Intensive Interventions in Reading for Students with Reading Disabilities: Meaningful Impacts

We use three data sources to build a rationale for why intensive interventions are necessary for students with pervasive reading disabilities: current data on the performance of students with disabilities on reading achievement measures over time, observation studies on students with reading disabilities in general and special education classrooms, and findings from intensive intervention studies for students with reading disabilities. Results of these data sources indicate that students with disabilities are not making progress in reading at the same rate as students without disabilities, reading instruction for students with reading disabilities is comprised of excessive amounts of low level tasks, and findings from intensive intervention studies suggest positive impacts for students with reading disabilities. We argue that students with reading disabilities require ongoing intensive interventions that are likely to require schools to change the contexts and practices for these students.     

Reading Science Text: Challenges for Students with Learning Disabilities and Considerations for Teachers

In science classes, teachers must consider the need for explicit, systematic reading instruction for students with learning disabilities (LD) while navigating the constructivist and activity‐oriented methods typically employed in science instruction. The complexity of scientific information conveyed through print may make reading science texts the greatest challenge that students with LD encounter in school. Fortunately, researchers have established that, by fostering students’ prior knowledge, providing text enhancements, and teaching reading comprehension strategies, students’ understanding of science text is improved. Effective instructional approaches and strategies for reading are reviewed and implications for teaching students with LD noted.     

The Efficacy of Repeated Reading and Wide Reading Practice for High School Students with Severe Reading Disabilities

This experimental study was conducted to examine the efficacy of repeated reading and wide reading practice interventions for high school students with severe reading disabilities. Effects on comprehension, fluency, and word reading were evaluated. Participants were 96 students with reading disabilities in grades 9–12. Students were paired within classes and pairs were randomly assigned to one of three groups: repeated reading ( N  = 33), wide reading ( N  = 34), or typical instruction ( N  = 29). Intervention was provided daily for approximately 15–20 minutes for 10 weeks. Results indicated no overall statistically significant differences for any condition, with effect sizes ranging from −.31 to .27. Findings do not support either approach for severely impaired readers at the high school level. We hypothesize that these students require more intensive interventions that include direct and explicit instruction in word- and text-level skills as well as engaged reading practice with effective feedback.     

初中学习困难学生阅读理解监测和控制特点的研究

以即刻学习判断分数和学习分配时间为指标,采用2×2混合实验设计,考察不同难度阅读材料条件下,学习困难学生阅读理解监测和控制的特点。被试为金华某中学15-16岁32名学习困难学生和34名学习优秀学生。结果发现,学习困难学生对不同难度阅读材料的即刻学习判断分数显著低于学习优秀学生,学习困难学生用于高难度阅读材料的时间显著少于学习优秀学生。     

Supplemental Reading Instruction for Students at Risk for Reading Disabilities: Improve Reading 30 Minutes at a Time

Supplemental reading instruction provides a way to improve the reading outcomes of students at risk for reading difficulties and to meet the challenges produced by increases in student diversity in today’s classrooms. The research–based intervention described in this article includes intensive, explicit, and systematic reading instruction in five areas: fluency, phonemic awareness, instructional–level reading with an emphasis on comprehension, word analysis, and spelling. This intervention was effective in improving the reading skills of low SES, second–grade English monolingual and English–language learners.     

Integrated Reading and Writing Interventions for Students with Learning Disabilities: A Review of the Literature

In this systematic review of literature that spans 1975–2015, integrated reading and writing interventions for students with learning disabilities (LD) or students with academic difficulties were evaluated to understand the extant research, identify encouraging practices, and guide future research. Ten studies met inclusion criteria and each study was evaluated according to the relevant What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) design standards. Eight of the 10 investigations were conducted with students in grades 4–8. While only 4 of the 10 studies met WWC design with or without reservations, results from these studies are encouraging. Study findings suggest several areas for immediate future research relating to methodological and treatment variables and considerations for classroom instruction in order to respond to advanced expectations for the successful integration of reading and writing across subjects. In addition to employing stronger experimental designs and additional replications of encouraging studies, future research should explore the utility of integrated reading and writing interventions with secondary students with who have academic difficulties.     

Evidence‐Based Strategies for Improving the Reading Comprehension of Secondary Students: Implications for Students with Learning Disabilities

Reading comprehension is a complex skill that places significant demands on students, beginning with elementary school and continuing through the secondary grades. In this article, we provide an overview of possible factors associated with problems in reading comprehension among secondary students with learning disabilities. Discussion underscores the fact that comprehension problems are evidenced by a heterogeneous group of students. We argue that it is important for teachers to align an intervention with a specific area of difficulty (e.g., teaching prefixes and suffixes to increase reading vocabulary). We highlight research‐based interventions advocated by the National Reading Panel and offer ways that teachers can match specific strategies with the individual needs of students with problems in reading comprehension. Finally, we emphasize that whatever strategy is selected, it should be structured, explicit, scaffolded, and intense ( Williams et al., 2005 ).     

Efficacy of a Reading Intervention for Middle School Students Identified with Learning Disabilities

This experimental study reports findings on the effects from a year-long reading intervention providing daily, 50-minute sessions to middle-school students with identified learning disabilities (n = 65) compared with similar students who did not receive the reading intervention (n = 55). All students continued to receive their special education services as provided by the school. Results indicated statistically significant findings favoring the treatment group for sight word reading fluency following intervention. Small effects were found for phonemic decoding fluency and passage comprehension. No other statistically significant differences were noted between groups. The findings suggest that while gains on word reading fluency resulted from the additional reading treatment, accelerating the reading performance of students identified with learning disabilities may be unlikely to result from a one-year, daily intervention provided to students in groups of 10-15.     

