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

2. 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

3. 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)

4. 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

5. 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?

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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)

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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%

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

14. 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)

15. 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)

16. 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)

17. 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

18. 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

19. Summary of Research-Based Interventions

20. Diagnostic Checklist

21. Diagnostic Checklist

22. Instructional Alignment Tool

23. 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

24. 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
TG : Sentence Construction
TG2: Sentence Combining
TG3: Repeated Writing
TG4: Writing Goals
TG5: Writing Prompt
Self Regulation
Use Powerful Writing Strategies (Harris Graham, Mason, & Friedlander)

25. Sample Text-Generation Mini-Lesson

26. Writing Intervention Plans

27. 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.