Life after Reading
Clinic/Literacy Lab: Teachers’
Reflection on Practice
National Reading Conference
Los Angeles, CA
November 2006
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2006 Researchers
B. Laster- Towson Univ.
L. McEnery- Univ. of HoustonClear Lake
T. Deeney- Univ. of Rhode Island
C. Dozier Univ. at Albany
S. Sargent- Northeastern State
Univ.
J. Cobb- Coastal Carolina Univ.
V. Angell- Southern Utah Univ.
D. Gurwitz- National Louis University
A. Morewood- Univ. of Pittsburgh
S. McAndrews- Southern Illinois Edwardsville
D. Gaunty-Porter-Vanguard Univ.
L. Dubert- Boise State University
C. Barnes- Andrews University
M. Hill- Univ. of Houston-Clear Lake
Inspiration: B. Walker, Oaklohoma Stae Unversity
Cheerleader: P. Freppon, Univ. of Cincinnati
Special Thanks: M. Knowles, Technical Support, Towson University
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Background
Ten years of collaboration
The 2005 Electronic Survey
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Previous Study
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A focused electronic survey across nine
sites. Anonymous participants (n=150).
A Few Key Results
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Undergraduate: 18% Graduate: 82%
26-50% of time administering individual tests/ interpreting the
assessment data
Practicing instruction authentically
Preparation for a coaching role: Clinical activities involving
communicating; collaborating; mentoring; professional
readings; read/interpreting research
Time constraints
Transfer
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Purpose
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Follow-up on the survey with much more
depth
Examine the current roles of clinic/lab
program graduates
Find out whether graduates use various
practices introduced in the clinical setting,
and with what level of confidence
Discover whether clinics/labs prepare
teachers for various school-based roles (e.g.
teaching skills vs. leadership)
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Methodology—Data Collection
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IRB approval at each site.
Located and notified 2-3 graduates of Clinic who are typical
graduates of the program. They should represent different
populations, length of experiences, positions, etc.
In arranging the interview, send a note that says to collect
three artifacts that reflect your teaching of literacy.
Interview on site at the teacher’s school, not at the university
or elsewhere.
Took notes on classroom environment: Books, environmental
print, room organization, student work on walls, etc.
Audiotaped interview
Transcribe the Intervi
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Methodology-Data Collection
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Prompts focused on five main areas:
 Assessment practices
 Instruction
 Leadership
 Coaching
 Technology
A holistic approach also:
“Talk about a child/teacher you are currently working
with. Talk about strengths/needs. Talk about
surprises. Talk about your thinking in how you assist
them in their development”
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Methodology-Data Analysis
1.
2.
3
For Theme Analysis: Categories were refined,
collapsed, and redefined during subsequent
readings and discussions within the teams and with
the larger group of researchers until the categories
encompassed all of the data for that theme.
For Site Analysis: We compiled a chart of the key
activities and philosophies of each of the
participating Reading Clinic/Literacy Lab. This
snapshot of the sites allowed for linkages to be
made between what the clinical experience was and
what the professionals in the field reported about
their daily job expectations and experiences.
Summaries of findings were reported to a central
researcher who compiled them.
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Initial Results of the Study
…more analysis to come next year!
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Interviews at 11 Institutions, n=28
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Boise State University, ID
Eastern New Mexico University, NM
National Louis University, Chicago IL
Northeastern State Univ., OK
Southern Illinois Univ. – Edwardsville, IL
Southern Utah University, UT
Towson University, MD
University of Houston, Clear Lake, TX
University of Pittsburgh, PA
University of Rhode Island, RI
Vanguard University, CA
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Clinic/Lab vs. Program
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Assessment may have been learned in
courses leading up to the actual practicum.
Instructional practices were explored in
multiple courses.
Technology may have been used in other
courses besides Clinic/Lab.
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Categories of Duties/Types of Sites
Coaching teachers
 Assessing students
 Teaching students
 Workshops/presentations
 Committee
responsibilities
 Supervision
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K-2
Middle
High Sch
Special S
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Sample Site Report
Level
Specific
job
HS
K-2
1st year as H.S. Reading &
Spec. Ed;
5 yrs. always
before was 1st
secondary
grade many
years
Professional
development
consultant to
teachers
Setting
Rich suburbia;
many ESL
students
Urban and poor
Working class
suburbia
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Middle
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Sample Site Report—con’d
Level
ASSESS
MENT
HS
K-2
Administration
Administration
and uses of
and uses of
assessment. Used informal
assessment.
specific
Used specific
assessments;
assessments
Uses QRI
learned in
extensively;
clinical courses
Antonym Test &
(QRI);
others learned in
Interprets
clinical courses.
standardized
Understood
tests.
standardized
“Writing the
tests. Spoke the
reports were
limitations of
helpful.”
assessments. Clinics 2006
Middle
Uses QRI;
State and
district
mandates.
