplace and Need

• Window of Opportunity to Align What We Know, What We Use, and How We Teach to Attain Critical Results

Why Focus on Reading Programs Now

Why Focus on Reading Programs Now

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Comprehensive: Each and All - The Math Behind Reading

Comprehensive: Each and All - The Math Behind Reading

• Core reading program that addresses key elements (big ideas) X formative assessment system (learning enough) X protected allocated time X quality implementation X quality professional development X differentiated instruction X supplemental X high intensity interventions based on learner performance = Comprehensive Reading Instruction

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How to Transfer Knowledge of Effective Practice to Knowledge in Effective

Practice

How to Transfer Knowledge of Effective Practice to Knowledge in Effective

Practice

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What Will it Take?What Will it Take?

• If some schools can have all children read at grade level, why can’t my school?

• What will it take to have ALL children readers?

13Play audio clip

A Schoolwide Reading Results Model

A Schoolwide Reading Results Model

For EachStudent

Instruction

GoalsAssessment

For AllStudents

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What Does it Take?? What Does it Take??

Seven Elements of Seven Elements of A Schoolwide Reading A Schoolwide Reading

Results ModelResults Model

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Element #1: A Map of Priority Goals

Element #1: A Map of Priority Goals

A Map of Strategic, Research-Based, and Measurable Goals to Guide Instruction,

Assessment, and Learning

• Reading and literacy goals aligned with “big ideas” in beginning reading

• Curriculum-based or standards-based 180-day pacing maps

• Clear goals and expectations for each grade

• Reliance on research to determine what to

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Goals Aligned With “Big Ideas” in Beginning Reading

Goals Aligned With “Big Ideas” in Beginning Reading

1. Phonemic Awareness: The ability to hear and manipulate sound in words.

2. Alphabetic Principle: The ability to associate sounds with letters and use these sounds to read words.

3. Accuracy and Fluency with Connected Text: The effortless, automatic ability to read words in isolation (orthographic coding) and connected text.

4. Vocabulary Development: The ability to understand (receptive) and use (expressive) words to acquire and convey meaning.

5. Comprehension: The complex cognitive process

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What Should Children Be Able to Do in Spring of K, 1, 2, and 3 and Will Your Reading System Get

Them There?

What Should Children Be Able to Do in Spring of K, 1, 2, and 3 and Will Your Reading System Get

Them There?

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A Valid and Reliable Schoolwide Assessment System To Monitor Progress in the Early Grades

Assessment linked to big ideasSchoolwide assessment system established and maintained

Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)

Assessment used to monitor progress for all students 3 times per year

To enable early identification

Element #2: Assessment System that Tells Whether Children Are Learning Enough

Element #2: Assessment System that Tells Whether Children Are Learning Enough

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For EachStudent

Instruction

GoalsAssessment

For AllStudents

How Are We Doing?How Are We Doing?

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A Schoolwide Assessment SystemA Schoolwide Assessment System

• Each measure has a research-based goal– Two parts to every goal:

• How much / How well?• By when?

1st: End of Year2nd: End of Year3rd: End of Year

1st: 40 or more2nd: 90 or more3rd: 110 or more

Oral Reading FluencyMiddle of First50 or moreNonsense Word

Fluency

End of K35 or morePhonemic Segmentation Fluency

Middle of K25 or moreInitial Sounds FluencyBy When?How Much?Measure

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Adoption and Implementation of Research-Based Reading Programs That Support the Full

Range of Learners

Element #3: A System of Instructional Programs

Element #3: A System of Instructional Programs

• A core instructional program of validated efficacy adopted and implemented schoolwide

• Supplemental and intervention programs to support core program

• Programs and materials emphasize big ideas• Programs implemented with high fidelity

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• Programs are tools that are implemented by teachers to ensure that children learn enough on time. What.........by when.

• NRP report tells us what parts.

• But, parts are parts.

• Instructional refinement versus instructional overhaul.

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Core ProgramCore Program

A core program is the “base” reading program designed to provide instruction on the essential areas of reading for the majority of students schoolwide. In general, the core program should enable 80% or more of students to attain schoolwide reading goals.

