Development of Early Writing Interventions MO-CASE 9/28/15

Purpose Developed as part of 3-year project to develop: Data-Based Instruction (DBI) for beginning writers Tools, Learning, and Collaborative support (TLC) for teachers “Tools” include: Assessments (CBM and diagnostic tools) Research-based writing interventions Systematic data-based decision-making procedures

Theoretical Framework Guiding Early Intervention Development Summer Institute 2014 Theoretical Framework Guiding Early Intervention Development Text Generation Transcription Constrained by Attention and Memory Self Regulation Simple View of Writing (Berninger & Amtmann, 2003)

Simple View of Writing (Berninger & Amtmann, 2003) Summer Institute 2014 Simple View of Writing (Berninger & Amtmann, 2003) Text Generation Transcription Constrained by Attention and Memory Self Regulation Turning ideas into text. Includes: idea generation word choice content text structure genre Translating sounds, words, sentences, and passages into print. Includes: handwriting or typing spelling mechanics Text generation means turning ideas into text at three levels of language: words, sentences, and passages. You can think of text generation as coming up with ideas (which relate to a specific genre, text structure, and topic), and then coming up with the right words, sentences, or whole passages to express those ideas. What writers do to meet their writing goals. Includes: goal setting planning organizing self-monitoring self-evaluating revising self-rewarding

Questions Guiding the Synthesis What research-based early writing interventions are available in the areas of: Transcription? Text generation? Self-regulation? To what extent are these interventions effective for beginning writers? What is the quality of the research?

Questions to Consider for Teachers: What skills and sub-skills must the student develop now to be successful in writing? How do those skills and sub-skills align with the Simple View of Writing? How do those skills and sub-skills align with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)? To select suitable research-based writing interventions, you may consider three broad questions (read questions)

Method Literature Search Recent syntheses Datchuk & Kubina (2012) Graham, McKeown, Kiuhara, & Harris (2012) Jung (2013) Four electronic databases (Academic Search Premiere, PsycInfo, Education Full Text, ERIC) Combined terms related to writing difficulties or disabilities, writing composition, handwriting, spelling, text generation, and self-regulation

Method 32 studies (28 articles) met these criteria: Examined writing intervention Included students in Grades K-3 identified as at-risk in writing or with disabilities Measured writing composition in terms of length or quality Used experimental, quasi-experimental, or single-case designs Published in English in a peer-reviewed journal

Method Summarized each study Determined Effect Sizes Group: Cohen’s d Single Subject: Percentage Non-Overlapping Data Evaluated quality using Quality Indicators Group: Gersten et al. (2005) Single Subject: Horner et al. (2005)

Results Transcription Text Generation Self-Regulation Total Study Design N (%) Group 16 (84%) 4 (40%) 20 (62%) Single Subject 3 (16%) 3 (100%) 6 (60%) 12 (38%) 19 3 10 32 Grade Level 1 8 (42%) 1 (33%) 9 (6%) 2 5 (26%) 2 (67%) 7 (70%) 14 (44%) 6 (32%) 3 (30%) Interventionist Research staff 15 (79%) 9 (90%) 25 (78%) School staff 1 (10%) 6 (19%) Not described 1 (5%) 1 (3%) More than half of the studies focused on transcription; about a third on self regulation, only a few on text generation Transcription studies tended to be conducted with kids in grades 1-2; self-reg with grades 2-3, with the majority conducted in grade 2; none in kindergarten Most studies included research staff as interventionist.

Results: Transcription 19 studies (16 group, 3 single subject) Instructional focus: Phonemic awareness and alphabet warm-up activities Visual modeling of letter formation Practice of letter formation from models and memory Segmenting/sorting words based on letter/sound patterns Repeated spelling practice Frequency/duration: 10-60 min sessions 2-4x per week 8-48 sessions total

Results: Transcription Type of Outcome Group Design Single Subject Design Handwriting ES = 1.04 -- Spelling ES = .59 to .96 PND = 60%-100% Capitalization PND = 50% - 80% Writing fluency ES = .74 to .96 PND = 84% Composition ES = -.13 to .95 Quality: 41%-100% of QIs met Two studies (Graham et al., 2000, 2002) met 100%

Results: Text Generation 3 studies (all single subject) Instructional focus: Sentence combining Sentence elaboration Sentence fluency Frequency/duration 14-30 sessions 20-60 min

Results: Text Generation Type of Outcome Single Subject Design Sentence elaboration PND = 33%-100% Writing fluency PND = 77%-100% Composition quantity (# of sentences PND = 58%-82% Quality: 47%-100% of QIs met One study met 100% (Parker et al., 2012)

Results: Self-Regulation 10 studies (4 group design, 6 single subject) Instructional components: Specific Writing Strategies (e.g., POW, TREE, WWW, What=2, How=2) Five Stages: Background, Discuss, Model, Support, Independent Practice Frequency/Duration: 3-4x per week 20-45 min 6-25 sessions total POW (Pick my ideas, Organize my notes, Write and say more) WWW, What =2, How = 2 (Who, When, Where, What does the main character do; What happens when they do it; How does it end; How do they feel?) TREE (Tell what you believe; 3 Reasons; Examine each reason, End it)

Results: Self-Regulation Type of Outcome Group Design Single Subject Design Number of story elements ES = .55 to 4.20 PND = 67% - 100% Composition Quality ES = .85 to 1.12 PND = 75% - 100% Compositional Quantity ES = .80 to 2.71 Quality: 76%-100% of QIs met 3 studies met 100% (Dunn, 2013; Lane et al., 2010, 2011)

Findings Indicate: Promising evidence of early writing interventions for improving student outcomes in transcription, text generation, and self-regulation Further, high-quality research is needed: Kindergarten Text generation School staff as interventionist

How are we using these results? Writing intervention toolkit for teachers Summary of research-based interventions Highest quality studies with positive evidence: Diagnostic Checklists and Instructional Alignment Tool Writing Intervention Plans (WIPs) Skills-based mini-lessons

Summary of Research-Based Interventions

Diagnostic Checklist

Diagnostic Checklist

Instructional Alignment Tool

Skill-Based Mini Lessons Every mini lesson contains the following components: Common Core Standards Addressed Objective Materials Content (Suggested Scope and Sequence) Discontinue Rule Procedures Error Correction Options for Additional Practice Fidelity Check ABBY

Skills-Based Mini-Lessons Transcription TR1: Phonics Warm-Up TR2: Alphabet Practice TR3: Word Building TR4: Wordy Study TR5: Alphabet Rockets TR6: Word Sort Text Generation TG1.1-1.3: Sentence Construction TG2: Sentence Combining TG3: Repeated Writing TG4: Writing Goals TG5: Writing Prompt Self Regulation Use Powerful Writing Strategies (Harris Graham, Mason, & Friedlander)

Sample Text-Generation Mini-Lesson

Writing Intervention Plans

Summary Early writing interventions do exist! Early writing interventions can improve writing outcomes. We are using findings of this research to provide tools for teachers to implement research-based interventions within a DBI framework.