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Sample Site Report—con’d
Level
Emergent
Theme:
Parent
Outreach
HS
Spontaneously
spoke about
outreach to
parents. Uses 10
Steps to Helping your
Child & other parent
workshop materials.
Back-to-school
night. Counseling
parents toward
college- enhanced
reading class.
Could speak
confidently to
parents: test bias.
K-2
Showed
parents what
they were doing
rather than just
handouts.
Ongoing parent
meetings –
referred to
influence of
Clinic.
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Middle
No mention.
(No direct
contact with
parents in
current job.)
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Assessment
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Assessment: Common Themes
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From general interview questions
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From question of transfer from clinic to school
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Mandates
Choosing assessments
Informing instruction
Knowledge
Skills
Materials
Collapsed by role:
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Elementary classroom teacher
Elementary reading teacher, reading specialist, coach
Middle/HS ELA teacher, coach,
Special education teacher
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Elementary Teachers (n=10)
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Mandates
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Choosing assessments
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Based on student needs, area to assess (e.g. WTW
spelling, interest inventory, writing)
Informing instruction
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Takes away time from planning and instruction
Need more time to assess to understand student needs
(using self-chosen assessments, such as QRI);
Grouping for instruction (differentiating); Basis for
instructional planning; Continuous monitoring
(assessment) and adjusting (instruction)
Transfer from clinic to school
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Knowledge (empowerment); skill (assessing, what’s
going on?); materials (assessment and instruction)
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Elementary Reading (n=9)
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Mandates
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Choosing assessments
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Supplement mandates based on area to assess (DIBELS
doesn’t show comp); triangulate
Informing instruction
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DIBELS; mandates affecting instruction (e.g. practice
taking tests, teaching skills embedded within)
What’s going on?; Plan instruction (w/teachers) based
on student need; Grouping (who we see, help teachers
group)
Transfer from clinic to school
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Knowledge; skill (what assessment to give, how to
interpret); materials (assessments, instructional)
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Middle/HS (n=5)
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Mandates
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Choosing assessments
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Triangulate; Time (need more time to assess using
chosen assessments)
Informing instruction
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student needs, area to assess
Using assessments
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Used to “get” kids or “group” kids; need to raise scores
instructional planning (use data to inform instruction)
Transfer from clinic to school
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Diagnostic skills (what’s going on?); Knowledge;
Materials; working w/teachers; instructional ideas
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Special Education (N=4)
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Mandates
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Choosing assessments
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Student needs, areas to assess
Informing instruction
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Simply listed mandated assessments
No common theme here
Transfer from clinic to school
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What’s going on w/student?
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Selecting Assessments
Across all levels
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Much discussion (20/28 participants), across
grades and roles, about choosing assessments
(outside of mandated assessments). Basis for
choice:
Student needs (what assessments will help
teacher understand what’s going on)
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“I see a kid struggling and I say, “Wait a minute. Let
me see where you are.”
Area to assess
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“The DIBELS shows that they are slow readers, but
it doesn’t test comprehension. I use the QRI for that
and to analyze strengths and weaknesses.”
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Transfer from Clinic
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Elementary teachers
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Elementary reading specialists/coaches
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Knowledge; skill (what assessment to give, how to
interpret); materials (assessments, instructional)
Middle/HS teachers/coaches
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Knowledge (empowerment); skill (assessing, what’s
going on?); materials (assessment and instruction)
Diagnostic skills (what’s going on?); Knowledge;
Materials; working w/teachers; instructional ideas
Special education teachers
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What’s going on w/student?
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Voices--Assessment
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[Clinic experience] made me more aware of it [assessment], the fact
that I could do it. You look at special education, you look at a
diagnostician, and now it’s like, “Hey, wait a minute! I could be
doing this!” It was a revelation that it was something I could be
taking care of on my own.
I go to meetings and I know what I’m talking about… I have to speak
w/school psychologists and people who don’t believe I should be
testing a child, or who think, “Oh, no. This kid is fine; they don’t
need to be tested.” [I can say] “This is what I’ve seen. There are
tests out there that will show this.” I am better able to approach and
say there are other tests out there. I feel like I have information to
back up what I’m saying. It’s very helpful because it used to be
intimidating.
I feel like I’m more educated to sit at a team meeting and say, “Yeah,
but why is this happening?” I don’t think they want to hear me a lot
of times!