A Core Instructional Program of Validated Efficacy Adopted and Implemented Schoolwide

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Supplemental and Intervention Programs to Support the CoreSupplemental and Intervention Programs to Support the Core

A School’s Continuum of Programs and Materials

Core: Programs and materials designed to enable 80% or more of students to attain schoolwide reading goals.

Supplemental: Programs and materials designed to support the core program by addressing specific skill areas such as phonemic awareness or reading fluency.

Intervention: Programs and materials designed to provide intensive support for students performing below grade level.

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Understanding the Purpose of Different Programs

Understanding the Purpose of Different Programs

Classifying Reading Programs:

What is the purpose of the program?

1. Core2. Supplemental3. Intervention

CoreReading Program

SupplementalReading Program

Core

Supplemental

Intervention

InterventionReading Program

Meeting the needs for most Supporting the Core Meeting the needs for each

Programs are tools that are implemented to ensure that children learn enough on time.

(Vaughn et al. 2001)

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Programs Implemented With High Fidelity

Programs Implemented With High Fidelity

To optimize program effectiveness:• Implement the program everyday with fidelity

(i.e., the way it was written)• Deliver the instruction clearly, consistently, and explicitly

(e.g., model skills and strategies)• Provide scaffolded support to students

(e.g., give extra support to students who need it)• Provide opportunities for practice with corrective feedback

(e.g., maximize engagement and individualize feedback)

Programs are only as good as the level of implementation

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What to Look ForWhat to Look For

• Priority to big ideas

• Explicit instruction

• Sufficient modeled examples

• Sufficient practice

• Cumulative review

• Strategic Integration

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Adequate, Prioritized, and Protected Time for Reading Instruction and Practice

Element #4: “Holy”Time

Element #4: “Holy”Time

• Schoolwide plan established to allocate sufficient reading time and coordinate resources

• Additional time allocated for students not making adequate progress (supplemental & intervention programs)

• Reading time prioritized and protected from interruption

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Three Types of Instructional Time

• Allocated

• Actual

• Academic Learning Time: Time children are engaged in tasks in which they can be highly successful

Play audio clip

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Instruction, Grouping, and Scheduling That Optimizes Learning

Element #5: A Plan that Differentiates

Instruction

Element #5: A Plan that Differentiates

Instruction

• Differentiated instruction aligned with student needs

• Creative and flexible grouping used to maximize performance

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AlterableComponents Level of Specific Enhancements

Options 1 2 3 4 5

ProgramEmphasis

Use coreprogram &explicitly teachpriority skills.

Useextensions ofthe coreprogram (e.g.,add examples)

Supplementcore withreteaching orinterventioncomponen ts ofcore.

Replacecurrent coreprogram withinterventionprogram.

Implementspeciallydesignedprogram

Time(Opportunities

to Learn)

Schedule &deliver 90minutes of dailyreadinginstruction(minimum 30minutes smallgroup).

Increaseopportunitiesto respondduring coreinstruction.

Schedule core+ supplementalperiod daily.(90 + 30 or 60+ 30)

Schedule twointerventionsessionsdaily (no lessthan 90minutes total)

Grouping forInstruction

Check groupplacement &providecombination ofwhole & smallgroup instruction.

Schedulesmall groupopportunity forspecificpractice

Reduce groupsize

Provideindividualinstruction

Alterable Variables to Intensify Instruction

Increasing Intensity

Increasing Intensity

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An Integrated System of Research-Based Professional Development and Resource Allocation

Element #6: Professional Development

Element #6: Professional Development

• Ongoing professional development established to support teachers in the implementation of programs

• Time allocated for educators to analyze, plan, and refine instruction

• Professional development efforts explicitly linked to scientifically based programs and practices

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Conceptual and Practice-Based HQPD

Conceptual and Practice-Based HQPD

• HQPD combines conceptual understanding (why) and practice (what & how).

• HQPD includes opportunities for practice and reflection.

• HQPD focuses on the core of teaching practice.

• HQPD focuses on student learning.• HQPD is sustained over time.

Huberman, A. M., & Miles, M. B. (1984). Innovation up close: How school improvement works. New York: Plenum.

