5100 Final
Michelle Hagy
December 5, 2010
Prof. B. Schlagal
1. If I could eliminate one of the readings from this course it would be The Effects of three
Instructional Methods on the Reading Comprehension and Content Acquisition of Novice
Readers by Stahl. This article is a study that analyzed the reading comprehension of thirty-one
second graders who were approaching grade level (Morris & Slavin). Three Instructional
Methods were used, which include: Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA), KWL, and
picture walk (Morris & Slavin). An explanation is given for each instructional method. All four
groups (one group for each instructional method and a control group) completed a Vocabulary
Recognition Task on Day 1 after a brief introduction to the topic being studied that week (Stahl).
The procedures for Day 2 are not apparent (page 371-Stahl). It is also unclear as to when the
actual method is being used. For example, it appears the method is used on Days 2 and 3;
however, the Day 2 explanation is incomplete and confusing (page 371-Stahl). For instance, on
page 371, Stahl writes “On Day 2 and Day 3, I led the students in a brief discussion of
declarative, conditional, and procedural strategy knowledge immediately before reading the text”
(Stahl). It would be helpful and clearer if he further explained and gave examples of declarative,
procedural, and conditional knowledge. All of the procedures for Days 1-3 would be more
apparent if a list form and more thorough information were provided for each day. The article
also includes an explanation of assessments used throughout the study. The students completed
several assessments on the third day. The following assessments were administered:
Vocabulary Recognition Task (Days 1 and 3), Maze, Free Recall, Cued Recall, and a PostIntervention Interview (Stahl). I did find the explanation of each measure informative and
helpful as an educator (pages 374-375, Stahl). On the contrary, I found the Treatment Effects
section (pages 377-380, Stahl) confusing and distracting. The results of the study are indicated
in this section; however, I was unable to discern the outcome of the study by reading this
information. Most of the information in this study was helpful; however, I also found it hard to
understand parts that are crucial, such as the procedures and results.
One article that may be beneficial for this class is Partners-in-Reading: Using classroom
assistants to provide tutorial assistance to struggling readers by Samuel D. Miller (Miller,
Samuel D. (2003). Partners-in-Reading: Using Classroom Assistants to Provide Tutorial
Assistance to Struggling First-Grade Readers EBSCOhost). This article describes a tutoring
program administered by teacher assistants. I think this program is extremely feasible and
realistic for a school district to implement in the lower grades. Kindergarten, First and Second
grade classes have a teacher assistant. Teacher assistants could be utilized for tutoring First and
Second grade struggling readers. The program uses several assessments we learn to administer
in the Masters program, which include: Howard Street Tutoring Manual Word Recognition list
(Pre-Primer to Second grade), and the Schlagal spelling list (Miller). The following
interventions are used: reading and rereading instructional level text, word recognition activities,
and feedback (Miller). The tutee receives up to four forty-minute tutoring sessions each week.
North Carolina uses the Response to Intervention Problem Solving model where students need to
receive more intense instruction as he or she goes up in Tiers. I think this is a great program to
use for students who are labeled Tier III. I also think it would be a great idea to implement this
program for a shorter amount of time for students who are considered Tier II. I think this article
would pair nicely with chapter four of our textbook. Chapter four gives us several tutoring
programs to consider. I think this article provides more information about tutoring programs and
gives future reading specialists a realistic program to implement in our schools.
2. High quality tutoring is crucial for at –risk beginning readers to have an opportunity to “catch
up” before entering second grade (Morris & Slavin). Marie Clay argued that intense intervention
should begin at the beginning of first grade while the achievement gap is the smallest (Morris &
Slavin). As a fourth grade teacher, I agree with Clay’s view. It is much harder to close the gap and
catch struggling readers up to their fourth grade peers. At our school we have a reading tutor who
pulls our struggling readers who are Intensive or Strategic in Fluency according to Dynamic
Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). The students do repeated readings and their
fluency does improve over time. However, as their fluency increases so do the expectations for
fourth grade. I feel our school needs to have a plan in place for at-risk beginning readers as well.
Kindergarten and first grade teachers need to provide one on one tutoring for the at-risk reader
(Morris & Slavin). Several intervention programs have proven to increase the achievement of atrisk readers (Morris & Slavin). These programs include: Reading Recovery, Success for All, Early
Steps and Howard Street Tutoring (Morris & Slavin). I do not think the choice of program is
particularly important. However, I do feel the program should include certain elements.
A beneficial tutoring program should include the following components: Quality of
Instruction, Appropriate level of Instruction, Incentive, and Time (Morris & Slavin). The four
components mentioned above are known as the QAIT model (Morris & Slavin). “Quality of
Instruction involves what is taught and how it is presented (Morris & Slavin).” Tutors should have
training and know how to present information to students. A second component is appropriate level
of instruction, which means students need to be presented with material on their instructional level.
A third component of a beneficial tutoring program is incentive. Students need corrective and
immediate feedback during lessons. A final component is time. Tutees need optimal instructional
and practice time for each lesson. All four components in the QAIT model are crucial to the
success of a tutoring program (Morris & Slavin). The lesson plan a tutor uses with a tutee should
contain certain parts as well.
Each lesson plan of the tutoring programs mentioned above are similar yet different. A
Reading Recovery lesson plan consists of the following: rereading familiar books, sentence writing,
and introduction of a new book. During sentence writing, the child listens for sounds he or she
hears (Morris & Slavin). This is the only allotted time that gives practice in the area of decoding
skills. Students should sound out words while writing; however, students also need time to practice
patterns within words. The Easy Steps lesson plan consists of four parts, which include: rereading
familiar books, word study, sentence writing, and introduction of a new book. This lesson plan will
take place in about thirty minutes. The tutee spends about a third of the time rereading familiar
books. The lesson plan only gives six minutes to the component “Introduction of a new book
(Morris & Slavin).” Struggling readers need more guided reading time to read text on their
instructional level. The Howard Street Tutoring lesson plan consists of the following four
components: Gudied reading at the child’s instructional level, word study, easy reading, and
reading to the child (Morris & Slavin). The only thing missing in this lesson plan is writing
instruction. The final program mentioned above is Book Buddies, which also has a four-part, fortyfive minute lesson plan (Morris & Slavin) The lesson plan includes easy reading, word study,
writing for sounds, and reading a new book. This program includes all pertinent components for a
beneficial tutoring program. All four tutoring programs lesson components are similar yet different
in some ways.
The tutoring programs lesson components have both pros and cons. I prefer a leswson plan
similar to the Book Buddies. The following parts should be included in each tutoring session:
guided reading at the child’s instructional level, word study, sentence writing, and easy reading
(Morris & Slavin). The component “Being Read To” is important; however, I feel the child will be
read to in the classroom and will need extra support in the subject of writing. In conclusion, it is
crucial for schools to provide high quality tutoring for-at risk beginning readers.