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Instruction
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Instruction: Talk to me about central
issues in your teaching.
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Student Learning
Teacher Learning
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Time Constraints
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Instruction: Student learning
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Teaching based on
student needs
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Facilitators of student
learning
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Active and authentic
learning
“Everything I do has different levels.
EVERYTHING. I guess the
biggest issue for what I believe in
is that there is no garden variety
step-by-step way to teach.”
“There are times I help students, but
usually I am there to facilitate.”
“Good reading instruction involves
active learners who get up out of
their seats, read, talk about what
they are reading, write, and that
they tie it all together. It can’t be
isolated. Kids won’t connect.”
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Instruction: Student learning
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Stated teaching
specific strategies
“I truly believe that phonemic
awareness and phonemic
awareness instruction is really
the bridge to learning how to
read and without having a
strong understanding of the
sounds around you, strong
phonemic awareness, it is
going to be difficult for a child
to learn to read.”
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Modeling
“Whatever I do, I try to make sure
that I keep in mind that kids
are going to follow.”
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Instruction: Teacher learning
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Working with
teachers
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Teacher knowledge
and confidence
“Well my main thing is to help
teachers do a better job of
what they do.”
“Teachers do make a difference in
what we do for the students.
We are the captain of our ship.
I know this is all very cliché,
but it really is true.”
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Instruction: Time constraints
“Time- trying to reach all of them. With this kind of class it
really seems impossible sometimes but I make it work.”
“So it’s a time thing. What I know would work best for these
kids, a lot of times I can’t do because there’s just no
time.”
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Coaching
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Literacy Coaches: Who?
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8 or 30%, from 5 universities, held the position of
coaching or mentoring teachers
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some worked exclusively with teachers and others in
combination with students.
6 elementary, 1 middle school, 1 high school
Following data, was collected via these 8;
however…
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3 more had been coaches and responded to some
questions as a coach.
2 others were “evolving” or desiring to be a coach.
2 were named specialists but did not work with
teachers.
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Many Names
4 Strands
Lead Literacy Teacher
Literacy Coordinator
Reading Specialist
Literacy or Reading Coach
Instructional Specialist
Professional Developer
- Last two mentors or
facilitates effective
teaching practices
beyond literacy
1. Clinic Influence
2. Professional
Development
3. Administrative
4.
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Big Picture
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Clinical Influences:
Inspiration, Information, and Interest
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Performing with assessments, materials, and
methods
Growing with & watching a student progress
Communicating with colleagues and parents
Understanding theories & issues; making these
real as applied to students
Applying higher standards and expectations
Building awareness of observation & its
importance
Instigating interest in and desire for more
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Professional Development:
Model, Monitor, Mentor (MMM) & Collaborate, & Communicate (CC)
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Are responsible for 7 up to 30 teachers
Collaborate & Communicate through
workshops (ongoing development) and
study groups
Monitor, Model, & Mentor
MMM &CC =
A “Full House”
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The “Big”
Picture
Administrative
Roles
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Allocate literacy resources
(material & financial)
Manage assistants
Place students
Evaluate, organize, schedule, and
plan literacy programs, leveled
libraries, and assistants
Go to meetings!!!
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state office
district specialists & vertical
alignment teams
school administrative teams
grade level teams
parent groups
A Broader View:
•
Looking at nationwide, district-wide, &
school-wide issues
•
Managing district and
school-wide
assessment and data
analysis
Differentiated Learning for the
EACH one!
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Leadership
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Leadership Roles
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Conducting workshops- In-service
Curriculum alignment
Modeling lessons (strategies, mini lessons) for teachers
Coaching teachers (observing and providing specific
feedback)
Administrative duties- reporting test scores, ordering
books, materials & assessment instruments
Planning and facilitating parent workshops
Working with leadership teams
Training & supervision of paraprofessionals
Participating in professional development
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Tensions
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“…sometimes teachers view my position as an
administrative role. I have to remind the
administrators of what I can and cannot do as a
lead literacy teacher- I don’t want to cross the line
and become and evaluator as I will lose the
confidence of the teachers.”
Not enough time- in practicum, in school day
Being a literacy coach with fewer years
experience than most of teachers in school.
Carrying out state mandates with questionable
effectiveness.
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Role of practicum in preparing leaders
Practicum Experience Provided:
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in depth knowledge of strategies as well as assessment tools
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knowledge of how to use assessment to inform instruction
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opportunity to practice coaching
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intense experience in working with parents
“The parents wanted answers when they asked
questions.
They would come directly to me. I felt that
I had to be prepared
at all times.”
