What Research Tells Us
about Reading Instruction
Georgia’s Reading First
February 2005
What is SBRR
(and how can I get some?)
Dr. Michael C. McKenna
Georgia Southern University
Scientifically-Based Research

prevents the use of unreliable and
untested methods that can actually
impede academic progress

makes teaching more effective,
productive, and efficient

can be better generalized and
replicated across many sites
Scientifically-Based Research

applies rigorous, systematic, and
objective procedures to obtain valid
knowledge relevant to reading
development, reading instruction,
and reading difficulties
Scientifically-Based Research

employs systematic empirical
methods that draw on
observation or experiment;
Scientifically-Based Research

involves rigorous data analyses that
are adequate to test the stated
hypotheses and justify the general
conclusions drawn;
Scientifically-Based Research

relies on measurements or
observational methods that
provide valid data across
evaluators and observers and
across multiple measurements
and observations;
and . . .
Scientifically-Based Research

has been accepted by a peerreviewed journal or approved by a
panel of independent experts
through a comparably rigorous,
objective and scientific review
SBRR in a Nutshell


Scientific method
 Begins with hypothesis
 Controls are used
 Outcome proves or disproves the
hypothesis
Replicated – Repeat studies find
the same results
SBRR in a Nutshell



Generalized – Study findings represent
truth for the general population.
Meets Rigorous Standards – Methods
and conclusions must be confirmed by
peer review.
Convergent findings – Conclusions are
in line with findings from other studies.
Horse Race Studies
Important Documents
Reading Research Summary
Preventing Reading
Difficulties in Young
Children
Catherine E. Snow, M.
Susan Burns, and Peg
Griffin, editors
National Research
Council, 1998
Let’s look at the 5 Areas
 Phonemic Awareness
 Phonics
 Fluency
 Vocabulary
 Comprehension
NRP Findings on PA




PA training improves phonemic awareness
PA training improves decoding
PA training improves spelling
PA training improves comprehension
NRP Findings on PA



PA training works for preK, K, 1 and older
disabled readers
PA training works with high- and low-SES
children
PA training does not improve spelling for
reading-disabled students
NRP Findings on PA



PA training works in English and in other
languages.
Many different activities can be used in
the trainings; a focus on one or two
skills appears more effective than more.
Blending and segmenting are most
powerful.
NRP Findings on PA


Overlearning letter names, shapes, and
sounds should be emphasized along
with PA training.
Between 5 and 18 hours yielded the
strongest effects. Longer programs
were less effective. (But the panel
cautioned against making “rules” about
time.)
NRP Findings on PA


Regular classroom teachers can
effectively implement the training
Small groups were more effective than
whole class or tutoring
Some Effective Techniques
 Oddity Tasks
 Adding Sounds
 Deletion Tasks
 Sound Blending
 Stretch Sounding
Elkonin Boxes
Elkonin Boxes
Elkonin Boxes
Elkonin Boxes
Elkonin Boxes
m
a
n
Sound Sorting
Sound Sorting
Sound Sorting
Sound Sorting
Picture Blending
Picture Blending
Picture Blending
Picture Blending
Task #1
LEA Reps
What steps
have you
taken to
ensure that
SBRR
phonemic
awareness
instruction is
occurring?
Principals
Literacy
Coaches
How have you
supported
your LC’s
efforts to
foster SBRR
instruction in
phonemic
awareness?
To what extent
are your
teachers
using SBRR
strategies for
teaching
phonemic
awareness?
NRP Findings on Phonics


Systematic phonics instruction had a
significant effect on children’s reading
achievement compared to controls
Synthetic, larger-unit (onset-rime), and other
phonics programs all were more effective
than controls, but no one type of instruction or
instructional program was significantly more
effective than any other
Synthetic Phonics
• Teach individual letter-sound
correspondences in isolation.
• Have children sound out unfamiliar words
by blending phonemes.
cat = /k/ + /a/ + /t/
Analogy-Based Decoding
• Teach children to recognize patterns
(chunks) (e.g., -at, -ake).
• Teach key sight words containing these
chunks (e.g., cat, make).
• Teach them to decode unfamilar words by
recognizing chunks, recalling the key word,
and substituting the onset they’ve just
encountered.
vat
T:
S:
T:
S:
T:
S:
Let’s start with the vowel. Do you
see a part you know?
Yes, at.
Can you think of a word that has at?
Yes, cat.
So take off the c and put a v there.
/v/ - /at/, /vat/!
Stages of Decoding
• Prephonemic (just guessing, using the first
letter at most)
bird
might be read as
ball
Stages of Decoding
• Prephonemic (just guessing, using the first
letter at most)
• Partial Alphabetic (some letter-sound
knowledge is used.
gem is read as gum
Stages of Decoding
• Prephonemic (just guessing, using the first
letter at most)
• Partial Alphabetic (some letter-sound
knowledge is used)
• Full Alphabetic (left-to-right sequential
decoding)
cat = /k/ + /a/ + /t/
Stages of Decoding
• Prephonemic (just guessing, using the first
letter at most)
• Partial Alphabetic (some letter-sound
knowledge is used)
• Full Alphabetic (left-to-right sequential
decoding)
• Consolidated Alphabetic (orthographic)
(onset and rime approach)
band
bandiferous
different
band
bandiferous
different
band
bandiferous
different
NRP Findings on Phonics


Tutoring, small groups, and whole
classes are all effective delivery
systems for phonics instruction
Phonics instruction is more effective
when it occurs in kindergarten and first
grade than later
NRP Findings on Phonics


