Module+Discussion+11

Step 5: Grand Conversation:

1. What does research say about this topic? ZL Recent research studies identifies that few intervention programs focus on fluency, summarization, response, or analysis of text. BM - A huge number of students are easily categorized as learning disabled for falling below a preset standard. Rather than labeling and segregating this population classroom instruction must be reorganized to better instruct individual students. NH- Not all students can read well or easily and instead of labeling them there needs to be interventions set up for short and long term help for these students.

2. Share the types of interventions that your school does use. ZL Our school has a very poor intervention program. Some technology components have been added to the program. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of the program is not present. The programs seems to general and doesn't focus, as it should, on the area of deficiency. BM - TPS tried partnering with CAP to boost early exposure for little ones before they enter kindergarten. Our kindergarten teachers were not impressed with the experiences the children brought with them. I believe TPS at least in our school is trying to take back the four year old program. We have ELL teachers who work with small groups of ELL students on literacy based activities. We have Reading Sufficiency tutors who take our 3 lowest (non spec ed or ELL placed) and work with them in a pull-out program 3 days a week. NH- Our district in the middle school level has put into place FOCUS program for students who are behind in reading and math. They have twice as much time in both subjects and a tutoring time. Some students dont want or qualify for this program and still fall through the cracks. For them there is nothing unfortunately. At the elementary level they have reading and language arts specialist.

3. How does this area relate to RTI that you read about already? Zl- Some areas are aligned to the RTI program. However, when the benchmark test are examined the intervention programs do not seem to be effective in the building of reading skills. BM - Many students who we would have referred in the past for special ed testing we now know can be remediated in the classroom through better more specialized classroom instruction. NH- Brigette I agree with that but my experience is they dont trust that I have done all of those things and this kid needs to be tested. But yes interventions are a good way to ensure students stay on track and are not labeled.

4. Your questions from your group. NH1- What are some long term support we can do in our classrooms to ensure our students are ready for the next year? BM - Supporting home literacy. One of the past chapters compared literacy to athletics. If the football team only played football at the Friday night games they wouldn't be very good. Reading is a lifeskill that has to be a part of a students 24/7. NH2- Do you think that dibels and literacy 1st assessments is a way to have long term support for our students? ZL In a class I had this summer, a discussion occurred on literacy assessment. The overall opinion was for the recommendation for Literacy 1st over Dibels. If you are familiar with both of them, what is your opinion of the two? Is that dependent on the grade level you work with in the classroom. BM - We just started with DIBELS last year and gave the assessments and monitored growth with them. However, we really didn't do much more than that. We are all taking the 2nd round of training this summer which is supposed to teach us how we can use the program and test results to better personalize instruction to meet the student's needs. NH3- Do you think that students with reading difficulties should be in full inclusion or do you think they need specialized support? BM - Each year we have what we call Reading Sufficiency tutors (I guess that is the federal program they get money from). These two ladies are retired special ed teachers who work for most of the year and take our 3 lowest readers (not being served by spec ed or ELL) for 30 minutes 3 days a week for small group reading instruction. It makes a huge difference for these children to have a knowledgeable adult work with them on concentrated skills without all the other classroom noise and distraction going on around them.

ZL-Do you have any intervention programs that you currently use, that could be recommended? ZL- The Dibels and Literacy First assessments are often used in the elementary schools. Do you see these assessments as the best options for secondary schools? NH- I dont think these assessments are for older grades. I think they level out at maybe 6th grade. We use star reading though for older kids. It is an assessment and like all assessments it is not my favorite but provides piece to the puzzle. I use the schnolls as an informal assessment in the first few weeks to see where my kids are on reading level. ZL Are your Title One funds working for the betterment of students' success? If not, what would you suggest for the funds to be properly used for literacy achievement.

BM1 - Do you have pull-out programs to help struggling readers in middle school? NH- We dont we do double dip some of our students in some grade levels. On level students just have LA class which is grammer and literature, but for below level will have a class of each. BM2 - Rather than learning disabled I believe most of my struggling readers struggle because of the ESL hurdles or non-literacy based home lives. Should the special education services be reserved for those who are not environmentally disabled? BM3 - The state tests that force non-readers to take a huge reading test seem cruel. Do all students who qualify for special ed services still have to take these tests? ZL- I agree with you Brigette. The students that qualify for sped services face some very real challenges. It is difficult for the students during state test. Yes, all students must take the test, regardless of the services they receive. NH- I know some special ed studetns can submit portfolios instead of testing.