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Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development

Beating the Odds in Teaching All Children to Read

by Barbara M. Taylor, P. David Pearson, Kathleen F. Clark, Sharon Walpole / Center for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement

Taylor, B., Pearson, P., Clark, K., & Walpole, S. (1999). Beating the odds in teaching all children to read. CIERA Report #2-006. University of Michigan: Ann Arbor.

Topics Covered: Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Early Elementary (K-3);

Tags: Comprehension; Curriculum; Differentiated Instruction; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Phonics; Phonological Awareness; Placement; Struggling Readers; Vocabulary;

Target Population: Elementary

Research Questions the Report Poses: Which school-level and teacher-level factors affect reading achievement?

Summary:

The authors used quantitative and descriptive methods to investigate school and classroom factors related to primary-grade reading achievement. Fourteen schools across the U.S. with moderate to high numbers of students on subsidized lunch were identified as most, moderately, or least effective based on several measures of reading achievement in the primary grades.

A combination of school and teacher factors, many of which were intertwined, was found to be important in the most effective schools. Statistically significant school factors included strong links to parents, systematic assessment of pupil progress, strong building communication, and a collaborative model for the delivery of reading instruction, including early reading interventions. Statistically significant teacher factors included time spent in small group instruction, time spent in independent reading, high pupil engagement, and strong home communication. More of the most accomplished teachers were frequently observed teaching word recognition by coaching as children were reading, in addition to providing explicit phonics instruction, than the least accomplished teachers and teachers in the moderately or least effective schools.

Additionally, more of the most accomplished teachers and those in effective schools were frequently observed asking higher level questions after reading than their counterparts. In all of the most effective schools, reading was clearly a priority at both the building and classroom level.

Findings:

  • Children in primary grades make the greatest growth when a high proportion of their reading instruction is delivered through small ability groups, with regularly monitored progress, and plenty of time to learn needed skills and strategies
  • Teachers that help students thrive in reading are skilled coaches and keep all children academically engaged
  • Schools have a long way to go in improving reading instruction in the primary grades

Policy Recommendations:
n/a see findings

Closing the Gap: Addressing the Vocabulary Needs of English-Language Learners in Bilingual and Mainstream Classrooms

Carlo, M.S., August, D., McLaughlin, B., Snow, C.E., Dressler, C., Lippman, D.N., Lively, T.J., & White, C.E. (2004). Closing the gap: Addressing the vocabulary needs of English-language learners in bilingual and mainstream classrooms. Reading Research Quarterly, 39, 188-215.

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development; Bilingual Education; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Upper Elementary (4-6);

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Reading; Vocabulary;

Summary:

Gaps in reading performance between Anglo and Latino children are associated with gaps in vocabulary knowledge. An intervention was designed to enhance fifth graders' academic vocabulary. The meanings of academically useful words were taught together with strategies for using information from context, from morphology, from knowledge about multiple meanings, and from cognates to infer word meaning. Among the principles underlying the intervention were that new words should be encountered in meaningful text, that native Spanish speakers should have access to the text's meaning through Spanish, that words should be encountered in varying contexts, and that word knowledge involves spelling, pronunciation, morphology, and syntax as well as depth of meaning.

Fifth graders in the intervention group showed greater growth than the comparison group on knowledge of the words taught, on depth of vocabulary knowledge, on understanding multiple meanings, and on reading comprehension. The intervention effects were as large for the English-language learners (ELLs) as for the English-only speakers (EOs), though the ELLs scored lower on all pre- and posttest measures. The results show the feasibility of improving comprehension outcomes for students in mixed ELL-EO classes, by teaching word analysis and vocabulary learning strategies.

Fluency: Bridge Between Decoding and Reading Comprehension

Pikulski, J. J., & Chard, D. J. (2005). Fluency: Bridge Between Decoding and Reading Comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 58, 510-519.

