Important Non-Aligned Reading Content
(Para 1.) What is “important non-aligned” reading content? A reading instruction program should systematically and effectively increase a student’s ability to successfully read more advanced content with each passing year. Unfortunately, a student is often asked to read and comprehend content that is too difficult. That is, the reading assignment is not aligned with a student’s reading skills. Sometimes this occurs at a system-wide level when district fourth graders are required to read math textbooks which often require eighth grade reading skills. Even more unfortunate is non-alignment due to a student’s lack of annual progress. The reading research has consistently reported that most students who lack the necessary prerequisite phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension strategies at age nine face a life of illiteracy. It is not unusual to find that these students progress less than one grade level of reading achievement for the last eight years in school. For many years educators often thought that increasing the interest level of reading content, alone, would address reading failure. This assumption has yet to be validated by the research. While many of these non-alignment issues require extensive system-wide interventions over time, there are non-alignment issues that can and should be addressed by individual teachers. If the reading content is important and modest in size, e.g. a few pages, then a teacher can make the difference. Important content can take different forms, from content that has life-saving implications to content that addresses and prevents important threats to a students self esteem. One of the greatest threats to life for children world-wide comes from water borne diseases. In many cases, preventive information reaches an individual or family as a two-page health brochure. Text content on after-school safety and similar information is often very important. Content that addresses the cultural priorities of a community has important implications for the individual and the community. The following procedures are suggested if the content is important and limited to a few pages.
(Para 2.) First, analyze the reading task. Given that text content is limited to a page or two, a vocabulary analysis will help define many of the instructional challenges. For an example of important text, see the bullying brochure. This brochure will have maximum value if the individual can read the document privately, when needed. A typical vocabulary analysis lists the words in the text in alphabetical order or in order of frequency. If you have a good grasp of a student’s present reading vocabulary, the vocabulary analysis can be limited to the words that would be difficult or new for the student. One of the quickest and most effective ways to do a vocabulary analysis is to use an online text analysis tool. For example, see online text analysis tool. This tool will give you an unfiltered word count. Try it. Link to the online text analysis tool, paste in text from the bullying brochure and press the “process text” button. You could type in the text if you do not have the text in electronic form.
(Para 3.) Second, simplify the reading task. If possible, use the vocabulary analysis to modify and simplify the reading task. Sometimes this is not possible. If you can replace more complex text with less difficult text, the challenges facing the teacher and the student will be reduced.
(Para 4.) Third, diagnose student vocabulary needs. Give the student a copy of the vocabulary analysis. Make notes on a teacher copy and do not place stress on the student. Ask the student to read each word and move on if the word is too difficult. The teacher notes should identify errors and possible bad habits that need to be addressed, e.g., guessing the word based on the first sound. If there is any indication that the student lacks basic decoding skills, i.e. lacks knowledge of basic sounds and blending skills, this should be noted. At this time, do not use the target document for diagnostic testing, e.g., the bully brochure. If the content of the document is important, the document should not be associated with embarrassment or failure in any form. The teacher’s role is to diagnose student needs, teach needed vocabulary and associated decoding skills, and then present the target document when the probability of student success is at least 80%. Even if the affective impact on the content was not the important issue it is, the diagnosis and teaching of the specific needed words as the first step, is based on a wealth of research including the research by Joseph Jenkins in 1978.
(Para 5.) Fourth, preparing a prescription: basic phonics skills. If there is a concern that the student lacks basic letter sounds, use a pronunciation guide to test sound skills. For an example of a pronunciation guide see page 14 of the Teachers Resource Manual. When you point to a sound, the student should pronounce the sound. If the student does not achieve at least 80%, or correctly identify 32 of the 40 sounds, the intervention should start with the teaching of these basic sounds to at least the 80% success level. Suggestions for teaching the sounds can be found on page 6 of the resource manual. If there is a concern about the students blending skills, use the “slow way – fast way” procedure to teach blending as demonstrated on page 7 of the resource manual. See previous posting on phonemic awareness for more information on blending and related skills.
(Para 6.) Fifth, preparing a prescription: vocabulary skills. To ensure student success, the intervention should successfully teach the needed vocabulary and the associated phonic word-attack skills discussed in the previous paragraph. Use the following four steps to teach each of the needed vocabulary words.
Step 1. Instructor points to each letter as it is sounded, and says: “My turn. Listen to
me say this word the slow way. ‘SSSaaammm’.”
Step 2. Instructor points to the same word, and says: “My turn. Listen to me say this
word the fast way. ‘Sam’.”
Step 3. Instructor asks learner to sound out the word slowly. Example: “Your turn.
Say the word the slow way.” Learner sounds out word slowly.
Example: “SSSaaammm.”
Step 4. Instructor asks learner to say the word fast. Example: “Your turn. Say the
word the fast way.”
Learner says the word. Example: “Sam.”
If the the vocabulary word is an irregular word such as the word “was”, use the following step to replace the Step 4 above.
Step 4. “Well done. You said the word the slowway. But when we say it fast, we say it differently. We say “wos.” Your turn. Say the word the fast way.” Learner says the word. Example: “wos.”
Remember: Use the model, guide, and test correction procedure to correct mistakes.
If there is any concern about student comprehension of the new vocabulary, discuss the meaning with the student. Return to the word at a later time and ask the student to use the word in a sentence.
(Para 7.) Sixth, provide prompted practice and then independent practice. Given that the needed vocabulary and word attack skills have been diagnosed, taught and mastered, the student is ready for a successful experience with the target text, e.g., the bullying brochure. To increase the probability of success, the initial reading of the target text should be supported and prompted by the teacher. If the student struggles with any of the text, use the “slow way – fast way” vocabulary teaching procedures listed above. Fade the prompting procedures as the student acquires the needed competency and confidence. As a part of the independent practice, discuss and apply content to student experiences. In the case of the bullying document we used as an example, the implications for the individual are massive, given that students who are “different” are more often victims of bullying. See Research Summary:Bullying for more information on bullying.
Al :: May.01.2008 :: Uncategorized :: No Comments »
