Defining Meaningful Literacy: Findings from a Socially-oriented Literacy Intervention for Adults with Developmental Disabilities

The current study is a qualitative analysis of the results of a literacy skills intervention with a group comprising of three individuals with Down syndrome and three individuals with other developmental disabilities. The intervention was developed to address the concern that individuals in this population are often only exposed to functional literacy experiences (i.e. those building only literacy skills required for daily functioning and survival), at the expense of more enriched experiences that engage personal meaning. As a result, it included both reading and writing activities designed to invite personal investment in literacy experiences. In this vein, the data collected derives primarily from the participant’s own writing, and has been supplemented with other qualitative measures (e.g. parental questionnaires, participant focus group responses, field notes). The current article discusses the impact and implications of this intervention for future literacy interventions of this kind, in terms of the themes, which emerged from these data; with a particular emphasis on the participants’ own experiences.     

The Effects of an Intensive Reading Intervention for Ninth Graders with very Low Reading Comprehension

This experimental study examined the efficacy of a multicomponent reading intervention compared to a control condition on the reading comprehension of adolescent students with low reading comprehension (more than 1½ standard deviations below normative sample). Ninth‐grade students were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 25) and comparison (n = 19). Reading teachers provided instruction for 90‐min, five times every two weeks for approximately 80 sessions. Treatment effects for each outcome measure were estimated using repeated measure of analysis of covariance for measures of reading comprehension and fluency. Results indicate no statistically significant differences between treatment and comparison conditions. Repeated‐measures analyses of variance between students with lower and higher decoding skills indicated a statistically significant interaction between treatment condition and decoding ability on the WJ‐III PC and Bridge‐IT, with large effect sizes (η_p² .16 and .12, respectively), indicating that treatment was differentially beneficial for students with higher decoding skills.     

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).     

Using Research to Improve the Cost Effectiveness of Early Intervention Programs

Since the implementation of Public Law 99457, the number of children served by early intervention programs has increased substantially. This article describes the d e s of advocacy and science in contributing to that expansion. A biosocial systems model of early development is used to explain how comparative experimental research can help to improve the cost effectiveness of early intervention programs. Examples of the benefits of such research are taken from the other articles reported in this issue of Early Education and Development.     

Using Research to Improve the Cost Effectiveness of Early Intervention Programs

Since the implementation of Public Law 99457, the number of children served by early intervention programs has increased substantially. This article describes the d e s of advocacy and science in contributing to that expansion. A biosocial systems model of early development is used to explain how comparative experimental research can help to improve the cost effectiveness of early intervention programs. Examples of the benefits of such research are taken from the other articles reported in this issue of Early Education and Development.     

A Meta-analysis of the Effectiveness of Intervention Programs Designed to Support Autonomy

The twofold purpose of the present study was, first, to determine whether training intervention programs designed to help people support the autonomy of others are effective and, second, to identify the set of conditions that allowed these interventions to be most effective. A meta-analysis of the findings from 19 studies with 20 effect sizes showed that the training programs were, overall, effective with a weighted effect size of 0.63. Moderator analyses of the overall effect size showed that the relatively more effective intervention programs were structured in ways that trained multiple elements of autonomy support and were presented in relatively brief (1–3 h) sessions in a laboratory training setting that focused on skill-based activities and utilized multiple types of media to deliver its content. Furthermore, relatively effective intervention programs were offered to teachers (rather than to other professionals), trainees (rather than to experienced professionals), and individuals with an autonomy (rather than a control) causality orientation. Though the small number of included studies warrants caution, results generally affirmed the effectiveness of autonomy-supportive training programs and identified the conditions under which future programs can be designed to be highly effective.     

Response to Intervention: Providing Reading Intervention to Low Income and Minority Students

With a renewed focus on early intervention, teachers must address the difficulties students are having as early as possible to promote their progress. Culturally and linguistically diverse students may not respond to universal interventions that have shown efficiency for mainstream populations. In order for Response to Intervention to be effective, we need to include diverse populations when researching all tiers of instruction.     

