ERIC ED421695: Building on the Best, Learning from What Works: Seven Promising Reading and English Language Arts Programs.

34 Pages·0.63 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 421 695
CS 013 261
TITLE
Building on the Best, Learning from What Works: Seven
Promising Reading and English Language Arts Programs.
INSTITUTION
American Federation of Teachers, Washington, DC.
PUB DATE
1998-01-00
NOTE
33p.
PUB TYPE
Reports - Descriptive (141)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
Academic Achievement; Demonstration Programs; Elementary
Secondary Education; English Instruction; *Language Arts;
Literature Appreciation; Program Descriptions; Program
Effectiveness; Program Implementation; *Reading Instruction;
*Reading Programs
IDENTIFIERS
Program Characteristics
ABSTRACT
Part of a series about research-based programs that show
promise for raising student achievement (especially in low-performing
schools), this paper describes seven promising reading and language arts
programs. Each program shows evidence of high standards, effectiveness,
replicability, and support structures. The paper opens with a brief
introduction to the series, followed by a short introduction to the seven
programs. Concise reports on each of the seven programs follow. An initial
grid outlines grades covered, curriculum materials, instructional
support/professional development, school reform/restructuring assistance,
role of paraprofessionals, cost of implementation, and results/effect size.
The body of each report then describes the program's main features, its
results, case studies of its effectiveness, and considerations for successful
implementation of the program, closing with a list of publications and
resources. The seven programs are:
"Cooperative Integrated Reading and
(1)
Comprehension";
"Direct Instruction";
"Exemplary Center for Reading
(2)
(3)
Instruction";
"Junior Great Books";
"Multicultural Reading and
(4)
(5)
Thinking";
"Open Court Collections for Young Scholars"; and (7)
"Success
(6)
for All." A 20-item list of additional reading and a note on program
selection methods are attached.
(SR)
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Seven Promising Reading and
0 Minor changes have been made to
improve reproduction quality
Points ot view or opinions stated in this
document do not necessarily represent
official OERI position or policy.
English Language Arts
Programs
krAmerican Federation ofTeachers
on
the Best:
Building
1
Learning from
Mat walks
The AFT has gained many allies in the fight to educate all students
to high academic standards.
President Clinton has made standards a
top priority, and virtually every state has begun to take
action. Where standards-based reforms have been in place,
progress is being made. Yet there
remains sharp debate over the future of public education.
Invoking the specter of failing schools, the advocates of vouchers and privatization
are more strident
than ever. But their solutions are just the latest additions
to the long list of unproven schemes that have
plagued our schools. The real hope for improving public education is by expanding the reach of those
pro-
grams and strategies that have a track record of effectivenessnot by gambling on vouchers or privatiza-
tion.
We know that our students are as capable as any in the world. We know that, given the standards-based
reforms that we advocateand the research-based strategies that
can help students meet those standards
our public schools can match or surpass the accomplishments of the highest-achieving nations.
This series, which grew out of the work of the AFT Task Force
on Improving Low-Performing Schools,
is an attempt to help advance these reform efforts. It
was designed to provide members with detailed back-
ground information about the research-based programs that, when properly implemented, show promise for
helping to raise academic achievement, especially for struggling students.
While each low-performing school has
a somewhat different set of needs and priorities, the AFT
believes that no schoolespecially one that is already founderingshould be expected
to find success by
reinventing the wheel. Instead, once the school's most pressing problems have been identified, the improve-
ment process should focus on enabling the faculty to choose among those programs and instructional prac-
tices that have a solid base of research showing positive results. This series, therefore, aims
to help school
staff become educated consumers of educational
programs and practices.
In recent months, educators, members of Congress, and the general public have devoted increased
attention to these issues. We hope that this focus will spur
new program development effortstogether
with the careful field tests that can help demonstrate the effectiveness of fledgling programswhich should
mean that a broader range of good options will soon be available.
Here, we describe seven promising reading and English language arts
programs.
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS 1
Seven Promising Programs for
Reading and English
Language Arts
Why are some schools effective at educating most students, even those from disadvantaged, high-
poverty areas, while others struggle fruitlessly to fulfill their academic mission? How can schools
replicate the successes of their more effective counterparts?
