The Effectiveness
of Targeting 7th Grade LEP/ESL Struggling Readers in a Technology Based Program
Wendy
Harris
After reviewing the Adequate
Yearly Progress Campus Data Table from the Texas Educational Agency, Truitt
Middle School has not met AYP in the LEP subpopulation for the second year with
only 72% meeting the reading standards on the 2011-2012 STAAR, which has placed
the campus in the Stage 1 Reading School Improvement Program. The needs
assessment was conducted to identify gaps and develop activities and strategies
to improve the academic needs of a select group of LEP/ESL students. The study group of 53
LEP/ESL students were targeted and placed into an intensive intervention READ
180 technology based reading program to assist in reading performance and
provide extended time and support to
meet their needs.
The
vision is to raise student achievement scores in reading comprehension and
fluency by moving students from below basic reading performance to basic and
proficient reading performance showing a
growth of 75 to 100 in Lexile levels in 12 months. As school cultures grow in
diversity, we must examine programs that assist the needs of students.
The
greatest challenges for English language
learners are learning how to read and write in English. The lack of academic vocabulary and background knowledge
are two of the main reasons for struggling in all content areas. These
students need research-based literacy instruction that reflects best practices
for serving English language learners who are struggling readers—practices that
also serve to enrich instruction for all students. (Research Foundation Papers,
pp. 3)
Dr.
Ted Hasselbring originally developed Read180 in 1985 as an intervention program
utilizing technology to deliver individualized instruction to students and
creates data for teachers to provide differential instructional where key
skills need further development. The instruction model begins and concludes
with whole group teacher-directed instruction, moves into three differentiated
instructional groups consisting of a
silent reading group based on lexile leveled texts, computer station based on
individualized instruction at the appropriate lexile level, and small group
providing differentiated instruction. Read 180 stresses that this instructional
model should be followed precisely. Scholastic’s, Read 180 website states:
Following the READ 180 Instructional Model
is proven to result in significant gains in reading achievement for students
after one or two year’s participation. (para.1)
All students benefit from embedded decoding tips,
point-of-use vocabulary definitions, and leveled reading passages. Video clips
in the software and rBook Teaching System help students build background
knowledge and develop mental models prior to reading. In addition, a variety of
built-in features specifically support English language learners and students
with special needs. (Scholastic Professional Paper, 2006, p. 13)
Lawrence
Public Schools (2008-2009) in Massachusetts completed research on ELL students
enrolled in Read180. There were significant gains for most students … revealed that READ 180 general
education and ELL students made the greatest progress over the course of the
year, with 67% and 56% meeting or exceeding the target, respectively. (Lawrence
Public Schools; Scholastic Research, p. 12).
Last
school year, we placed LEP/ESL students in a reading workshop that utilized,
Achieve3000: Differentiated Instruction, a technology based reading program.
Although we did see gains in reading performance, we felt that the students
were lacking in many skills through the TeenBiz instruction, for example, phonological
awareness, phonics/word study, vocabulary, spelling, sentence structure, and
revising and editing. At the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year and after
reviewing the AYP data, the principal, director of instruction, counselors, and
I decided to place 54 of our lowest reading performance LEP/ESL students in a
Read 180 class. Read 180’s instructional model offers the flexibility for
differentiated instruction that can help close the achievement gap by meeting
their diverse needs, is engaging and motivating, and increases students’ self-confidence.
We
included the use of the program on our Campus Improvement Plan and discuss the
progress by showing the Proficiency Summary Report and Demographic Growth
Report during our monthly CPOC meetings. Parents and students were shown a
video consisting of the instructional model, proven research, and the other
students’ success stories regarding Read 180’s effectiveness.
Read
180 Stage B was bought by the district five years ago at the cost of
approximately $43,000 per 60 licenses. Teacher Guide, student workbooks, and
reading text were included in the initial cost. Every year since implementing
the program, I order new rBooks for the next school year at the cost of $4,000
out of the At-Risk budget. The 7th grade counselor, Director of
Instruction, and I targeted LEP/ESL struggling readers and placed them in the
Read 180 Intervention Program to enhance reading comprehension and progress
towards proficient reading performance.
Mr.
Gilliam and I administered the Scholastic Reading Inventory test through the
Read180 database known as the Scholastic Achievement Manager (SAM), a
comprehensive online management system that collects and organizes student
performance data. (Read180.Scholastic.com, para.1) SAM contains 60 reports that
provide instant access to critical performance data, for example, lexile level
and student grouping by skill needs. SAM also provides resources for
differentiated instruction. The program monitors student progress and adjusts
to the student’s need. Although, the teacher must manually move a student from
level 1 to level 2, the program will automatically adjust from level 2 up to
level 4. Other test, such as, the rSkills test that assesses if the targeted
skill has been mastered after two workshops in the rBook, and the Reading
Counts Quizzes after each leveled reading text is completed in the independent reading
station. We’ve implemented conference Fridays that allow us to conference with
students about their progress after generating a Student Progress Report with
data from the five interactive zones and informal assessments’ in the small
group instruction station.
After
completing my action research project and analyzing the data for the effectiveness
and benefits in significant gains for LEP/ESL students and closing the
achievement gap, I will begin another inquiry project on students with learning
disabilities. At this time, my campus
implements
System 44 for Special Education students, I would like to have a study group in
Read 180 to investigate the impact the program could have on their reading
performance in a 90-minute structured environment.
References
Research
Foundation Paper. (2009). Retrieved March 12, 2013, from
Scholastic
Read 180. (2012). Retrieved March 13, 2013, from
http://read180.scholastic.com/about/instructional-model
Whitford,
Suzanne (2011) "READ 180: Policy Gone Wrong," Language Arts
Journal of Michigan: Vol. 26: Iss. 2, Article 9.
Available
at: http://dx.doi.org/10.9707/2168-149X.1797
Scholastic
Professional Paper. (2006, January). Response to Intervention An
Alignment Guide for READ 180. Read180.Scholastic.com Retrived March 13,
2013, from
Scholastic
Research. (2011). Lawrence Public Schools, MA. New York, NY: Scholastic
Inc.
Scholastic
Read 180. (2012). The
Scholastic Achievement Manager (SAM). Scholastic.com.
Retrieved March 13, 2012, from http://read180.scholastic.com/about/components/stageb/teacher-management-system
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