# Presentation: 109287

## Reading Programs

**Reading Programs**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Reading Programs Committee

**Marcy Stein, Ph.D., Development Team Leader**
*University of Washington, Tacoma*
**Mo Anderson, M.Ed.**
*Washington State Reading Excellence Act*
**Joy Eichelberger, Ed.D.**
*Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network *
**Diane Kinder, Ph.D.**
*University of Washington, Tacoma*
**Jo Robinson, M.Ed.**
*Washington State Reading Excellence Act*

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Reading Programs

- Historical Background
- Defining  Characteristics of Scientifically Based Reading Programs
- Procedures for Selecting K-3 Reading Programs

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Historical Background

- Types of Reading Programs
- 1980’s
- 1990’s

**Notes:**
Notes:
The historical background section will include an overview of the types of reading programs that have been available to teachers during the last two decades.

## Types of Reading Programs

- Historically, different types of reading programs have been used in American schools. These include:
**comprehensive basal reading programs**
**literature-based reading programs**
**supplemental reading programs**
**intervention reading programs**

**Notes:**
Notes:
Different types of reading programs have been developed throughout the years including comprehensive basal reading programs, literature-based reading programs, supplemental and intervention programs.  In this section, we will discuss the use of comprehensive basal reading programs and literature-based reading programs only because these programs were predominant in the 80’s and 90’s. These programs were designed as the primary means of teaching reading in grades K-3. Later we will discuss supplemental and intervention programs in more detail.

## Historical Background: 1980’s

- In the 1980’s, **comprehensive basal reading** **programs** were available in almost every elementary classroom.
- Chall and Squire noted that these programs were used in more than 95% of school districts.
- Chall, J & Squire, J. (1991). The publishing industry and textbooks. In R. Barr, M. Kamil, P. Mosenthal, & P.D. Pearson (Eds.), *Handbook of Reading Research,* Vol. 2, (pp. 120-146). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum.

**Notes:**
Notes:
These programs are called comprehensive because their intent is to provide complete instructional programs for children learning to read and write.

## Comprehensive Basal Reading Programs

- Program Features:
**commercially-developed**
**teacher-directed lessons**
**small group instruction**
**skills instruction**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Comprehensive Basal Reading Programs

- Program Components:
**teacher manuals**
**student readers**
**student workbooks**
**assessment packages**

- Copyright © 2002 by SRA./McGraw-Hill

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Comprehensive Basal Reading Programs

- Many of the comprehensive basal reading programs of the 1980’s did ***not**** *include features that current research tells us are important.
- 	For example, the programs encouraged students to memorize words rather than teaching them explicit phonics strategies.

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Historical Background: 1990’s

- A Competing Theory:
**“****Individuals become literate not from the formal instruction they receive, but from what they read and write about and who they read and write with.”**
- Smith, F. (1989). Overselling literacy. Phi Delta Kappan, 70(5), 353-359.

**Notes:**
Notes:
A predominant theory of the early nineties is exemplified by this quote from Frank Smith.  The theory proposed that children would learn to read as naturally as they learned to talk in environments that promoted literacy. Systematic instruction was considered unnecessary, if not harmful.

## Historical Background: 1990’s

**READING FAILURE**

**FOR MANY STUDENTS**

**Notes:**
Notes:
The movement from basal reading programs to literature-based instruction was influenced by:
Dissatisfaction with basal reading programs of the 80’s
Reading failure with large numbers of students
Competing reading philosophies

## Literature-based Instruction

- Literature-based instruction is characterized by the use of authentic, engaging literature with limited systematic instruction, especially related to word reading.