Topics Covered: Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;

Tags: Comprehension; Fluency; Vocabulary;

Summary: Abstract:
A deep, developmental construct and definition of fluency, in which fluency and reading comprehension have a reciprocal relationship, is explicated and contrasted with superficial approaches to that construct. The historical development of fluency is outlined, along with conclusions of the U.S. National Reading Panel, to explore why fluency has moved from being "the neglected aspect of reading" to a popular topic in the field.

A practical, developmental instructional program based largely on the theoretical framework and research findings of Linnea Ehri is delineated. The nine essential components of that program include building the graphophonic foundations for fluency; building and extending vocabulary and oral language skills; providing expert instruction and practice in the recognition of high-frequency vocabulary; teaching common word parts and spelling patterns; teaching, modeling, and providing practice in the application of a decoding strategy; using appropriate texts to coach strategic behaviors and to build reading speed; using repeated reading procedures as an intervention approach for struggling readers; extending growing fluency through wide independent reading; and monitoring fluency development through appropriate assessment procedures.

The position taken throughout the piece is that teaching, developing, and assessing fluency must always be done in the context of reading comprehension.

Getting Ready for Reading: Early Phoneme Awareness and Phonics Teaching Improves Reading and Spelling in Inner-city Second Language Learners

by M. Stuart

Stuart, M. (1999). Getting ready for reading: early phoneme awareness and phonics teaching improves reading and spelling in inner-city second language learners. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 69, 587-605.

Topics Covered: Assessment and Accommodations; Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development;

Tags: Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Comprehension; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Motivation; Phonics; Phonological Awareness; Reading; Spelling; Struggling Readers; Vocabulary;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary

Research Questions the Report Poses: Does a commercially available early literacy program for ELLs improve reading and spelling.

Summary: Previous studies demonstrate that phoneme awareness training, particularly when combined with letter-sound teaching, results in improved reading and spelling development. This study seeks to extend previous findings by including children learning English as a second language, who have typically been excluded from previous studies.

Findings:

  • The experimental program accelerated children's acquisition of phoneme awareness and of phonics knowledge;
  • Student's ability to apply phoneme awareness and phonics knowledge awareness in reading and writing improved in the experimental group;
  • An early focus on teaching phoneme awareness and phonics can significantly improve reading and spelling standards in inner city second language learners.

Policy Recommendations:
Stuart, M. (1999). Getting ready for reading: early phoneme awareness and phonics teaching improves reading and spelling in inner-city second language learners. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 69, 587-605.

Promoting Academic Literacy Among Secondary English Language Learners: A Synthesis of Research and Practice

by UC Davis School of Education

Maxwell-Jolly, J., Gandara, P. & Benavidez L. M. (2005). Promoting academic literacy among secondary English language learners: A synthesis of research and practice. Davis, CA: UC Davis School of Education.

Topics Covered: Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development;

Tags: American Indian ELL Students; Asian ELL Students; Latino ELL Students; Other ELL Students (Middle Eastern, African, European, etc.);

Target Population: middle and high school

Research Questions the Report Poses: What policy steps should occur in California to improve the education of secondary English Language Learners?

Summary: Provides an overview of issues related to teaching English language learners (ELL), and recommendations for California policy including: challenges secondary ELL students face; needs and limitations of teachers and schools in CA; and best practices cited by researchers and practitioners. The report largely summarizes three days of panel presentations and discussions by ELL experts convened in 2005.

Findings:
A number of themes emerged from the panel discussants including:

  • the need for identifying ELL students better; inadequate existing programs for ELL secondary students;
  • the need for more teachers and administrators who are knowledgeable about the needs of secondary ELL students; and
  • the importance of advocacy and staying on-message to improve ELL education.

Policy Recommendations:
The report adopts five policy steps that should occur including:

  • Convene a panel of experts;
  • Promote pilot programs;
  • Develop an effective ELL assessment system;
  • Establish a committee in the CA legislature to recruit and retain highly skilled ELL teachers and administrators; and
  • Organize a summit to bring attention and focus to the need for improved ELL secondary education.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
NA

Reading Storybooks to Kindergartners Helps Them Learn New Vocabulary Words

by By Claudia Robbins and Linnea C. Ehri

Robbins, C., & Ehri, L. C. (1994). Reading storybooks to kindergartners helps them learn new vocabulary words. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86, 54-64.

