Parents Encourage Pupils (PEP) A Targeted Tier 2 Intervention for Students “At Risk” for Reading Difficulties Shuck, Ulsh, & Platt (1983) See PEP Handout 1 Summary of PEP

PEP: Rationale Urban children don’t achieve in reading at a comparable level to suburban children. Urban children don’t achieve in reading at a comparable level to suburban children. Parents’ reinforcement of skills taught at school have a direct effect on children’s achievement. Parents’ reinforcement of skills taught at school have a direct effect on children’s achievement. Parents from lower SES do not make as much contact with schools as middle or higher SES parents – maybe lack confidence, communication skills, or knowledge about learning processes. Parents from lower SES do not make as much contact with schools as middle or higher SES parents – maybe lack confidence, communication skills, or knowledge about learning processes. When school staff assist parents, their involvement in academic programs increase resulting in increased student achievement. When school staff assist parents, their involvement in academic programs increase resulting in increased student achievement.

PEP: Target Population Low SES students from inner city schools Low SES students from inner city schools All students behind at least 2 grade levels in reading, of average intelligence or above, and served at a reading resource laboratory at school All students behind at least 2 grade levels in reading, of average intelligence or above, and served at a reading resource laboratory at school Experimental Group: 75 randomly selected students grades randomly selected students grades 3-5 Control Group: Comparable; did not receive PEP Comparable; did not receive PEP

Implementation of Parent Encourage Pupils (PEP) See PEP Handout 2 for list of Implementation Procedures

Students participate in daily 30-minute reading lab over school year. Students participate in daily 30-minute reading lab over school year. The lab provides: The lab provides: daily homework, daily homework, word lists, word lists, reading games, reading games, books for tutoring activities at home books for tutoring activities at home calendars to track completed activities. calendars to track completed activities. Children chose one or more of four activities to do with their parents each day at home. Children chose one or more of four activities to do with their parents each day at home. PEP: Intervention Procedures See PEP Handout 2

PEP: Intervention Procedures The intervention materials are provided to parents: The intervention materials are provided to parents: During parent conferences During parent conferences Sent home if parents could not attend the conferences. Sent home if parents could not attend the conferences. Self-explanatory calendars given to parents with clear directions for how to reward and note the completion of the child’s selected daily activity Self-explanatory calendars given to parents with clear directions for how to reward and note the completion of the child’s selected daily activity

PEP: Directions to Parents You can help your child become a better reader by listening and helping her to do at least one of the following activities available to her in the reading lab: You can help your child become a better reader by listening and helping her to do at least one of the following activities available to her in the reading lab: A.Read a book B.Reading homework C.Read a word list D.Play reading games Each activity earns 10 points Each activity earns 10 points

PEP: Directions to Parents(cont’d) See PEP Handout 3   After work is completed:   Circle A, B, C or D on the calendar to show the work done by your child.   If your child does more than one activity, circle each letter that applies.   As a reward for doing at least one of the above activities, fill in the “Happy Face” with a pen or pencil.   Please return this calendar to the lab at the end of the month.

PEP: Example Completed Calendar SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday ABCDABCD ABCDABCD ABCDABCD ABCDABCD ABCDABCD ABCDABCD ABCDABCD ABCDABCD ABCDABCD ABCDABCD ABCDABCD ABCDABCD ABCDABCD ABCDABCD

After the child completes the daily activity, the parent fills in the happy face on the calendar. After the child completes the daily activity, the parent fills in the happy face on the calendar. Children return the home activity tracking calendar to school each month. Children return the home activity tracking calendar to school each month. The reading lab teachers keep a school activity tracking calendar at school. The reading lab teachers keep a school activity tracking calendar at school. Points are recorded for completion of reading assignments in class and combined with points for activities earned at home. Points are recorded for completion of reading assignments in class and combined with points for activities earned at home. PEP: Intervention Procedures See PEP Handout 4

PEP: Teacher Tracking Calendar MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridayTotal Week 1 Homework – 20 Book report – 15 Homework -10 Prescrp. Sheet-20 Homework- 10 Poem-10 Homework -20 Dolch words – 15 Homework Fri/Sat -20 Poem Prescription Sheet 5-50 Dolch Words 10 Homework 5-25 Written Book Report 5-25 Poems

Each month students can save points or purchase a prize from the “class store”. Two levels of prize values: 600 points - pencils, jacks, or other small item; 900-1,500 points- baseball hats, footballs, kites, books Most prizes donated by local stores, civic groups and parents. Parent and student post-treatment acceptability and outcome surveys may be completed. Student Survey – See PEP Handout 5 Parent Survey – See PEP Handout 6 For Integrity Checklist see PEP Handout 7 PEP: Intervention Procedures continued

About the Parents Encourage Pupils (PEP) Studies Shuck, Ulsh, and Platt (1983)

Parent-teacher conferences held 3 times: beginning, middle (Jan.), and end of year. At the conference the teacher gives parents a brief written progress report: Total number of books read, Teacher and parent comments, Work completed in the lab, Homework completed The reports are sent home for comments and signatures for parents unable to attend. PEP: Intervention Procedures continued

PEP: Study Descriptions Across entire school year (180 days), daily homework assigned by reading lab done with parents at home Students participated in reading lab 30 minutes daily Behavior modification plan reinforced students’ home and school reading assignment completion Experimental and Control Groups Pre-Post Test

PEP: Participants Experimental Group: Parents of target students Parents of target students 75 randomly selected students grades 3-5 who were at least 2 grade levels behind 75 randomly selected students grades 3-5 who were at least 2 grade levels behind Control Group: 75 Comparable peers; did not receive PEP 75 Comparable peers; did not receive PEP All Study Subjects: Average or above IQs Average or above IQs Low SES Low SES

PEP: Intervention Procedures Students participated in reading lab 30 minutes daily Students participated in reading lab 30 minutes daily Lab met with parents at beginning, middle and end of school year Lab met with parents at beginning, middle and end of school year Parents provided with materials and tracking calendar for completion of 1 or more of 4 daily home activities supporting reading Parents provided with materials and tracking calendar for completion of 1 or more of 4 daily home activities supporting reading Behavior modification plan reinforced students’ home and school reading assignment completion Behavior modification plan reinforced students’ home and school reading assignment completion

PEP: Research Question  Does Parent Involvement increase students’ reading achievement?

PEP: Evaluation Measures Pre-Post Testing with the Stanford Achievement Test – Reading Comprehension subtest Pre-Post Testing with the Stanford Achievement Test – Reading Comprehension subtest Slosson Intelligence Test used as quick screener of intelligence for subject selection Slosson Intelligence Test used as quick screener of intelligence for subject selection

PEP: Overall Results Reading Achievement: Post-Test reading comprehension scores on the Standford Achievement Test for students who received parent tutoring were significantly higher than those that did not receive parent tutoring. Post-Test reading comprehension scores on the Standford Achievement Test for students who received parent tutoring were significantly higher than those that did not receive parent tutoring.

PEP: Research Limitations No cultural information provided No cultural information provided Limited information on how parents were trained or informed. Limited information on how parents were trained or informed. Measures too infrequent to inform intervention needs. Measures too infrequent to inform intervention needs.