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Literature-based Instruction

- Program Features:
**teacher- or commercially-developed**
**student-initiated activities **
**whole class instruction**
**mini-phonics lessons**
**emphasis on context and picture clues**
**emphasis on silent reading**
**leveled books**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Literature-based Instruction

- Program Features (continued):
**guided reading**
**guided writing**
**shared reading**
**shared writing**
**interactive reading**
**interactive writing**
**uninterrupted reading**
**uninterrupted writing**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Literature-based Instruction

**Literature-based Instruction**

- Program Components:
**big books; trade books**
**journals**
**portfolio assessment**
**independent reading centers**

- Copyright © 1991 Macmillan/McGraw-Hill School Publishing Company

**Notes:**
Notes:

## National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

- NAEP 1999
- NAEP 2000
- “...68 percent of fourth grade students in the United States are reading below the proficient level.”

-      Since 1980, there has been little change in reading test scores.

## Scientifically Based Perspective: 2002

**1980**

**Basal Reading Programs**

**1990**

**Literature-based Instruction**

**Notes:**
Notes:
Because of the convergence  of scientific findings about reading
reading programs can now include scientifically based instruction
the potential exists for greater reading achievement

## Reading First Legislation

**Reading First Legislation**

- SEC. 1201. PURPOSES.
- (1) To provide assistance to State educational agencies and local educational agencies in establishing reading programs for students in kindergarten through grade 3 that are based on scientifically based reading research...
- (4) ...in selecting or developing effective instructional materials (including classroom-based materials to assist teachers in implementing the essential components of reading instruction)...

**Notes:**
Notes:
Reading First Legislation requires
the establishment of scientifically based reading programs in grades K-3
assistance in selection or development of scientifically based instructional materials 

## Defining Characteristics of Scientifically Based Reading Programs

- Instructional Content
- Instructional Design

**Notes:**
Notes:
Next we will provide an overview of the characteristics of the instructional content of scientifically based reading programs. We will include examples of instruction from current reading programs for the core elements of reading that were introduced in the Effective Reading Instruction presentation.  We also will discuss key features of instructional design and show examples from well-designed reading programs.

## Instructional Content 

- Core elements of scientifically based programs include:
**phonemic awareness instruction**
**systematic, explicit phonics instruction**
**fluency instruction**
**vocabulary instruction**
**text comprehension instruction**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Phonemic Awareness Instruction

- “Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words.”
- “Phonemic awareness instruction helps children learn to read.”
*Put Reading First*, pp. 10, 6

**Notes:**
Notes:

## examples of

- phonemic awareness activitiesgo here

**Notes:**
Notes:
Examples of two phonemic awareness exercises
teachers are given explicit instructions for teaching phonemic awareness
(first exercise) students orally blend sounds to form words
(second exercise) students identify the beginning sound in spoken words

## Systematic and Explicit Phonics Instruction

- “Systematic and explicit phonics instruction is more effective than non-systematic or no phonics instruction.”
- “Systematic and explicit phonics instruction significantly improves children’s reading comprehension.”
*Put Reading First*, pp. 13, 14

**Notes:**
Notes:
Systematic, explicit “Phonics instruction teaches students the relationships between the letters... of written language and the individual sounds... of spoken language.”  (Put Reading First, p.12.)

It is important to understand that phonics instruction is not just about word reading.  As was discussed earlier, research has demonstrated a strong relationship between phonics instruction and students’ ability to understand what they read.

## example of

- explicit phonics instructiongoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
An example of explicit phonics instruction
teachers are given explicit instruction for teaching phonics
students sound out words containing sounds recently taught  
students read sentences containing words with sounds recently taught  

## Fluency Instruction

- “Reading fluency is the ability to read a text accurately and quickly.”
- “Repeated and monitored oral reading improves reading fluency and overall reading achievement.”
*Put Reading First*, pp. 21, 24

**Notes:**
Notes:
Teachers need to closely monitor their students’ reading fluency to ensure their success in reading.  Reading programs should provide teachers with specific directions in how to do this.

## example offluency exercisegoes here

- example offluency exercisegoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
An example of a fluency exercise in a reading program
teachers are encouraged to have students read aloud or with a partner for fluency practice 
teachers are given explicit instructions for evaluating students’ reading rates to determine fluency levels

## Vocabulary Instruction

- “Although a great deal of vocabulary is learned indirectly, some vocabulary should be taught directly.”
*Put Reading First*, p. 36

**Notes:**
Notes:
“Readers cannot understand what they are reading without knowing what most of the words mean.”  (Put Reading First, p.34)
One means of teaching new vocabulary involves teaching students specific word meanings.  Teaching vocabulary also can involve teaching students how to figure out the meanings of words from reading the surrounding text.