Topics Covered: Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Early (Pre-K); Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Early Elementary (K-3);

Tags: Books and Other Reading Materials; Comprehension; Vocabulary;

Target Population: Preschool, elementary

Research Questions the Report Poses: The research seeks to identify whether reading to kindergarteners improves their vocabulary skills.

Summary: In sessions conducted individually, 45 kindergartners who were nonreaders listened to an adult read the same storybook twice, 2-4 days apart, and then completed a posttest measuring their knowledge of the meanings of 22 unfamiliar words, half of which had appeared in the story. Children recognized the meanings of significantly more words from the story than words not in the story, indicating that storybook reading was effective for building vocabulary. Gains were greater among children with larger entering vocabularies.

Findings:
Children recognized the meanings of significantly more words from the story than words not in the story, indicating that storybook reading was effective for building vocabulary. Gains were greater among children with larger entering vocabularies.

Policy Recommendations:
N/A

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
APA Service Center
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Phone: 800-374-2721 or 202-336-5510
TDD/TTY: 202-336-6123
Fax: 202-336-5502

Recognition and Response: An Early Intervening System for Young Children At-Risk for Learning Disabilities

by Mary Ruth Coleman, Virginia Buysse, and Jennifer Neitzel / FPG Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Coleman, M.R., Buysse, V. & Neitzel, J. (2006). Recognition and Response: An early intervening system for young children at-risk for learning disabilities. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, FPG Child Development Institute: Chapel Hill, NC.

Topics Covered: Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development;

Tags: Comprehension; Instructional Programs; Intervention; Parent Involvement and Outreach / PTA; Phonics; Phonological Awareness; Struggling Readers; Transfer of Literacy Skills;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary

Research Questions the Report Poses: How can a "Recognition and Response" system be integrated into classrooms to identify struggling students who may have learning disabilities and get them the help they need?

Summary:

Some young children show signs that they may not be learning in an expected manner, even before they begin kindergarten. These children may exhibit problems in areas such as language development, phonological awareness, perceptual-motor abilities, and attention, which are considered precursors of learning disabilities in older children. However, under current state and federal guidelines, these children are unlikely to meet eligibility criteria for having a learning disability. This is because formal identification of a child's learning disability generally does not occur until there is a measurable discrepancy between the child's aptitude and academic achievement, often not until the second or third grade.

This report describes a method of addressing those warning signs immediately.

Findings:

  • There is an "emerging body of empirical evidence" that RTI is effective at identifying "at-risk" students.
  • Despite the general effectiveness of RTI, the manner of implementation, the definition of RTI, and the way students were evaluated varied widely.
  • Many studies of RTI only include grades 1-3. This leaves doubt as to how the program could be implemented with children as young as three or four.
  • Because the studies examined in this report only examined RTI when used with reading and phonics, it remains to be seen how effective RTI could be with other subjects.

Policy Recommendations:

  • Further develop the Recognition and Response system by (a) specifying in more detail each of the four components (i.e., an intervention hierarchy; screening, assessment, and progress monitoring; research-based curriculum, instruction, and focused interventions; a collaborative problem-solving process for decision-making) and (b) creating the tools and resources related to implementing each component.
  • Evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of the Recognition and Response system through future research.
  • Use professional development as the primary vehicle for disseminating information about the Recognition and Response system to front line early childhood professionals—teachers, specialists, and administrators.
  • Develop and evaluate dissemination strategies (consisting of print, electronic, and oral presentation methods) to communicate information about the Recognition and Response system with a wide audience that includes parents of young children, researchers, policy makers, and the general public.
  • Develop (or adapt) existing public policies related to program standards and professional competencies to support the widespread adoption and implementation of the Recognition and Response system throughout various sectors of the early childhood field (e.g., child care centers and homes, public and private pre-k programs, Head Start).