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HQPD is Sustained Over Time

HQPD is Sustained Over Time

• Is given adequate time during the work day

• Occurs through workshops and institutes

• Followed by guided peer observation with feedback and demonstration lessons by mastery teachers

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Instructional Leaders Maintain Focus and Establish Mechanisms to Support Reading

Progress

Element #7: Leadership SupportElement #7: Leadership Support

• Administrators develop a coherent plan for

reading instruction

• Leaders organize resources and personnel to

support reading instruction

• A communication plan coordinated with all

individuals responsible for teaching reading

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How to Select Core Reading Programs

How to Select Core Reading Programs

• Purpose: – to provide sufficient instruction in the core

components of reading (enough of the right stuff in a systematic design)

– instruction should enable the majority of students to meet or exceed grade-level standards on all the key elements

– Serves as the primary reading program for the school within and between grades (k-3) (avoids eclectic approach)

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• Programs are tools that are implemented by teachers to ensure that children learn enough on time. What.........by when.

• NRP report tells us what parts. • But, parts are parts. • Instructional refinement versus

instructional overhaul.

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Why Adopt A Core Reading Program?

Why Adopt A Core Reading Program?

• Why: – Increases continuity, coherence, and community of

effort within and between grades (all teachers are aware and working toward the same goals - Moving in the Direction!!! Not OBE)

– Creates more “buying power” regarding professional development

– Affords greater differentiation of instruction for children (can share children within and between grades)

– Reading instruction is rocket science (Moats, 1999) and expecting teachers to construct and instruct is unreasonable and too important to leave to chance.

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What Are the Look Fors???What Are the Look Fors???

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Instructional Content: Big Ideas

Instructional Content: Big Ideas

• Core elements of scientifically based programs include:– phonemic awareness instruction– systematic, explicit phonics instruction– fluency instruction– vocabulary instruction– text comprehension instruction

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#1. Phonemic Awareness: The ability to hear and manipulate sound in words.

#2. Alphabetic Principle: The ability to associate sounds with letters and use these sounds to read words.

#3. Automaticity with the Code: The effortless, automatic ability to read words in connected text.

#4. Vocabulary Development: The ability to understand (receptive) and use (expressive) words to acquire and convey meaning.

#5. Comprehension: The complex cognitive process involving the intentional interaction between reader and text to extract meaning.

Big Ideas in Beginning Reading

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Instructional DesignInstructional Design

• Features of well-designed programs include:– explicit instructional strategies

• prior programs characterized as incidental and implicit– systematic coordinated instructional sequences

• avoid POP

– ample practice opportunities• teach before assess

– sufficient instruction and review of high priority skills• enough of the right stuff

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Will the program get most children to levels of reading proficiency........on time!

The cumulative effect of “behindness.”

Will the program get most children to levels of reading proficiency........on time!

The cumulative effect of “behindness.”

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TOOL: Consumer’s Guide to Evaluating a Core

Reading Program

TOOL: Consumer’s Guide to Evaluating a Core

Reading Program

• Developers: Drs. Deb Simmons, Texas A&M and Ed Kame’enui, University of Oregon

• Why Developed: To assist states, districts and schools in the selection of research-based tools

• When Developed: As part of National Center to Improve the Tools of Educators’ scope of work (1990-2000)

• Purpose: To document and quantify the design and delivery features of core reading programs.

Stage 1: Classification Process: Determine Purpose

Stage 1: Classification Process: Determine Purpose

Classify Other ProgramsWhat is the purpose of the program?

1. Comprehensive (incomplete)2. Supplemental3. Intervention

ComprehensiveReading Program

Evaluation

SupplementalReading Program

Evaluation

Comprehensive(incomplete)

Supplemental

Intervention

C

InterventionReading Program

Evaluation

Core

Core

Classify Programs1

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Stage II: Conduct ReviewCriteria Used to EvaluateStage II: Conduct ReviewCriteria Used to Evaluate

• Programs Evaluated by Grade• Within Grade by Big Idea• Criteria Drawn from Research Based in

Effective Interventions and Science of Reading and Learning Theory

• Using the following criteria for each critical element:

= Element consistently meets/exceeds criterion= Element inconsistently meets/exceeds= Element does not satisfy the criterion

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Consumer’s Guide: Organization

Consumer’s Guide: Organization

• Programs Evaluated by Grade

• Within Grade by Essential Component:

• Phonemic Awareness• Phonics• Fluency• Vocabulary• Comprehension

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Consumer’s Guide:Organization (cont.)Consumer’s Guide:Organization (cont.)