## example ofvocabulary instructiongoes here

- example ofvocabulary instructiongoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
An example of vocabulary instruction
teachers are given explicit instruction for teaching students new vocabulary
students are explicitly taught how to figure out word meanings by looking for clues in the surrounding text
students are given guided practice in applying that vocabulary strategy

## Text Comprehension Instruction

- “Text comprehension can be improved by instruction that helps readers use specific comprehension strategies.”
- “Effective comprehension strategy instruction is explicit, or direct.”
*Put Reading First*, pp. 49, 53

**Notes:**
Notes:
Text comprehension instruction involves teaching students how to understand what they read. Research suggests that students benefit when that instruction is explicit or direct.

## example oftext comprehension instructiongoes here

- example oftext comprehension instructiongoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
An example of comprehension instruction
the teacher is given explicit instructions for teaching students how to compare and contrast two characters from a story
students are taught to use a graphic organizer (Venn diagram) to help them organize and remember how these characters are alike and different

## Instructional Design

- Features of well-designed programs include:
**explicit instructional strategies**
**coordinated instructional sequences**
**ample practice opportunities**
**aligned student materials**

**Notes:**
Notes:
We have just been discussing examples of instructional content from comprehensive reading programs.  Now we are going to talk about some general features of well-designed programs and a show few examples that illustrate those features. This section focuses on how program components are organized and how the lessons are designed.  These organizational features include: explicit instructional strategies, coordinated instructional sequences, ample practice opportunities, and aligned student materials.

## example ofexplicit instruction strategygoes here

- example ofexplicit instruction strategygoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
An example of an explicit instructional strategy for teaching letter/sound correspondences
the teacher is directed to explicitly model the sound /g/ for students
the teacher also is directed to have students say words with /g/ and identify the sound

## Instructional Design

- Features of well-designed programs include:
**explicit instructional strategies**
**coordinated instructional sequences**
**ample practice opportunities**
**aligned student materials**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## example ofcoordinated instructional sequencegoes here

- example ofcoordinated instructional sequencegoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
An example of a coordinated instructional sequence with three different instructional activities ( phonological awareness, connecting sound-spelling, and practice/apply) with the letter/sound m
first students practice oral blending focusing on the /m/ sound
then students learn to connect the sound with the letter m
finally, students read words which include the /m/ sound  

## Instructional Design

- Features of well-designed programs include:
**explicit instructional strategies**
**coordinated instructional sequences**
**ample practice opportunities**
**aligned student materials**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## example ofample practice opportunitiesgoes here

- example ofample practice opportunitiesgoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
An example of ample practice opportunities to promote reading fluency
the program provides teachers with various practice exercises to promote fluency on a daily basis 
the program provides teachers with activities organized to accommodate a range of reading abilities

## Instructional Design

- Features of well-designed programs include:
**explicit instructional strategies**
**coordinated instructional sequences**
**ample practice opportunities**
**aligned student materials**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Aligned Student Materials

- Research suggests that:
**“... ****a high proportion of the words in the earliest selections children read should conform to the phonics they have already been taught.  Otherwise they will not have enough opportunity to practice, extend, and refine their knowledge of letter-sound relationships.”**
- Anderson, R.C., Hiebert, E.H., Scott, J.A., & Wilkinson, I.A.G. (1985). *Becoming a nation of readers: The report of the commission on reading*. Champaign, IL: Center for the Study of Reading.

**Notes:**
Notes:
One way a program aligns student materials with instruction is by providing materials for the students to read that reflect that instruction. 

## example ofaligned student materialsgoes here

- example ofaligned student materialsgoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
An example of aligned student materials
This example illustrates one way that a program can align student materials. It demonstrates the close alignment between the phonics instruction students receive and the text selections that they read. 