The Relative Effectiveness of Integrated Reading Study Strategy and Conceptual Physics Approach

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the combined and partial effects of the Integrated Reading/Study Strategy and Conceptual Physics Approach on ninth grade private high school students’ achievement in and attitudes toward optics. The Integrated Reading/Study Strategy is a new strategy which was developed by integrating previously existing reading strategies of the KWL and SQ3R with classroom lecturing. The Conceptual Physics Approach is an instructional strategy developed on the basis of Conceptual Physics suggested by Paul G. Hewitt. To investigate the partial and combined effects of methods, factorial design was used. The study was conducted with 124 students from two private high schools in the ?ankaya district region of Ankara, Turkey. Various teaching/learning materials were developed and used for the study. Two measuring tools, Achievement Test about Optics and Attitude Scale about Optics were used as pre and post tests before and after instruction. The study continued for a two-month treatment period. The results of the study showed that the combined effect of the Integrated Reading/Study Strategy and Conceptual Physics Approach improved students’ achievement significantly compared to the separate individual methods. Although the product of the Integrated Reading/Study Strategy and Conceptual Physics Approach increased students’ attitudes more compared to the remaining methods, the result is not statistically significant.     

Early Intervention Programs in Korea for Children with Disabilities

A national survey of 53 early childhood special education teachers in Korea was conducted to investigate their knowledge and perceptions regarding various aspects of kindergarten and preschool programs for children with disabilities. Results from the study indicated that (a) children in the age range of 3 to 7 years were the group most frequently served by early childhood special education in Korea, (b) teachers reported infrequent assessment and scarcity of curriculum resources, (c) most teachers reported using a self- or school-developed curriculum, and (d) confusion exists regarding the concept and use of the Individualised Education Program (IEP). Because of a somewhat lower than expected teacher response rate further study is needed to determine if the results of this study are representative of programs nationally. Also, evaluative steps should be taken to ensure that curricula are appropriate for the various ages and types of learners. Likewise, research is needed to identify those factors that facilitate inclusion of children with disabilities in their schools and communities with peers as early childhood special education programs expand.     

论高校图书馆对成人的信息素养教育

分析了信息素养的内涵,阐述了高校图书馆对成教学生开展信息素养教育的优势和进行信息素养教育应采取的有效方法。     

浅析用关联理论指导英语阅读教学

阅读理解的过程是一个复杂的心理认知过程,是读者不断寻找关联信息,形成语境假设,从而理解作者的交际意图的过程.运用关联理论来指导英语阅读教学,能使学生形成一个整体的认知环境,从而达到对词汇、语篇和结构的理解.因此对学生语用能力的培养具有重要的实践意义.     

Students Demonstrating Persistent Low Response to Reading Intervention: Three Case Studies

Three students with severe reading disabilities participated in a 3‐year intervention provided by trained tutors from first grade through third grade (175–231 hours). All three students demonstrated very low response to initial levels of intervention and were provided adjusted intensive intervention in an attempt to remedy their low response to instruction. Findings revealed that two of the three students realized limited growth and did not accelerate progress toward reducing the gap between their performance and the expected grade level performance. One student accelerated growth considerably during third grade and made accelerated progress toward grade level expectations. Information on intervention implementation and student progress as well as implications for practice and further research are discussed.     

Monitoring Reading Component Skills during a Word-Level Intervention for Adolescents with Limited Reading Proficiency

This study examined incremental change for several reading component skills while adolescents were actively learning a word-level intervention and measured pre-/postintervention change in skills. Six ninth graders in two different classes participated during the 2019–2020 academic year. Primary analysis was based on an A-B single-case design across behaviors and participants to observe change in skills proximal to the intervention. Visual analyses of baseline and intervention phase data indicated correlational relationships between the word-level intervention and word identification of multisyllabic words and oral reading fluency. Specifically, an aggregate Tau-U statistical calculation for prosody showed a moderate 0.70 effect size. Secondary analysis indicated a statistically significant group effect for improved strategy knowledge and skill with a 0.90 effect size but no statistically significant group effects for silent reading fluency or sentence comprehension. Discussion includes connections between progress monitoring and reading theory as well as limitations and implications for researchers and practitioners.     