• For each Essential Component:•High Priority Items•Discretionary Items

• Overarching Design Items for Each Grade

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Essential Components by Grade

Essential Components by Grade

Comp.

Vocab.

NAFluency

Phonics

NANAPA

321K

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Scoring CriteriaScoring Criteria

Use the following criteria to score each item:

= Program consistently meets/exceeds criterion= Program partially meets/exceeds criterion= Program does not satisfy the criterion

When evaluating individual elements, slash ( / ) the respective circle that represents your rating (e.g., ).

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K - Phonemic Awareness Example Items (7 Criteria)

K - Phonemic Awareness Example Items (7 Criteria)

• Example High Priority Items (4)• Teaches skills explicitly & systematically

– I’ll say the sounds in man /mmm aaa nnn/

• Focuses on segmentation or the combination of blending and segmenting (NRP pp. 2-41)

• Adds letter sound correspondence instruction to PA after students demonstrate early PA

• Starts with larger linguistic units and proceeds to smaller units (phonemes)

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Summary of Kindergarten RatingsSummary of Kindergarten Ratings

Phonemic Awareness Instruction

Letter-Sound Association Instruction

Decoding Instruction

Irregular Words Instruction

Listening Comprehension Instruction

Vocabulary Instruction

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Consumer’s Guide:Sample Items

Consumer’s Guide:Sample Items

• KINDERGARTEN– Design Features– 1. Coordinates and integrates phonemic awareness and

phonics instruction and student materials.– 2. Provides ample practice on high-priority skills.– 3. Provides explicit and systematic instruction.– 4. Includes systematic and cumulative review of high

priority skills.– 5. Demonstrates and builds relationships between

fundamental skills leading to higher order skills.

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Grade 1 - PhonicsExample Items (9 Criteria)

Grade 1 - PhonicsExample Items (9 Criteria)

• Progresses systematically from simple word types and word lengths and word complexity to more complex words (NRP p. 2-132)

• Models (provides explicit instruction) at each of the fundamental stages of instruction.

• Provides teacher guided instruction in controlled connect text in which students can apply new skills with high levels of success.

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2 - Fluency & Passage ReadingExample Items (6 Criteria)

2 - Fluency & Passage ReadingExample Items (6 Criteria)

• Introduces fluency practice (repeated readings) after students are accurate on text (NRP 3-28)

• Builds toward a 90 word per minuet fluency goal by the end of grade 2.

• Includes sufficient independent practice materials of appropriate difficulty for students to develop fluency (NRP pp. 3-28)

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3 - Reading Comprehension Example Items (11 Criteria)3 - Reading Comprehension

Example Items (11 Criteria)

• Teaches background knowledge or activates prior knowledge.

• Continues skill or strategy instruction across several instructional sessions to illustrate the applicability and utility of the skill or strategy.

• Cumulatively builds a repertoire of multiple strategies that are introduced, applied, and integrated with appropriate texts.

• Uses text in which comprehension unit is explicitly taught.

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The Analysis: Within and Between Lessons

The Analysis: Within and Between Lessons

• Items were examined within lessons, between successive lessons, and at probe points throughout the program (minimum of 3 probes)

• Identify the first lesson in which the skill/strategy is introduced and analyze the next 3-5 lessons.

• Construct a “scope and sequence” of key skills and strategies to provide a view at a glance of how skills are taught and reinforced.

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Overarching Design Items(the connections that build higher order skills

Overarching Design Items(the connections that build higher order skills

• Coordinates and integrates PA and phonics instruction and student materials

• Coordinates words used in word recognition and fluency building activities.

• Provides ample practice on high priority skills.• Provides explicit and systematic instruction. • Includes systematic and cumulative review of high

priority skills• Builds relationships between fundamental skills.

implementation of the program?

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Next Steps for ConsumersNext Steps for Consumers

• Decide on purpose• Evaluate adequacy according to SBRR• Evaluate fit (structural and resource issues)

• Evaluate “professional” development support