Effect of the Learning Consortium: One District's Journey

The Learning Consortium has provided the conditions for Consortium partners to construct a more meaningful approach to instructional change. Those conditions focus on four opportunities: (1) to build on individual accomplishments; (2) to create a broader view of the educational picture; (3) to share and interact with wider audiences; and (4) to re‐focus on the future. This article applies those conditions to illustrate the Durham Board of Education's efforts to extend the instructional practices of their teachers. The major message is that extending the instructional practices of teachers requires an intensive effort over time.     

Evidence‐Based Strategies for Reading Instruction of Older Students with Learning Disabilities

Over a quarter of 8th‐grade students and more than one‐third of 4th graders do not read well enough to understand important concepts and acquire new knowledge from grade‐level text. For students with learning disabilities, the numbers are more troubling. This article describes features of evidence‐based instruction for students who continue to struggle with reading in late elementary, middle, and high school. Recommendations are organized into 5 areas that are critical to the reading improvement of older struggling readers: (1) word study, (2) fluency, (3) vocabulary, (4) comprehension, and (5) motivation. Much of the content in this article reflects our efforts with the Special Education and Reading Strands at the National Center on Instruction, funded by the Office of Special Education Programs and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Two reports, both available at http://www.centeroninstruction.org/ , have particular relevance—Interventions for Adolescent Struggling Readers: A Meta‐Analysis with Implications for Practice and Academic Literacy Instruction for Adolescents: A Guidance Document from the Center on Instruction.     

Morphological Awareness: A Tool to Promote Reading Fluency and Accuracy in Hebrew in Students with Reading Disabilities

The effectiveness of a morphological awareness (MA) intervention program on reading fluency and accuracy performance was examined in 40 students with reading disabilities in fourth to sixth grade, ranging in age from nine to 12 years old (M = 10.51, SD = 0.89). The study used an experimental pre–post design consisting of a morphological intervention group and a comparison group. Students participating in the 15‐week intervention program showed an advantage over comparison group students in all measures. Their improvement in MA resulted in a better reading fluency and accuracy performance as well as a significant change in reading level according to national norms. The results suggest that disabled readers can benefit from morphological intervention and use morphological cues in reading.     

学习困难学生理解监测和控制的特点

以即刻学习判断分数和学习分配时间为指标,采用2×2混合实验设计,考察在不同难度的阅读材料条件下,学习困难学生理解监测和控制的特点。被试为金华某中学15-16岁的32名学习困难学生和34名学习优秀学生。结果发现,学习困难学生对不同难度阅读材料的即刻学习判断分数显著低于学习优秀学生,学习困难学生用于高难度阅读材料的时间显著少于学习优秀学生。     

Exploring the Relative Effectiveness of Reading Interventions for High School Students

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to explore the relative effectiveness of intensive reading interventions for struggling high school readers. A yearlong randomized control study was conducted to estimate causal effects, as measured by the criterion-referenced state assessment test, for 1,265 ninth-grade students in 89 classes across 7 high schools in a large school district. Students in the high risk group and the moderate risk group were randomly assigned to one of four intensive reading interventions (three new interventions and a “business as usual” control condition.) Results indicated that for all four interventions, gains made by students in the high risk group exceeded the benchmark for expected annual growth. For the moderate risk group, random effects mixed modeling showed that reliable differences were observed in the state outcome gain scores between two of the intensive interventions and the “business as usual” control condition (Glass's adjusted Δ = .27, .30).     

The Common Core State Standards and Reading: Interpretations and Implications for Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities

The K‐5 reading standards within the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards provide guidance to teachers about grade level expectations for students. Though the authors of the standards acknowledge that some students may experience difficulty reaching the rigorous expectations, they explain that the standards outline a pathway to proficiency for all students, including those who struggle with literacy. Students with learning disabilities, who often have significant literacy difficulties, may face particular challenges when their instruction is framed by these standards. This article unpacks the complex K‐5 reading standards and provides a discussion of the implications for students with learning disabilities and their general and special education teachers. Examples from K‐5 lessons and recommendations for teachers and researchers are provided.     

高职学生英语阅读策略培训成效分析

提高阅读能力一直是英语阅读教学的重要任务。通过阅读策略教学实证研究,初步印证了:英语专业高职学生英语水平总体偏低,英语阅读策略培训有效性、阅读策略培训对不同英语水平学生产生不同效果,及阅读策略训练与英语课堂教学相结合的可行性。     

随班就读轻度智力残疾学生阅读能力研究

采用试卷分析的方法,以265名3—5年级随班就读轻度智力残疾学生为对象,研究其在词语、句子、修辞格、段落以及篇章理解等五个层面的阅读能力,并与634名年级匹配的普通学生的阅读能力进行比较。结果显示,随班就读轻度智力残疾学生的阅读能力普遍偏低,个体间差异较大,与普通学生存在极其显著的差距;基础知识及阅读技能的不足、智力与非智力因素欠缺等是随班就读生阅读能力较低的主要原因。