Researchers, working for years to answer these questions, have described the characteristics of successful
schoolse.g., high expectations for all students; challenging curricula; clear standards and
a coherent,
focused academic mission; high-quality professional development aligned
to the standards; small class sizes,
especially in the early grades; an orderly and disciplined learning environment;
a supportive and collegial
atmosphere; and an intervention system designed
to ensure that struggling students can meet the standards.
But, while we now know a great deal about which reforms
are effective, comparatively little is known about
how to achieve them.
As many schools have found out the hard way, systemic reform is extremely difficultespecially when it
must occur simultaneously on many fronts, and is begun without benefit of high-quality curriculum mate-
rials, appropriate professional development,
or readily available technical assistance. In fact, a number of
schoolsespecially those that are already founderinghave found that lasting improvement is impossible
without concrete, step-by-step implementation
support.
,
According to a recent study of efforts to raise academic achievement for at-risk students (Stringfield,
et
al., 1996), the reform strategies that achieve the
greatest academic gains are those chosen and supported by
faculty, as well as administrators. Success is also dependent
on the existence of a challenging curriculum,
and on paying "a great deal of attention to issues of initial and long-term implementation, and
to institu-
tionalizing the reforms." This and other studies have also found that schoolwide reforms tend
to be more
effective than pull-out or patchwork
programs, and that externally developed programsparticularly those
with support networks from which schools
can draw strength and tangible assistancetend to do better
than local designs.
Given these and similar research findings,
we developed the criteria below to help identify promising
programs for raising student achievement, especially in low-performing schools. You will find descriptions
of seven reading and English language
arts programs on the following pages. Although each particular pro-
gram has its own strengths and weaknesses, all show evidence of:
High Standards. The program helps all students acquire the skills and/or knowledge they need
to suc-
cessfully perform to high academic standards.
Effectiveness. The program has
proven to be effective in raising the academic achievement levels of "at-
risk" students in low-performing schools, based
on independent evaluations.
Replicability. The program has been effectively implemented in multiple sites beyond the original pilot
school(s).
Support Structures. Professional development, materials, and ongoing implementation
support are
available for the program, either through the program's developer, independent
contractors, or dissemina-
tion networks established by schools already in the
program.
2
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
Cooperative Integrated Reading and
Comprehension (CIRO
Grades Covered
Grades 2-6.
Curriculum Materials
Teachers' manuals for reading and writing, lessons built around the most
widely used basals and anthologies ("Treasure Hunts"),' children's litera-
ture, and student practice and quiz activities are provided. Additional
reading comprehension and writing/language arts instructional materials
for basals/novels are also recommended.
Instructional Support/
Teachers' manuals explain how to introduce CIRC to students and
Professional Development
provide a sequenced description of CIRC's instructional cycle. Two days
of professional development are also provided, with formats that vary
according to participants' backgrounds. Follow-up support and technical
assistance are available.
School Reform/
None.
Restructuring Assistance
Role of Paraprofessionals
The deployment of classroom paraprofessionals is determined at the
school level, although CIRC recommends that support personnel be
included in professional development plans.
Cost of Implementation
For the first year of implementation, materials are approximately $240
per class, with costs dropping to about $100 per class for subsequent
years. Professional development costs are roughly $800 per day for each
trainer, plus expenses. Cost of follow-up training is negotiable.' These
estimates do not include the cost of basal readers/trade books, which the
school is presumed to possess. For a school with 500 students in grades
2-6, this translates into a first-year implementation cost of roughly $6,500.
Results*/Effect Size3
Reading comprehension (+.15 to +.99); writing (+.31 to +.47), with the
greatest gains shown for bilingual, special education, and the lowest-per-
forming regular education students.'
*To give a sense of scale, an effect size of +1.00 would be equivalent to an
increase of 100 points on the SAT scale or 15 points of IQenough to move
a student from the 20th percentile (the normal level of peiformance for chil-
dren in poverty) to above the 50th percentile (the norm for mainstream stu-
dents).
early 1980s at Johns Hopkins University, CIRC was
Cooperative Integrated Reading and Compre-
designed to improve student achievement in read-
hension (CIRC) is a thorough approach to
ing, writing, and comprehension. It is available as a
reading comprehension and English lan-
guage arts instruction, with an emphasis on cooper-
stand-alone program, in a successful bilingual ver-
ative partner and group activities. Developed in the
sion (BCIRC), and as a component of the school-
3
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
5
wide restructuring program, Success for A11,5 cur-
during their shared reading to answer questions
rently in use nationally in more than 750 schools.
about setting, characters, problems, and problem
resolutions.