In this example the students are given a book which contains words made up of previously taught phonics elements. The teacher is directed to have students use their phonics knowledge to figure out difficult words. 

## example ofdecodable textgoes here

- example ofdecodable textgoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
This is an example of a decodable text, one for which the students have been taught the appropriate phonics that will enable them to read the selection.

## Procedures for Selecting Reading Programs

- Reading Program Classification
- Reading Program Evaluation
- Reading Program Examples

**Notes:**
Notes:
In the previous sections, we have discussed what a scientifically based reading program looks like.  In this section we will be talking about how you identify these programs. First we’ll discuss some general issues related to reading program evaluation.  Next we’ll talk about how to classify different types of reading programs.  Finally, we’ll provide examples from currently published programs that illustrate scientifically based research, and examples from earlier published programs that do not.

## Reading Program Evaluation

- 	If the present reading program in a district is ***not*** successful with a large number of students, that district needs to consider either:
**selecting a new comprehensive reading program**
**modifying its existing program **

**Notes:**
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## Reading Program Evaluation

- Reading program evaluation may include:
**classifying K-3 reading programs**
**evaluating K-3 comprehensive reading programs**
**evaluating supplemental/intervention programs**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Reading Program Evaluation

- Reading program evaluation should help educators assess:
**program appropriateness: **
*the extent to which different programs are used for their intended purposes*
**program quality: **
*the extent to which reading programs are grounded in scientific research*

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Reading Program Classification

- A classification process for K-3 reading programs should classify programs as:
**comprehensive reading programs**
**supplemental reading programs**
**intervention reading programs**

**Notes:**
Notes:
One reason for evaluating a reading program is to ensure that the program is being used for its intended purpose.  We’ve already discussed comprehensive reading programs and how they are used to teach reading to many students. The next slides will address supplemental and intervention reading programs.

## Comprehensive Reading Programs

- Purpose: **to provide complete instruction in the core components of reading**
- Examples:
***Trophies*****, Harcourt, Inc.**
***Houghton Mifflin Reading*****, Houghton Mifflin Co.**
***Open Court Reading*****, SRA/McGraw Hill **

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Supplemental Reading Programs

- Purpose: **to provide additional instruction in one or more areas of reading**
- Examples:
**phonemic awareness programs**
***Phonemic Awareness in Young Children: A Classroom Curriculum*****, Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Inc.**
**fluency building programs**
***Read Naturally*****, Read Naturally, Inc.**
**comprehension strategy programs**
***Soar to Success*****, Houghton Mifflin Co.**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Intervention Reading Programs

- Purpose: **to provide additional instruction to students performing below grade level**
- Examples:
***stand-alone***** intervention programs**
***Corrective Reading*****, SRA/McGraw-Hill **
***in-program***** intervention programs**
***components of comprehensive programs***

**Notes:**
Notes:
The term “intervention” can be used in many ways.  For example, a reading intervention could involve providing summer school for struggling readers.  The term intervention as used here refers to specific programs designed to provide additional assistance for those students performing below grade level. 

Stand-alone intervention programs are remedial programs that can be used by themselves or in conjunction with other reading programs. They are designed to address one or more reading skills. 

In-program intervention programs are components of comprehensive reading programs. The in-program intervention programs contain lessons that are coordinated with comprehensive programs. In their most recent reading curriculum adoption, California required all comprehensive reading programs to include an intervention component.

## Classification Process

**Notes:**
Notes:
This is an overview of a process that can be used for classifying reading programs.  On the next few slides we will walk through the process. It is designed to help evaluators choose an appropriate evaluation process.

## Classification Process

**Notes:**
Notes:
Before a program can be evaluated, it must be determined that the program contains detailed teacher instructions and explicit student practice examples.

## Classification Process

**Notes:**
Notes:
Once it has been determined that specific teacher directions and student practice examples are provided, evaluators look for the core program components suggested by research.  If all five of the core components are present, then the program is classified as a comprehensive reading program.