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
n/a

Repeated Reading to Enhance Fluency: Old Approaches and New Directions

Meyer, M. S., & Felton, R. H. (1999). Repeated reading to enhance fluency: Old approaches and new directions. Annals of Dyslexia, 49, 283-306.

Topics Covered: Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;

Tags: Fluency; Phonological Awareness; Struggling Readers;

Summary: As phoneme awareness deficits and resulting decoding weaknesses are increasingly addressed, there is heightened awareness of the role of fluency in reading. This paper reviews the history of fluency training, discusses the theoretical bases of such training, and summarizes the current knowledge about the efficacy of training procedures. It focuses on Repeated Reading (RR), the most familiar and researched approach to fluency training. Outcome data on Repeated Reading, presented in the form of questions, is meant to answer practitioner's questions about implementation and efficacy and to provide a starting point for researchers interested in the topic. Although some answers are straightforward, others indicate the subtleties involved in answering the broad question: Does Repeated Reading work? In addition to a list of practical suggestions based on Repeated Readings findings, three new approaches to fluency training are introduced.

Report on the Status of Hispanics in Education: Overcoming a History of Neglect

by National Education Association; Richard Verdugo

Verdugo, Richard R. (2006. "Report on the Status of Hispanics in Education: Overcoming a History of Neglect." National Education Association.

Topics Covered: About ELLs; Access, Equity, and Adequacy; Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development; Multicultural Education / Diversity / Culturally-Responsive Inst;

Tags: Instructional Programs; Latino ELL Students;

Target Population: Preschool; Elementary; Middle; High School; Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: What are the issues facing Hispanic students? How can educators, researchers, communities and policy-makers help Hispanic students overcome these barriers?

Summary: Hispanic students often face unique challenges in student achievement. Because of high levels of poverty, limited English language skills, and immigration factors, Hispanic students must overcome socioeconomic, language, cultural and barriers to succeed in school.

Findings:
The report outlines six key issues in the education of the Hispanic population:

  • Innovative classroom strategies including culturally responsive and technology enriched teaching.
  • School funding equity
  • Professional development for teachers
  • Early education and post-secondary education
  • The politics of immigration, and migrant education
  • Educator recruitment and retention

Policy Recommendations:

  • Analyze barriers that Hispanic students face in gaining access to college
  • Provide parents with financial information that can be used for students' college education
  • Improve teacher's education programs. Teachers are not well prepared for teaching Hispanic students, especially Hispanic ELL students.
  • Reduce class sizes, improve student resources, and student social services
  • Teachers should be exposed to a curriculum during their university years that teachers them cultural understanding and sensitivity
  • Work to pass legislation that changes property tax laws and state laws to broaden the school funding base

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
Visit www.nea.org or call (202) 833-4000

Similar English Learner Students, Different Results: Why Do Some Schools Do Better?

by EdSource, Stanford University, American Institutes for Research, WestEd

Williams, T., Hakuta, K., Haertel, E., et al. (2007). Similar English Learner Students, Different Results: Why Do Some Schools Do Better? A follow-up analysis, based on a large-scale survey of California elementary schools serving low-income and EL students. Mountain View, CA: EdSource.

Topics Covered: Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development;

Tags: Curriculum; Instructional Programs; Language Proficiency; Latino ELL Students;

Target Population: Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: "Why do California elementary schools serving similar proportions of low-income, Spanish speaking EL students differ by over 250 points on California's new EL Academic Performance Index score? What school practices can help explain this API gap?"

Summary:

A major new analysis of California elementary school performance has identified four educational practices associated with higher performance among elementary English Learner (EL) students. According to the study released in May at the Education Writers Association annual meeting in Los Angeles, schools that engage in all four practices have, on average, the highest academic achievement among English Learner students.