Main Features
3) Word Mastery ListStudents are given a list of
new or difficult words used in the story. Words are
Most CIRC learning activities follow a sequenced
practiced out loud with partners to achieve accuracy
cycle of instruction: teacher-directed instruction,
and smoothness when reading. Partners also pretest
pair/team practice, individual practice, peer
one another in spelling exercises.
pre-assessment, individual assessment, and team
4) Word MeaningStudents learn new or diffi-
recognition. Although students spend a great deal of
cult words and phrases by looking them up in the
time working in cooperative heterogeneous groups,
dictionary, practicing them with partners, paraphras-
teams, or same-level pairs, activities are also struc-
ing their meaning, and then demonstrating under-
tured to give students clear learning goals for which
standing by creating meaningful sentences using the
they are assessed individually.
new vocabulary.
Grouping and TeamingTeachers assign stu-
5) Story RetellingAfter reading a story, partners
dents to reading groups based on their achievement
check comprehension by summarizing its main
levels. In general, the teacher provides direct instruc-
points for each other.
tion in reading-related activities to the whole class or
6) Story-related WritingAfter finishing the read-
to each group separately. For cooperative learning
ing assignment, students complete an open-ended
activities, students are also assigned to pairs (or
writing assignment, responding in a few paragraphs
triads) within their reading groups, and then each
to the story they have just read.
pair is teamed with a pair from a different reading
7) TestsPartners help prepare each other for
group. For example, a team might include two stu-
individual assessments through spelling, writing, and
dents from the top reading group and rwo students
other activities, and signing-off on forms indicating
from a lower reading group. Teams receive points
the satisfactory completion of each other's work.
based on members' individual performances on
Approximately every three classes, students are indi-
quizzes, tests, compositions, and book reports. Team
vidually tested on comprehension, vocabulary, and
members coach one another to prepare for assess-
oral reading, with scores used to determine individ-
ments. Based on the average performance scores of
ual grades and team rewards.
all members within a given week, teams are desig-
Direct Instruction in Reading
nated "super teams" (90-100 percent), "great teams"
ComprehensionOne day per week the teacher
(80-89 percent), and "good teams" (70-79percent).
uses step-by-step CIRC materials to provide stu-
Basal-related ActivitiesCIRC learning activi-
dents with direct instruction in a specific compre-
ties revolve around three principal elements: direct
hension skill, such as identifying a main theme or
instruction in reading comprehension, story-related
comparing and contrasting ideas. Each lesson is fol-
activities, and integrated language arts/writing.
lowed by team activities and games to reinforce the
Reading groups meet each day for about 20 min-
new reading comprehension skills.
utes, during which the teacher introduces a story
Integrated Writing/Language ArtsCIRC stu-
from the basal reader, introduces new vocabulary,
dents learn to write through a process approach that
sets the context for the story, and engages students
consists of planning, writing, revising, and editing to
in teacher-directed discussion. Following this intro-
create a finished piece. The teacher and team mates
duction, students cooperate with partners and teams
provide feedback on written pieces, and peers edit
on a series of prescribed story-related activities.
each other's work using editing forms that reflect the
1) Partner ReadingStudents first read the story
grammar, content, and mechanics learned to date.
silently, then orally with a partner, alternating para-
Teachers instruct on specific skills.
graphs and correcting each other's errors.
Other Elements of CIRCIn addition to class-
2) Treasure HuntsStudents are provided with
room activities, students are required to read a book
questions related to the story, called Treasure Hunts,
of their choice each evening for 20 minutes, verified
designed to increase comprehension. Students stop
by a parent's signature. Every two weeks, students
4
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
complete a book report on their independent read-
with two years of instruction showed an effect size
advantage of +.87. This study also found that third
ing, with points for these reports reflected in their
graders in BCIRC were three times more likely to
team score.