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practice in functioning as part of a team
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Tools for diplomatic stance in working with teachers, students, and
parents
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Technology
Definitions—media that support our work (tape
recorders;
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Teachers/Prospective Teachers as Learners of
Technology at the University
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Blackboard, esp. Discussion Board
Track Changes for Writing
Readability formulas
Technology integrated into Curriculum Unit, Text Sets,
Instructional Lessons.
Powerpoint used for presentations to colleagues & parents
EXCEL for plotting student data
Digital recorders; send audio files to colleagues
Video clips of instruction; burn to DVD; play on projector
in class
Learner.org; United Streaming
(online video clip organized by curriculum area)
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Technology in Clinic & in the Field
Clinic/related courses:
 Assessment (Lexia Test,
readability formulas,
Lexile leveling)
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Instructional Planning
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Many Internet sites for
lesson ideas
(MarcoPolo/Read-WriteThink)
Research/Writing using
full text research articles
In the Schools/Sites…
Palm Pilots for DIBELS
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STAR Test
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Accelerated Reader Posttests
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Students monitor their own
grades
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Graded word lists of the IRI
on Powerpoint
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Morning Message/Writing
Books/LEA on Electronic
White Boards
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Technology in Clinic & in the Field
Clinic/related courses:
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Instructional facilitation
for learners
 Inspiration;
Kidspiration
 Kidpix
 Internet access in all
tutoring rooms
 Writing books/LEA
using Write OutLoud
In the Schools/Sites…
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Many Internet sites for lesson
ideas (visuals, video clips,
etc.)
Digital projector to link
w/computer
Blackboard
Blogs for book discussion
Research using Internet in
Computer Lab
Critically evaluate sites
Layout newspaper
Starfall.com
Read Naturally software for
fluency
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Technology for different uses
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“Literacy center…they go on the computer. There’s a
good a program for my ESL students. Sometimes they
type their stories….so it is for writing….By the end of the
year, we’ll have a big poetry book.”
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“We use stopwatches for fluency and word sorts.”
“I use technology all the time. I think the biggest
advantage of using the Internet is to find ways to
differentiate instruction.”
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How is Technology Used?
Limited
Some access/use
More use
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Access Teach
Stu
Onl
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Soft
Asses Clinic
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Digital Divides…
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Great variation from technology magnet
schools to no technology in the schools.
Similarly some Clinic/Labs were on site at
schools that had limited technology and
some had state-of-the-art technology at a
school or on-campus. Great variation
among emphasis on technology integration
in Clinic/Labs.
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Other Conclusions-Technology
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Technology-savvy teachers are able to use technologies
both as professional resources & instructional/curriculum
resources. Web-sites & software are becoming
increasingly important in literacy assessment &
instruction
New Literacies reading strategies are different from those
used in book (print) reading.
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Reading clinics could include more information about
software/web-sites to support low progress readers
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Research needed to determine if low progress readers have
similar difficulties in new literacies
May be especially valuable in the home/clinic relationship
More professional development in appropriate uses of
technology to supprt all readers/writers.
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Mandates
…..from Federal, State or District
Authorities
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National Mandates
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Four of the eleven who were interviewed
(NM, ID, MD, and IL) mentioned No Child
Left Behind (NCLB).
Multiple participants also mentioned
Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).
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State Mandates
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State-mandated achievement tests were identified
frequently. Seven of the eleven sites referred to
such measures (e.g. TEKS, ISAT, CRT, MSA,
HSA, Illinois Snapshot of Early Literacy, and
BEAR by Riverside ).
State-mandated curriculum competencies and/or
benchmarks were mentioned several times (e.g.
NM, OK, TX).
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Local, District, and School Mandates
Discussions centered around categories:
A. Mandated commercial assessment instruments were
described by nine of the eleven sites. DIBELS was the
most frequently mentioned
 Note: DIBELS may fall under multiple categories for
purposes of this presentation.
B. Locally-mandated curriculums were described by nine of
the eleven sites (e.g. curriculum alignment).
C. Mandated professional development programs were
mentioned in several interviews.
D. Mandated commercial reading programs were described
by eight of the eleven sites (e.g. Accelerated Reader,
Harcourt Anthology, Auto Skills, 6 Traits)
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Summary
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Stress and anxiety (related to mandates
and students’ performance) were
apparent for both teachers & students.

Participants noted a lack of resources to
implement all the components of NCLB.

Participants desired to supplement the
mandated assessments with their own
assessments.
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Summary

Those interviewed possessed a keen awareness
of individual needs and attempted to focus on
individual assessment when possible.
