Screen Students for Reading Challenges and Provide Data-Driven Reading Instruction

• Screen students for reading challenges at beginning and middle of year, provide differentiated reading instruction

• Provide intensive, systematic instruction on up to three foundational reading skills in small groups to students who score below the benchmark on universal screening

Why assessment and targeted, intensive, systematic instruction?

Eagle Academy Public Charter School utilizes a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) to identify students with reading challenges at the beginning and middle of the year. MTSS is supported by a large body of research and allows schools to identify and support at-risk students as soon as possible.  In Eagle’s model, Tier 1 includes the classroom curriculum provided to all students, Tier 2 includes differentiated support in classrooms as well as intervention provided outside the classroom, and Tier 3 includes intensive intervention outside the classroom.

Eagle uses the NWEA MAP assessment to identify students who score below the 10^th percentile in ELA. Once identified, the NWEA data for these students is compared with additional data (IRLA, AimsWeb) to determine which students qualify for reading intervention as a part of Tier 2 or Tier 3 support.  Eagle’s reading intervention is intensive (2-5 times per week), systematic (progressing from easier to more difficult skills), and targets foundational reading skills (phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and spelling/writing).

What does research say about assessment and targeted, intensive, systematic instruction?

• Early identification/support of reading difficulty or disability by 1^st grade allows 82% of these students to catch up or have on-grade-level reading skills. If the problem is not caught and addressed until 3^rd grade, only 46% of these students catch up and if it  is not caught and addressed until 5^th grade, only 10-15% of these students catch up (Torgesen, “Catch Them Before They Fall”).
• Sequential, systematic instruction leads to better reading development (Schacter & Jo, 2005).
• Struggling readers learn best when instruction proceeds from simple to complex tasks and concepts, and when each concept is divided into its component parts (Schater & Jo, 2005).

The What Works Clearinghouse report, “Assisting Struggling Students With Reading: Response to Intervention (RTI) and Multi-Tiered Intervention in the Primary Grades,” indicates “strong evidence” for screening students for reading challenges at beginning and middle of year and providing differentiated instruction as well as providing intensive, systematic instruction on up to three foundational reading skills in small groups to students who score below the benchmark on universal screening (pgs. 17-29, portions of report excerpted below): (https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/PracticeGuide/rti_reading_pg_021809.pdf#page=17 )

What can teachers do to support the MTSS model and complete systematic, intensive instruction?

Within Eagle’s MTSS model, Tier 1 and Tier 2 students receive in-class differentiated support from classroom teachers. Teachers utilize IRLA data and/or complete additional assessments (Ex: Core Phonics Survey, Phonological Awareness Skills Test, Sound-Symbol Correspondence Test, LETRS Spelling Screener) to determine student needs and plan differentiated instruction.  Collecting additional data on fundamental skills helps teachers determine if instruction is being delivered at the right level and pace, decide how to group students and plan instruction that will meet student needs. Teachers can use methods ranging from Guided Reading to Word Study to support students within the classroom.

Steps in the planning process are:

1. Complete school-wide assessments (IRLA) as early as possible to identify students who need support
2. Complete additional diagnostics on sound knowledge, decoding, phonemic awareness, etc.
3. Based on IRLA and/or other data, plan differentiated instruction to target core reading skills, and group students according to skill level/instructional need
4. Adjust groups as needed
5. Collect ongoing data to see progress

Assessments that measure foundational reading skills are outlined below. Data from the current school year indicates that students at all age/grade bands need support in letter/sound knowledge, phonemic awareness, and decoding. ALL teachers in kindergarten through third grade should give some form of letter/sound assessment and work on reinforcing letter sounds. These assessments can be given whole-group by dictating sounds and having students write the letter or letters that make the sound).