What I learned from Lightning

Which aspects of your instruction do you feel are most effective, most efficient? How do you make them so? Do you know the research that supports your effective instructional practices?

Lightning was a third-grade student. His oral reading was choppy, halting, and boring. His low reading rate (55 words per minute, WPM) was hampering both his reading achievement and Lightning’s sense of himself as a reader. He did not enjoy reading, had no favorite books, and his progress was slow even in small-group configurations. Lightning had begun the year on the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA, Beaver, 1991) Level 18, approximately one year below grade level. After six weeks of guided reading intervention, he showed no assessed growth. His DRA level remained the same.

18-24 in 8 Weeks

In which instructional aspect could you or teachers you have observed be more effective or efficient? What seems to hinder the effectiveness of this instruction?

Despite his improvement in reading speed (approx 70 WPM), it was noted that Lightning’s expression did not consistently match the meaning of the story. Though he was excited about his progress, he still not enjoy reading.

Automaticity Rate Prosody

NIM Stimulates more of the brain. Also, consider the nature of the task…

Lightning’s progress with repeated readings was remarkable. He does need to read text more prosodically. As a reading professional, you have to make a choice.

CMSE (if you feel the Education World needs more acronyms) is a NIM and RR Hybrid This stacked intervention using NIM and repeated reading was used for another eight weeks. Lightening’s DRA level increased from a 24 to a 30, only slightly behind the third grade expectation. Lightning read the DRA-level 30 text with very good comprehension, 99% accuracy, at 99 WPM, and great expression—a score of 4 according to the rubric. After the completion of the study, 2 weeks later, he read a 34 and was excited from the program. 10 Weeks:

Compare the advantages and disadvantages these two modes of reading and the hybrid. Consider the role of the teacher and the students. What tends to interfere with using these modes efficiently and effectively in a classroom? Video

Lightening clutched his new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book and said, “Now, don’t forget about your chubby little buddy, Mr. Young!”

Appropriate Assessments Analysis of Assessments Research-Based Instruction Evaluation of Instruction Teacher and Student Modification of Instruction Stacked Instruction

How are effectiveness, efficiency, and engagement related to literacy achievement? How can teachers increase student engagement in addition to their own effectiveness and efficiency? Tell us about a time when you were very engaged in a reading or writing task. What characterized this experience that teachers could replicate in their instruction?

In small groups, make a list of things teachers do to manage students and to teach students. Compare these listed items and the time given to them. How could a teacher save even minutes a day in order to have more time for rich instruction?