## Classification Process

**Notes:**
Notes:
If the program does not contain all five of the core program components, then an additional step is required. In order to conduct the appropriate evaluation,  evaluators must determine the purpose of the program. That is, whether the program is designed to be used as a comprehensive reading program but is incomplete, as a supplemental program, or as an intervention program.  

If the program is intended to be a comprehensive reading program but is missing one or more core components, the program is classified as an incomplete comprehensive reading program. Evaluators then would ascertain the quality of the existing core components. The results of this evaluation would be used to determine whether to modify or replace the program. 

If the programs are classified as supplemental or intervention, evaluators would use an appropriate evaluation process to determine program quality.

## Evaluating K-3 Comprehensive Reading Programs

- An evaluation of K-3 comprehensive reading programs must assess the degree to which the core content and instructional design are scientifically based.

**Notes:**
Notes:
Once a program has been classified as a comprehensive reading program, the extent to which the core program content and instructional design represent scientifically based instruction should be determined.

## Evaluating K-3 Comprehensive Reading Programs

- The following examples illustrate how an evaluation process might assess the extent to which reading programs contain:
**systematic, explicit  phonics instruction**
**aligned student materials **
**fluency instruction**

**Notes:**
Notes:
The next slides show how different programs address instructional content and design including systematic, explicit phonics instruction; aligned student materials; and fluency.  Examples taken from recently published programs represent scientifically based instruction; those from earlier published programs do not. An effective evaluation process for K-3 reading programs should help educators distinguish those programs that are scientifically based from those that are not.

## Systematic, Explicit Phonics Instruction

- Systematic, Explicit
***sounding out***

- Not Systematic or Explicit
***context and picture clues***

- examplegoes here

- examplegoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
These examples highlight the differences between systematic, explicit instruction and instruction that is not explicit or systematic.  As illustrated earlier, programs containing explicit phonics strategies encourage students to sound out words to read them.  In contrast, programs using non-explicit and non-systematic strategies encourage students to use other kinds of clues like context and pictures to figure out words. Research strongly suggests that poor readers use these other kinds of clues, not good readers. 

## Systematic, Explicit Phonics Instruction

| Basal Reading Programs | Systematic, Explicit Phonics |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
|  | YES | NO |
| Harcourt Brace Signatures |  |  |
| Houghton Mifflin Invitations to Literacy |  |  |
| McMillan/McGraw-Hill Spotlight on Literacy |  |  |
| Open Court Collections for Young Scholars |  |  |
| Scholastic Literacy Place |  |  |
| Scott Foresman Celebrate Reading! |  |  |
| Silver Burdett Ginn Literature Works |  |  |

**1996 California Adoption List:**
**Predominant Approach to Beginning Reading**

- Stein, M., Johnson, B., & Gutlohn, L. (1999). Analyzing beginning reading programs. *Remedial and Special Education, 20*. 275-287.

**Notes:**
Notes:
In 1999, a curriculum evaluation of the reading programs that were put on the California state curriculum adoption list was conducted. Note that the programs listed here were all published approximately 7 years ago. Most of the publishers listed here have current versions of their programs that contain substantial changes derived from scientifically based research.  It is important to note that in the 1996 California curriculum adoption, only one program used explicit phonics as the predominant strategy to teach beginning reading.

Currently, all of the programs that appear on both the 1999 Texas Reading Adoption list and the 2001 California Reading Adoption list contain systematic, explicit phonics instruction.

## example ofinstruction from 1991 programgoes here

- example ofinstruction from 1991 programgoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
The next three slides show the changes that one publisher made in their beginning reading programs from 1991 to 2003. (Publishers are permitted advance copyright dates when they submit to state adoptions.)