BCIRC ModificationsSeveral adaptations have
meet the district's criterion for leaving bilingual
reading and language education than were control
been made to CIRC for use with Spanish-speaking
students. BCIRC begins with Spanish language
group students.
reading assignments (novels and/or basals), then
moves to transitional reading materials in English.
Case Study
BCIRC materials, such as Treasure Hunts, have been
Ysleta Independent School District (El Paso,
designed for both Spanish and transitional materials.
Texas). The most recent study of bilingual CIRO
Students learn BCIRC procedures in their native
(BCIRC) was conducted in the Ysleta Independent
language, then transfer this knowledge to an English
School District, a large district in the city of El Paso
as a second language (ESL) context where they can
adjoining the Mexican border. In the district as a
focus on the English language activities, not the
whole, 79.4 percent of students are Hispanic, 26.5
instructional process. While the main elements of
percent are limited English proficient (LEP), and
CIRC are preserved, a slightly different approach,
32.7 percent qualify, for Title I services. The study
reflective of ESL practice, is taken. For example,
compared students in bilingual programs in three
CIRC partner reading begins with silent reading fol-
experimental and four control schools, all of which
lowed by partners reading alternating paragraphs
were among the highest poverty schools in the dis-
aloud. BCIRC students read aloud with their part-
trict. All served almost entirely Hispanic student
ners before silent reading, alternating sentences and,
bodies, and all had large percentages of LEP stu-
later in the semester, alternating paragraphs.
dents. Not only did BCIRC students outscore con-
trol students in standardized tests of reading
Results
achievement but also nine of the twelve BCIRC
Several studies have found that CIRC students
classes contained students who ranked first, second,
significantly outperform control group students on
or third in schoolwide writing contests, meaning
standardized tests of reading achievement, including
that these bilingual students were outperforming
measures of reading comprehension, vocabulary, lan-
their peers in regular English classes.
guage, spelling, and word analysis. One study found
that less than one year of CIRC resulted in signifi-
Considerations
cant gains for low-achieving students in vocabulary,
According to the research, CIRC is an effective
word analysis, and total reading, while another
program for improving students' reading, compre-
showed large positive effects for high achievers. A
hension, and writing skills. It is important to note,
third study found that special education and reme-
however, that this is not a beginning reading pro-
dial reading students who experienced CIRC
gram. It is designed to begin in grade two, after stu-
instruction with their regular education peers per-
dents are presumed to have acquired basic decoding
formed better on standardized tests than similar stu-
skills. Schools that are weak in phonemic awareness
dents in pull-out programs. These CIRC students
and phonics instruction might want to consider
had a mean effect size advantage ranging from +.26
Success for All, a schoolwide program that includes
to +.90 in reading vocabulary and from +.40 to +.99
CIRC in combination with early direct instruction
in reading comprehension.
(See footnote 3.)
in basic reading skills, as well as several other com-
Studies also indicate that BCIRC is effective in
ponents.
raising the reading achievement of ESL students
The successful implementation of CIRC may
who are moving from Spanish to English language
also require teachers to change not only their teach-
reading and instruction. There is also evidence that
ing methods but also their classroom management
the positive effects are cumulative. One study found
and organizational practices to accommodate the
that students with one year of BCIRC had an effect
will
group and pair work integral to CIRC. Teachers
size advantage in reading of +.33; BCIRC students
5
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
7
need practical and moral support in their efforts
to
For more information, contact: Center for
use the CIRC approach. CIRC developers request
Research on the Education of Students Placed at
that at least two teachers per school undergo train-
Risk, Johns Hopkins University & Howard
ing to create a support nerwork during implementa-
University, 3003 North Charles Street, Suite 200,
tion. Developers also strongly recommend that
Baltimore, Maryland 21218. Phone: [phone]
school administrators attend training to develop
or 800/548-4998. Fax: [phone]. Internet:
an
understanding of the kind of support necessary for
www.csos.jhu.edu/sfalovercirc.html.
successful implementation. In addition, students
will need time and guidance to effectively adjust
to
working cooperatively with peers. Especially for
stu-
' Treasure Hunts are a structured series of cognitive activities
dents who have not experienced productive coopera-
designed by CIRC to correspond CO novels or basal readers
used in the classroom.
tive peer work, a period of transition should be
anticipated.