Phonics instruction is effective for at-risk
kindergarteners, at-risk first graders, and
disabled students. The findings for older
weak readers are confusing.
Phonics instruction improves students’
ability to read real words, pseudowords,
and (to a lesser extent) irregular words.
NRP Findings on Phonics


Phonics instruction improves reading
comprehension in kindergarteners, first
graders, and disabled readers, but not
necessarily in older readers
Phonics instruction improves spelling in
kindergarten and first grade, but not for
older readers
NRP Findings on Phonics


Phonics instruction is effective for children
at different levels of SES
Phonics instruction was more effective
than all forms of control groups (basal,
whole language, whole word, regular
curriculum).
And here’s what the NRP said we
don’t know about teaching phonics

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How long should phonics instruction be
Years? Minutes?
How many letter-sound relationships should
be taught?
How can we maintain consistency in
instruction and interest and motivation of
teachers?
What is the role of teacher knowledge?
How should teachers be trained to teach
phonics?
Task #2
LEA Reps
What steps
have you
taken to
ensure that
SBRR
phonics
instruction is
occurring?
Principals
Literacy
Coaches
How have you
supported
your LC’s
efforts to
foster SBRR
instruction in
phonics?
To what extent
are your
teachers
using SBRR
strategies for
teaching
phonics?
Oral reading fluency
requires automatic recognition of most
words
includes meaningful phrasing and
emphasis (prosody).
NRP Findings on Fluency


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Fluency can be improved through
instruction.
Guided oral reading activities and guided
repeated oral reading activities improve
fluency, at least through grade 5.
Repeated oral reading activities improve
fluency for non-impaired students.
And here’s what the NRP said we
don’t know about teaching fluency



What kinds of guided oral reading
improve fluency the most?
Are instructional techniques more
effective at certain ages and abilities?
What is the impact of independent
reading on fluency development?
Let’s listen to some
GARF students
Reading First Cases
Child 1
WCPM
24
Child 2
60
Child 3
150
I am so happy! I just found out I can be
on the soccer team. We have our first
practice on Saturday. . . .
Guiding Principles
of Teaching Fluency
Do not assume that fluency
instruction can be
leapfrogged.
Practice,
practice,
practice!
Maximize the time spent
reading.
Model fluent reading.
Effective Fluency Methods
 Repeated Readings
 Partner Reading
 Partner Repeated Reading
 Readers’ Theater
 Echo Reading
 Choral Reading
Task #3
LEA Reps
Principals
Literacy
Coaches
What steps
have you
taken to
ensure that
SBRR fluency
instruction is
occurring?
How have you
supported
your LC’s
efforts to
foster SBRR
instruction in
fluency?
To what extent
are your
teachers
using SBRR
strategies for
teaching
fluency?
NRP Findings on Vocabulary




Teaching vocabulary improves general
comprehension ability.
Preteaching vocabulary helps both word
learning and comprehension of a selection.
Much vocabulary is acquired through
incidental exposure.
Repeated exposures in a variety of contexts
are important.
NRP Findings on Vocabulary




A combination of definitions and
contextual examples works better than
either one alone.
Many instructional methods can be
effective in teaching vocabulary.
Instructional methods should result in
active engagement.
Both direct and indirect methods should
be used.
NRP Findings on Vocabulary



The more connections that are made to
a word, the better the word tends to be
learned.
Computer applications can be effective.
The effectiveness of some instructional
methods depends on the age or ability
of the children.
What the NRP said they didn’t know
about vocabulary instruction

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What are the best ways to assess vocabulary?
Which methods work best with students of
different ages and abilities?
How can technology best be used to teach
vocabulary?
How is vocabulary best integrated with
comprehension instruction?
What combinations of instructional methods
tend to work best?
Preteach key words to improve
comprehension.
Introduce new words in related
clusters.
Stress the connections among
related terms.
Provide more than definitions.
Tie new words to old knowledge.
Provide brief, periodic review.
Some SBRR Techniques
 Teacher Read-Alouds
 Graphic Organizers
 Semantic Maps (webs)
 Semantic Feature Analysis
 Other Charting Approaches
 List-Group-Label
 Possible Sentences
 Word Sorts
Task #4
LEA Reps
What steps
have you
taken to
ensure that
SBRR
vocabulary
instruction is
occurring?
Principals
Literacy
Coaches
How have you
supported
your LC’s
efforts to
foster SBRR
instruction in
vocabulary?
To what extent
are your
teachers
using SBRR
strategies for
teaching
vocabulary?
NRP Findings on Comprehension



Many approaches have some level of
research evidence.
For example, stressing mental images
and mnemonics can be effective.
But seven instructional approaches
have a clear scientific basis.
And here’s what the NRP said we don’t
know about teaching comprehension




What are the best ways of teaching teachers?
Does comprehension strategy instruction
transfer to content learning?
Which strategies work best at which ages and
abilities?
Do effective strategies work with all genres?
Key Instructional Approaches
1. Comprehension monitoring
2. Cooperative learning
3. Graphic and semantic organizers
(esp. those stressing text structure)
4. Question answering
5. Question generation
6. Summarization
7. Combinations of 1-6
Task #5
LEA Reps
What steps have
you taken to
ensure that SBRR
comprehension
instruction is
occurring?
Principals
How have you
supported your
LC’s efforts to
foster SBRR
instruction in
comprehension?
Literacy Coaches
To what extent are
your teachers
using SBRR
strategies for
teaching
comprehension?
Afternoon Agenda
12:45 - 1:05
1:05 - 1:25
1:25 - 1:45
1:45 - 2:05
2:05 - 2:15
2:15 - 2:35
2:35 - 3:00
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Break
Chapter 5
Q&A