Findings:

  • One practice strongly correlated with a higher EL-API among our sample of elementary schools was the extensive use of student assessment data by the district and the principal in an effort to improve instruction and student learning.
  • EL-API performance was higher in schools where principals reported that a larger proportion of their teaching staff had qualities such as a demonstrated ability to raise student achievement, strong content knowledge, and others.
  • Higher EL-API was correlated with schools in which teachers reported most strongly that there is school-wide instructional consistency within grades, curricular alignment from grade-to-grade, and that instruction is based upon state academic standards.
  • A shared culture within the school regarding the value of improving student achievement and a sense of shared responsibility for it seems to distinguish the higher performing schools in our sample based on EL—APIs.
  • A school's outreach to parents, encouragement of teacher collaboration, and enforcement of positive student behaviors (like attendance and tolerance) have long been recognized as important contributors to the student and professional culture at a school.

Policy Recommendations:

  • California should "stay the course with its reforms" to make sure that "curriculum programs and state standards tests are well aligned with the state's academic standards."
  • School districts need to provide "better assessment and other data on their students in easy-to-access formats"
  • Hire more administrators to try to adjust the highest-in-the-nation pupil-to-administrator ratio in the country
  • Professional development needs to provided to ensure that teachers have the resources they need to effectively combat the challenges that educating ELL students provides

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
n/a

Teachers' Perceptions of Their Undergraduate and Graduate Preparation

Lyon, G., Vaasen, M., & Toomey, F. (1989). Teachers' perceptions of their undergraduate and graduate preparation. Teacher Education and Special Education, 12, 164-169.

Topics Covered: Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development;

Summary:

This study assessed the extent to which teachers' perceptions of their relationships with young students varied as a function of child and teacher characteristics in a large, demographically diverse sample of 197 preschool and kindergarten teachers and 840 children. Children were evenly divided between boys and girls. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the relation between teachers' perceptions of their relationships with students and (a) teacher ethnicity, (b) child age, ethnicity, and gender, and (c) the ethnic match between teacher and child.

Child age and ethnicity and teacher-child ethnic match were consistently related to teachers' perceptions, explaining up to 27% of the variance in perceptions of negative aspects of the teacher-child relationship, specifically teacher-child conflict. When child and teacher had the same ethnicity, teachers rated their relationships with children more positively. The results are discussed in terms of classroom social processes related to children's adjustment and the measurement of teacher-child relationships.

Technology and Teaching Children to Read

by Diana Sherman, Glenn Kleiman, and Kirsten Peterson

Sherman, D., Kleiman, G., and Peterson, K. (2004). Technology and Teaching Children to Read. Education Development Center.

Topics Covered: Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction; Technology;

Tags: Comprehension; Fluency; Motivation; Phonics; Phonological Awareness; Reading; Vocabulary;

Target Population: Preschool, Elementary, Middle, High School

Research Questions the Report Poses: What does recent research say about the benefits of technology in helping students learn to read?

Summary: Reading specialists, technology specialists, and classroom teachers: Look here for ways to effectively implement technology within K-6 reading programs. Research-based guidelines from the National Reading Panel report (NRP, 2000) frame the discussion about the potential uses of multimedia digital technology to enhance reading instruction.

Findings:

  • Available research points to many possibilities for technology to enhance reading instruction
  • Decisions about the effective uses of technology need to be based on an understanding of the school or district reading program
  • Understanding of the potential uses of technology and a careful analysis of the alignment between the needs of the reading program and the capabilities brought by the technology is vital
  • Technology can help make a good reading program more effective, but technology's value depends upon the quality of the overall reading program and the thoughtful and careful implementation of technology

Policy Recommendations:
N/A

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
N/A

The Role of English Teachers in Educating English Language Learners (ELLs)

NCTE ELL Task Force. (2006). NCTE Position Paper on the Role of English Teachers in Educating English Language Learners. National Council of Teachers of English: Urbana, IL.

