1. Carole Geary Michael Grabarits
Teachable Momentum® What is the Science Behind Teaching Reading, Writing and Spelling? Can Reading Failure Be Prevented?
Carole Geary
Michael Grabarits 1

2. Research Informs Practice
Research Science has already provided significant answers to questions such as:
How do children learn to read?
Which skills are most critical and at what points during reading development does this occur?
What causes reading difficulty in most students? At what ages?
Are there practices, programs, and methods that work best for (a) most students or (b) students with specific weaknesses?
What are the fMRI’s showing?

3. PA Findings: Common MTSS Traits
The Data suggests…Begin Early
Comprehensive Assessment Plan Required
Individual student goals and plans
A Skill inventory and NOT a Screener to Inform Instruction
Instruction logs- documentation of what happened
Intervention Group Size
Multi-sensory lessons connected to text 3

4. PA Findings: Common MTSS Traits
8. Professional Development vs. Training-
Cycle of Learning -- includes modeling and
Expert coaching.
9. All Hands On Deck vs Train the Trainer--
includes all teachers/personnel that support learning AND district leadership for a replicable and sustainable implementation. 4

5. PA School District RESULTS
Pleasant Valley School District
½ day Kindergarten, was performing at 45% EOY, now mid 90’s steady and sustained growth for 11 years.
Parent Engagement program increased BOY results by over 40%
Significant decrease in SPED Referrals as a result of increasing student outcomes

6. PA School District RESULTS
Started with SBSL in School year
Last year in K was 2012 6

7. PA School District RESULTS
Started with SBSL in School year with one school and administration
Currently in 16 Elementary Schools

8. PA School District RESULTS
Bethlehem Area School District
Lincoln - was a Focus School- No More
47% - 90% benchmark journey
Balanced Approach to Direct, Systematic, Explicit, Multi- Sensory Instructional model

9. Begin Early
Early start: Parents of pre-K attending at-least one session on literacy had children who performed significantly higher on phonological awareness and letter naming as measured by DIBELS® and a study conducted by Lehigh Univ.
Consider Birth-Gr3 monthly program initiative
Kindergarten sign-ups should be in the fall to identify children and parents-1 year in advance.
These children had less risk over time through kindergarten and first grade.

10. Benchmark/Screening-timed
Assessment Plan
Benchmark/Screening-timed
Which students MAY need extra assistance?
Acadience, DIBELS® Next, AimsWeb, STAR
Skill Inventory
What are a student’s skills strengths & needs?
RGR, QPS
Progress Monitoring
Is my instruction effective? How often is enough?
Formative
How do I determine when I should flex my groups? 10

11. Individual student goals and plans
MTSS Traits
Individual student goals and plans
Instruction logs- keep track of what prescription and how often it is being administered
Multi-sensory lessons must be connected to text for impact 11

12. Small Group Size Study Hours of Instruction Student/Teacher Ratio
Reading %ile for Identification of Risk Status
% of Students Still At-Risk at End of Study
Felton, 1993
340
1:8 16
3.8%
Vellutino et al., 1996
35-65
1:1 15
4.5%
Torgeson et al., 2000 92
1:3 18
1.4%
Mike

13. Professional Development
Model

14. All HANDS ON DECK FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
Who Is Involved?
All HANDS ON DECK FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
Principal- future Literacy Leader must attend everything teachers are being exposed to.
Grade level teachers
Support Personnel
Training vs. PD…what’s the difference?
All Hands On Deck vs. Train the Trainer
Mike- wrap up with book

15. Web Links www.SBSL.org Contact us at info@sbsl.org
--- Parent Engagement-start early
--- NEW tools for children
How Better Teaching Can Help Kids Who Can’t Read teaching-can-help-kids-who-cant-read
More than 90 percent of the students are eligible for free and reduced lunch, a commonly used surrogate for low-income families.
More than 90 percent of the students are from ethnic minorities.
More than 90 percent of the students met or achieved high academic standards, according to independently conducted tests of academic achievement.
Principals and Student Achievement : What the Research Says by Kathleen Cotton 15