Writing Instruction for Adolescents with Learning Disabilities: Programs of Intervention Research

Writing performance for a large number of adolescents, with and without learning disabilities (LD), in the United States is below the level required for success in college and in the world of work. Despite the importance of writing and students' with LD documented difficulties in this academic domain, writing intervention research for adolescents with LD is not as well established as research in other domains, such as reading. Programs of research in writing interventions for adolescents with LD, nevertheless, have provided frameworks for effective instruction for these students. Adapting criteria from Graham and Perin's (2007c) Writing Next report, 40 studies across six programs of research were located for our literature review in writing instruction for adolescents with LD. Based on the findings of these studies, instruction within two levels of support for adolescents with LD are recommended.     

电子阅读对阅读素养影响的实证研究

信息化社会背景下,越来越多的学生通过电子产品进行阅读.然而,已有的电子阅读对阅读素养影响的研究还不够深入,尤其是在数据的权威性、方法的妥切性和分析的精确性等方面仍有较大改进空间.本研究选取PISA2018数据库中与阅读有关的变量,运用最小二乘法建立基准回归,采用泛精确匹配技术控制选择偏误,分析不同阅读方式对学生阅读素养的影响,并采用分位数回归以及中介效应模型,探究电子阅读影响的异质性及其影响机制.研究发现:1)无论是否控制选择偏误,回归结果均说明"屏幕劣势"这一效应的确存在;2)分位数回归结果显示不同水平的学生受电子阅读的影响有明显差别;3)中介效应分析结果表明元认知策略可以发挥重要的促进和中介作用.本研究建议:合理看待电子阅读这一新兴阅读方式,灵活选择电子阅读与纸质阅读方式,充分发挥阅读元认知策略的作用,以弥补电子阅读的不足.     

Improving School Literacy Programs for At-Risk Learners Through Instructional Coordination

It is necessary to reduce the curriculum fragmentation too commonly experienced by children who participate in instructional support programs (e.g., remedial, special, bilingual, or compensatory education classes). Curriculum fragmentation is more likely to impede than enhance literacy learning. Drawing from studies of instructional support programs, five characteristics of schools with coordinated instructional efforts are presented and discussed.     

Improving Literacy Achievement for English Learners in Transitional Bilingual Programs

This article reports the results of an ongoing effort to design, implement, and evaluate an effective transitional bilingual program. The program developed spans grades 2–5, and employs a specific language arts model. Evaluation results, based on comparisons of randomly selected matched samples of project and nonproject students (n = 42, 42), indicate the program is demonstrably more effective than the transition program students typically receive, producing higher levels of Spanish literacy, significantly higher levels of English literacy, and important literacy-related practices and attitudes for significantly larger numbers of students. Results have direct implications for educators seeking to improve programs for English learners. Questions regarding large-scale program implementation, however, remain.     

结构意识教学对识字困难儿童的干预研究

采用结构意识识字教学干预,对小学一、二年级的学生(实验班23人/27人,控制班19人/30人)进行为期一个半月的现场教学干预,研究结构意识识字教学对于不同识字水平儿童的识字成绩以及结构意识的影响。结果表明:(1)实验班的识字成绩明显好于控制班,其中实验班的识字困难儿童的成绩提高更为显著;(2)教学干预对于结构意识中形旁意识的作用尤为明显,对于声旁意识作用不明显。由此推论,在小学低年级的识字教学中,强调汉字构成规则的结构意识识字教学相对于常规的识字教学更有利于提高学生的识字能力。