Topics Covered: Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development; Bilingual Education; Literacy and Reading / Writing Instruction;

Tags: Bilingual Instruction; Bilingualism / Biliteracy; Comprehension; Content Areas: Math; Content Areas: Science; Content Areas: Social Studies; Curriculum; Differentiated Instruction; Fluency; Instructional Programs; Language of Instruction; Reading; Struggling Readers; Vocabulary; Writing;

Summary:

The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) has pulled together information from a broad range of research on how to support English language learners in the classroom. It takes into account the variety of skill levels and background knowledge of ELL students and suggests best practices for teaching language, reading, writing, and content.

What Education Schools Aren't Teaching About Reading and What Elementary Teachers Aren't Learning

by National Council on Teacher Quality / Kate Walsh, Deborah Glaser, Danielle Dunne Wilcox

Walsh, K., Glaser, D., and Dunne Wilcox, D. (2006). What Education Schools Aren't Teaching About Reading and What Elementary Teachers Aren't Learning. National Council on Teacher Quality: Washington DC.

Topics Covered: Best Teaching Practices / Professional Development;

Tags: Curriculum; Instructional Programs; Phonics; Phonological Awareness;

Target Population: Post-Secondary

Research Questions the Report Poses: National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) examined what aspiring elementary teachers are learning about reading instruction during their formal undergraduate training. They asked: what do education schools teach elementary teacher candidates about reading instruction?

Summary: When some children are learning to read, they catch on so quickly that it appears effortless. It does not seem to matter what reading curriculum or teachers they encounter, for they arrive at school already possessing the important foundational skills. For other children, though, the path to literacy is far more difficult and by no means assured. It matters very much what curriculum their schools use and who their first teachers are.

Findings:

  • Most Education Schools are not teaching the science of reading
  • Even courses claiming to provide a "balanced" approach ignore the science of reading.
  • Characteristics such as national accreditation do not increase the likelihood that an education school is more likely than others to teach the science of reading.
  • Phonics is taught more frequently than any other component of reading instruction, suggesting that ideological resistance to the "phonics camp" does not fully explain why the science is being ignored.
  • Much of current reading instruction is incompatible with the science.
  • Teacher educators portray the science of reading instruction as one approach that is no more valid than others.
  • Many courses reflect low expectations, with little evidence of college-level work.
  • The quality of almost all reading textbooks is poor. Their content includes little to no hard science, and in far too many cases they are inaccurate and misleading.
  • There is no agreement in the field about what constitutes "seminal" texts.

Policy Recommendations:
States:

  • States need to develop both strong reading standards and licensing tests based on those standards;
  • New teachers should be required to pass a stand-alone test in reading instruction; and
  • States should not only require reading courses, but should align those courses content with the state reading standards based in science

Membership organizations:
  • Accreditation should hinge on an education school's commitment to using research-based instructional methods in reading to prepare teacher candidates;
  • Accrediting agencies, including the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), and various regional accrediting bodies, should exercise responsibility when it comes to accreditation by denying accreditation to schools that do not teach the science of reading; and
  • AACTE should advocate for the science of reading, providing professional development opportunities for teacher educators to retool their skills

The Federal Government
  • Elementary teachers should be required to pass a test in reading to achieve to meet NCLB's "highly qualified teacher";
  • Education schools should be eligible to receive title II professional development funds to improve faculty expertise in reading.
  • Federal funds could directed toward allowing college faculty members to update their knowledge and skills in reading, as well as toward hiring adjunct professors who are already knowledgeable in what works in reading.

Textbook publishers
  • Publishers need to identify legitimate experts in the field and hire them to develop and write better reading textbooks.

Education Schools
  • Education schools need to build faculty expertise in reading.

To order a hard copy of the report, contact:
NATIONAL COUNCIL ON TEACHER QUALITY
1225 19th Street N.W., Suite 800
Washington, D.C. 20036
Tel 202 222-0561 Fax 202 222-0570 Web
www.nctq.org