2 Briggs and Clark, 1997.
'An effect size is a standard means of expressing achievement
Publications/Resources
gains and losses across studies, showing differences between
experimental and control groups in terms of standard devia-
Bram lett, R.K. (1994). "Implementing Cooperative
tion. An effect size of +1.00 indicates that the experimental
group outperformed the control group by one full standard
Learning: A Field Study Evaluating Issues for
deviation. To give a sense of scale, this would be equivalent to
School-Based Consultants." Journal of School
an increase of 100 points on the SAT scale, two stanines, 21
Psychology: Vol. 32, No. 1.
NCEs (normal curve equivalent ranks) or 15 points of IQ
(Fashola and Slavin, 1996)enough to move a student from
Calderón, M. et al. (1997). "Effects of Bilingual Co-
the 20th percentile (the normal level of performance for chil-
operative Integrated Reading and Composition
dren in poverty) to above the 50th percentile (in range with
on Students Transitioning from Spanish to Eng-
mainstream America). Because of differences among study
lish Reading," Report No. 10. Center for Res-
designs and assessments, this can only be considered a
earch on the Education of Students Placed at
rough" measure of comparison. In general, an effect size of
+.25 or more is considered to be educationally significant.
Risk.
' Madden et al., 1986; Stevens et al.,,1987; Stevens et al.,
Robinson, A. (1991). "Cooperative Learning and
1989; Calderón, 1990; Calderón et al., 1997.
the Academically Talented Student." Little Rock:
University of Arkansas.
Success for All and an expansion program, Roots and Wings,
are schoolwide restructuring models developed by researchers
Stevens, R.J., Madden, N.A., Slavin, R.E. &
at Johns Hopkins University.
Famish A.M. (1987). "Cooperative Integrated
Caldenin et al., 1997.
Reading and Comprehension." Reading Research
Quarterly: Fall.
a
6
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
Direct Instruction (DI)
Grades Covered
Primarily an elementary school (pre-K-6)
program, but also used success-
fully with secondary and adult special education and remedial students.
Curriculum Materials
Curricular materials, daily lessons, and teachers' guides
are available for
grades K-6 in reading, language arts, spelling, and math; grades 4-6
in
expressive writing; grades 3-6 in science; grades 3-12 in corrective
reading; and grades 4-12 in corrective math.'
Instructional Support/
This is a commercially published
program; materials may be purchased by
Professional Development
individual grade and subject, as well
as in a package suitable for school-
wide implementations. Professional development and implementation
support of differing levels of quality can be contracted from various
providers for both single-subject and schoolwide implementations. At
times, the program's scripted teachers' guides have been used in lieu of
rather than in addition toadequate professional development, giving
rise to criticism of the program for being "teacher proof."
School Reform/
Limited assistance can be contracted from some providers
as
Restructuring Assistance
part of their implementation-support package.
Role of Paraprofessionals
Trained classroom paraprofessionals are fully integrated into the
program,
working as instructional aides, one-on-one tutors, and small-group leaders
under the direction of certified teachers.
Cost of Implementation
For a schoolwide first-year implementation of the K-5 reading, writing,
language, and math curriculum, the estimated
costs are $150-$200 per
student, including materials, training of staff, and
a part-time school facil-
itator/curriculum coach.2A first-year implementation of a stand-alone
reading/language arts program ("Reading Mastery") is estimated
at $65-
$100 per student, professional development not included.
Residts*/Effect Size3
Language (+.49 to +.84); reading comprehension (+.07 to +.69); math
(+.57 to +1.11).4
* To give a sense of scale, an effect size of +1.00 would be equivalent to
an
increase of 100 points on the SAT scale or 15 points of IQenough to move a
student from the 20th percentile (the normal level of petformance for children
in poverty) to above the 50th percentile (the norm for mainstream students).
cess in raising student achievement levels, Distar was
Direct Instruction (DI) is a highly-structured
heavily criticized for being too rigid; concentrating
instructional approach, designed to acceler-
ate the learning of at-risk students.