1991 – teachers directions are vague; programs uses both phonics and context strategies; there is no systematic or explicit phonics instruction 

## example ofinstruction from 1999 programgoes here

- example ofinstruction from 1999 programgoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
1999 – teacher directions are less vague; context and picture clues are still emphasized; there is no explicit or systematic phonics instruction

## example ofinstruction from 2003 programgoes here

- example ofinstruction from 2003 programgoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
2003 –  teacher directions are clear; program uses systematic and explicit phonics instruction; there are no picture or context clues

## Aligned Student Materials

**1996 California Adoption List:**
**Text Selection Analysis**

| Basal Reading Programs | WORDS TAUGHT | WORDS NOT TAUGHT |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Harcourt Brace Signatures | 68% | 32 % |
| Houghton Mifflin Invitations to Literacy | 48% | 52% |
| McMillan/McGraw-Hill Spotlight on Literacy | 43% | 57% |
| Open Court Collections for Young Scholars | 98% | 2% |
| Scholastic Literacy Place | 44% | 56% |
| Scott Foresman Celebrate Reading! | 49% | 51% |
| Silver Burdett Ginn Literature Works | 61% | 39% |

**Aligned Student Materials**

**Notes:**
Notes:
For the 1996 California curriculum evaluation referred to earlier, evaluators also examined the alignment of student materials by noting the relationship of phonics instruction to text selections that students were given to read.

The evaluators examined the first half of the first grade text selections.  They counted the number of words that the students had been taught, and the number of words that were not taught and determined the percentage of words that the students would be able to read.  Evaluators found that students in first grade were asked to read books which contained many words that they had not been taught to read. In fact, in four of the seven programs evaluated, students were taught fewer than half of the words they were expected to read. Clearly, the alignment of student materials to instruction in these programs was quite weak.  

## example ofpoorly aligned student materialsgoes here

- example ofpoorly aligned student materialsgoes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
This is an example of a program that designated only two words on the first two pages of the student text as decodable words (words that could be sounded out based on the phonics instruction students received).  

Today, most of the comprehensive basal reading programs include text that is aligned with the phonics instruction provided.

## Fluency Instruction

**2003**

**1991**

- Copyright © 1991, 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company

**Fluency Instruction**

- example of
- program without
- fluency instruction
- goes here

- example of
- program with
- fluency instruction
- goes here

**Notes:**
Notes:
This example also illustrates how research is beginning to have an impact on comprehensive reading programs.

1991 –the program contains no entry for fluency in the index of the beginning reading program
2003 –the program contains 18 entries for fluency practice or assessment

## Conclusion: Reading Programs PLUS

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Reading Programs PLUS

- Reading programs can make a valuable contribution to raising the reading achievement of at-risk students in the early grades, **however...**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Reading Programs PLUS

- Reading programs work best when implementation of the reading program is linked to:
**effective instruction**
**assessment**
**professional development**
**instructional leadership**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Reading Programs PLUS

- Effective Instruction:
**The reading program should provide explicit directions to teachers about how best to teach reading according to scientifically based research.**
- Assessment:
**Districts should help teachers implement ongoing and frequent monitoring of student progress in the reading program to ensure student success.**

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Reading Programs PLUS

- Professional Development:
**Districts should provide substantive and frequent support for the implementation of the reading program using information from the assessment to inform staff development.**

**Notes:**
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## Reading Programs PLUS

- Reading programs contain ***numerous*** activities:
- Professional development should help teachers choose those activities essential for effective reading instruction.

| Weekly Count for First Grade Reading Programs | Program
A | Program
B | Program
C | Program
D | Program
E |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Instructional Activities | 179 | 227 | 165 | 190 | 165 |

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Reading Programs PLUS

- Instructional Leadership:
**District leadership should provide coordination between the implementation of the reading program and support for teachers. **

**Notes:**
Notes:

## Reading Programs PLUS

**EFFECTIVE**
**INSTRUCTION**

**PROFESSIONAL**
**DEVELOPMENT**

**ASSESSMENT**

**LEADERSHIP**

**SCIENTIFICALLY BASED**
**READING PROGRAMS**

**Notes:**
Notes:
Reading achievement for at-risk students can be improved. Scientifically based reading programs will provide the foundation for this effort.  In concert with effective instruction, assessment, and professional development, and under good leadership, all students will learn to read.