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Many participants shared a concern about a
lack of time to incorporate the naturalistic,
authentic assessment strategies learned in
clinic because of the testing mandates.

Participants appeared to be aware that clinic
courses provided knowledge of naturalistic
assessments and instilled confidence in ability
to provide for children’s needs.
54
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Artifacts
“Please collect three artifacts that
reflect your teaching of literacy.”
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55
Supporting Teachers’ Instructional Practices
Implementing program ↔ Teacher Generated
Harcourt Reading Program
“I brought the Harcourt piece because we use it… Covers all the
different genres, comprehension skills, and strategies, those are taught
clearly through the program.”
Teacher’s Reflective Journal
“I’m keeping my own personal journal as well as a reflective journal
where I’m writing down student comments.”
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Supporting Teachers’ Instructional Practices
Word level ↔ Text level
Red word studies
“Started as an intervention, now I use it with the whole class.”
Strategy Charts
“I use this process, What do you do when you come to a word you don’t know?
Every child has this…”
Read alouds/book collection
“The more you read, the better you become at it.” “I try to read
something everyday….” “I wouldn’t stop using my read aloud ever.”
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Student Work
Assignment Focus ↔ Student Focus
Prather News, Monthly Newsletter featuring 4th to 6th grade student writing
“Look at this!…Students do the graphics, lay-outs, typing, editing, and
changes… It makes me cry to think about how hard these children work.”
Student Score Report from the BEAR Test
“I found one thing he could do well – a musical instrument – and picked up on
that…I met with him every day to give him music lessons. I also worked with
him in reading as a pull-out. He has changed so much over the year.
Alyssa’s letter asking the mayor to put the high school logo on the water
tower
“He agreed to do so based on the reasons she provided in her letter. She
thought it was so amazing that her writing could bring about change.”
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Assessment
Summative ↔ Formative
Imposed ↔ Implemented by Choice
Palm Pilot
“The DIBELS assessment is something that I administer throughout the
year in K.
QRI
“Important tool to walk away with and be able to use. I think I’ve used
it more than anything.”
Words Their Way Text
“Differentiating my spelling instruction and scaffolding my teaching
more effectively in this area.” “I live by it.”
McKenna Kear Writing Attitude Surveys/Interest Inventories
“I do these every year.”
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Professional Development
Scripted ↔ Co-constructed
Literacy First Guidebook
“I used this like a Bible!” Included: assessments, flowcharts, interventions that
were used to assess and plan my reading instruction. “Everyone should have
this!”
Reading Clinic Handbook
“What are you trained to do? This book helps me explain it to teachers. I think
this gives them a pretty good synopsis in terms of what I can do for home and
school connections and what I can do to give them data based on some sort of
testing and what types of strategies I can implement….It’s always accessible
and out and about in the room.”
Visualize and Verbalize (part of Lindmood-Bell)
Ultimate favorite. “I tried to turn everyone on to it. My school purchased them
because I asked them to…”
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Limitations of the Study

We selected the graduates who we knew
and who were accessible to
us. Furthermore, these were all
professionals who were employable,
successful to some degree, and in good
standing with the university. Thus, our
pool of interviewees had limitations.
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CONCLUSIONS:
What Transferred from Clinic to Classroom?
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Assessment Practices
Strategies/Instructional Practices
Planning/Preparation for Instruction
Student-centered Learning/Differentiated
Instruction
Hope/Active Teaching despite mandates
Some Technology Integration
Use of a variety of Texts in varied Ways
Continual Attention to Professional Learning
Other (Engagement with Families/Communities)
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Locations of Transfer
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Literacy lab/Reading clinic to classroom
Lab/clinic to families
Lab/clinic to community
Lab/clinic to instructional practices within
lab/clinic
Previous courses to lab/clinic
Communities to lab/clinic
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What We Learned about
What we Teach in Clinic/Lab
“Our professor required us to use the assessment techniques
discussed in class with those we were tutoring. The
transfer of learning was very beneficial because after we
learned about assessment and strategies from our
professor and through reading the textbooks we had the
opportunity to immediately implement the learning.
Having the literacy lab/reading clinic experience helped
bridge the theory with the real- life application.”
“They told us all the time that we would be using
what we learned in Clinic in our schools. We do.”
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Questions Raised During Analysis
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What is/are the goal(s) of the lab/clinic?
Are we explicit in preparing graduates for
leadership responsibilities?
Is our choice of language/discourse helpful?
Are we appropriately modeling technology
integration/new literacies?
How can we help teachers bridge what they know
about assessment/instruction with the mandates
that they face in the field?
Your questions?
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