too heavily on the basics; and for some vendors'
Curriculum materials and instructional
poor implementation practices, such as selling it
sequences
attempt to move students to mastery at the fastest
without support as a "teacher-proof" program. As
possible pace. The oldest version of the
DI, the original Distar program has been expanded
program,
Distar, was developed in the 1960s
as part of Project
and enriched. Although the early mastery of basic
Follow Through, a massive educational initiative of
skills is still a key element, the program also address-
President Johnson's War on Poverty. Despite its
suc-
es students' general comprehension and analytic
7
3
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
skills. While DI has been used successfully
as a
of automaticity, cognitive studies show that it is
schoolwide program, the reading and language arts
transfered from short-term CO long-term memory,
(and sometimes math) portions of the program
thus freeing children to apply their learning, attend
are
frequently purchased for separate implementations.
to content, and move on to progressively more diffi-
Either way, adequate professional development,
cult and higher-order skills. Some have criticized the
ensuring that practitioners understand what the pro-
curriculum, particularly reading and language arts in
gram is and how it works, is essential for successful
the later grades, for not containing a broad or chal-
implementation.
lenging enough selection of children's literature. The
program is easily supplemented, however, especially
after students have been helped to master basic
Main Features
decoding skills.
Scripted Lesson PlansClassroom scripts
are a Coaches/FacilitatorsAnother feature of the
hallmark of Direct Instruction; the scripts
are writ-
program is the use of in-class coaches for implemen-
ten, tested, rewritten, retestedpolished in a cycle
tation support. The coach periodically monitors
of classroom field-testing and revision that ends only
each classroom and is available to assist individual
when trials show that 90 percent of students
grasp a
teachers with any problems, perhaps taking over a
lesson the first time around. Without
proper orien-
part of the lesson to model pedagogical procedures.
tation, many teachers find this level of prescriptive-
In some cases, this role has been filled by an
ness off-putting. The idea, however, is to ensure that
employee of the contractor, retained to help with
even beginning teachers will be successful and to
implementation. In some multi-school implementa-
allow veteran educators to fill any holes in their
tions within a single district, teachers are released
teaching skills. With curricular and pedagogical
from regular classroom duty, given special training,
details presented in precise relationship to each
and assigned to assist one or two schools.
other, the program offers a template of how
Rapid PaceBecause the goal of DI is to move
to teach
particular skills and content. It is a template that
students to mastery as quickly as possible, a large
can be-applied to other curricula or modified to bet-
proportion of classroom time is spent on fast-paced
ter suit the needs of a particular group of students,
teacher-directed instruction, punctuated by rhyth-
but only after the teaching methods have been
mic choral-group and individual-student responses.
learned to precision.
For instructors, this means a very full work day. For
Research-tested CurriculumIn DI, skills
example, the DI program requires teachers to ask
are
taught in sequence until students have fully internal-
300 or more questions in six small-group sessions
ized them (what cognitive researchers call "auto-
each day and to perform reading checks every five or
maticity") and are able to generalize their learning in
10 lessons to ensure that all students reach 100 per-
new, untaught situations. Each lesson sequence is
cent mastery. This level of interaction, which pro-
extensively field-tested to determine the
most effec-
duces substantial achievement gains, is made possi-
tive and efficient way to lead students to mastery.
ble by the use of the heavily researched, highly
For example, the first reading and language
arts
refined scripts.
lessons focus on phonemic awareness, which
Achievement GroupingCommon periods for
are fol-
lowed by increasingly complex phonics and decod-
reading and math are established across grades dur-
ing lessons, which are followed by lessons that focus
ing which students are regrouped by performance
on comprehension and analysis of content, etc.
level, with the idea that all students will progress at
With each lesson building on previously mastered
the fastest possible pace and no students will be left
skills and understandings, teachers
are able to dra-
behind. In several schools, these groups are reduced
matically accelerate the pace of learning,
even for
in size by assigning half of the class to a paraprofes-
the most disadvantaged students. New material is
sional who leads the group through guided practice
usually introduced through teacher presentations
for half of the period, while the teacher introduces
to
the whole class or small groups, followed by guided
new material to the rest of the class, and then
practice and frequent checks for individual student
changing places. If the program is implemented
mastery. Once the skill has been learned to the point
well, these should not be rigid "tracks," but flexible
8
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS
.10