rti and early literacy practice: whole group and small ... · tier 1 is effective in helping many...

RTI and Early Literacy Practice:

Whole Group and Small Group Instructional Strategies

Karen StoiberUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

with Maribeth

GettingerUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison

Critical Evidence-Based Practices Assumption…..

“actions of [Researchers, Psychologists, Early Childhood Educators] are evidence producing and evidence using, and further…..joined in an interactive message exchange system” (Mageen, 2002)

Context for Multi-Tiered Curricula Development

Early childhood Head Start and Delegate programs serving 3 to 5 year olds.

1 lead teacher and 1 teacher aide per classroom.

Approximately 17-20 children per classroom.

High poverty/ Low SES (90% meet federal poverty level; 60% - 70% score below 85 on PPVT).

Ethnic Minority (90% African-American, 6-10% of Hispanic origin, 2% or less White/Other).

CONTEXT FOR WHOLE GROUP and SMALL GROUP CURRICULUM

DEVELOPMENT – ERF GRANT GOALS

Literacy instruction grounded in scientific research (evidence-based practices).Multi-tiered instruction.

Screening and progress-monitoring.

[Professional development to support implementation][Family involvement]

*PrincipalAssistant Principal

*RTI Coach/Facilitator*PBS Team Leader

PsychologistCounselors

Social WorkersOther Staff Members

Tier 1*PBS Team Leader

Social WorkerBehavior Specialist

RTI CoachPsychologistCounselorTeacher

Tier 1*RTI CoachCounselor

Psychologist*Academic CoachesECS, LRS, or CRT,

Social Worker,Teacher,

Other Members

Tier 2Interventionist(s)

PsychologistsStaff Members

(Targeted Groups)

Tier 3*RTI CoachAcademicCoach(es)

Parents*Teachers

Tier 3*RTI CoachPsychologist

BehaviorSpecialist

Parent*Teachers

Tier 2Behavior Specialist

PsychologistInterventionistsStaff Members

(Targeted Groups)

*Project Directors3 Education Supervisors

Teachers*Literacy Coach

Graduate Assistants

Tier 1Teacher

Teacher Aide*Literacy Coach

*Graduate Assistants*

Tier 1Teacher



Tier 2Teacher



Tier 3Teacher


*Graduate Assistants

Tier 3Teacher



Tier 2Teacher



Education SupervisorsTeachers

Tier 1Teacher

Teacher Aide

*

Tier 1Teacher

Teacher Aide*

Tier 2Teacher

Teacher Aide*

Tier 3Teacher

Teacher Aide

Tier 3Teacher

Teacher Aide

Tier 2Teacher

Teacher Aide

Effective Instruction is:Relevant--Theme-related content across curriculum (e.g., Shared Book Reading, Centers, Book-Extension Activities, Small-Group, Vocabulary)

Well-specified

Explicit

Carefully designed with context considerations

EMERGE Curriculum ThemesTheme 1: Friends and SchoolTheme 2: Inside Me, Outside MeTheme 3: Make It, Build ItTheme 4: Families and CelebrationsTheme 5: Our Community and WorldTheme 6: Staying Well, Staying SafeTheme 7: Animals and Where They LiveTheme 8: Everything ChangesTheme 9: Let’s Explore: Bugs & Water

Well-Specified: Four Key Emergent Literacy Skills

S – Sound awarenessO – Oral language & VocabularyA – Alphabet knowledgeP – Print awareness

Whitehurst & Lonigan, 1998


Sound Awareness– Rhyming– Alliteration

Oral Language & Vocabulary– Understanding words/concepts– Expressive language & vocabulary– Comprehension of stories



Alphabet Knowledge– Identifying letters– Naming letters

Print Awareness– Understanding print

conventions – Emergent writing – Recognizing environmental

print


Explicit: Theme II TRAK

Explicit: Each Theme Kit Includes:

Book-Reading Guide ( 3 books per week; or 120/ 40 wks; 150 for 50 wks)– Emphasis on interactive oral language skills

Vocabulary Cards (1-2 per book; 200 words total)

Book Content-Print Charts (1 per book)

Book-Extension Activities (2 per book)

Explicit: Two Broad Categories of Early Literacy Skills

Meaning Related:Books and Words Talk about and obtain

meaning from print

150 SBR BooksFive Categories

Pattern-PredictableSocial-MulticulturalKnowledge (science, math)Letters and SoundsNarrative (plot)

Vocabulary CardsBook Charts

Code Related:Letters and SoundAbility to hear, identify, &

manipulate structure of language

Theme-link Focus Letters

SOAP Activities Manual:Particular emphasis on

alphabet knowledge (letters) & phonological awareness (sounds)

Carefully Designed: SBR Guide “Too Much”

SBR Guide: From Head to Toe Sound Awareness

Say the name of each animal out loud and clap the syllables (e.g., pen-guin). Have the children repeat several times with you.

What sound does p-p-p-penguin start with?

Make a list of animals that appear in the book. Ask the children to think of a name for each animal that starts with the same sound as the animal (e.g., Peggy Penguin).

Carefully Designed: Vocabulary Cards

Four Vocabulary Cards Each WeekFour Instructional Steps for Each WordMix of Difficulty Level for WordsExplain word using developmentally appropriate languageContextualize word in storyProvide examples of useConnect to other words and contexts throughout day

(Beck & McKeown, 2007)

Vocabulary Cards: Theme 6

Book Chart: The Kissing Hand

Book Extension ActivitiesEmphasis on comprehension and language.Two small-group activities developed for each book. Activities adhere to a standard format:– Purpose (What will be learned?)– Materials (What needed?)– Step-by-Step Explanation (How to do

as part of Tier 1 instruction)– Strategies for Modifying (How to

support as part of Tier 2 or 3 modification)

Book Extension ActivityBrown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? By Bill Martin Jr. and illustrated by Eric Carle

What children will learn: The purpose of this activity is for children to get practice naming colors and animals.

What materials you will need: Paper, paint/paintbrushes, markers

What to do:• Have the children look at the pictures of the animals in the book. Have them notice that they are large (covering two pages) and some are strangely colored (i.e., purple cat).• Then have them draw or paint a picture of a big animal that almost covers the page in an unusual color.• Help them to write the color and animal on their paper. • When the child has completed their picture have them share with their small group. For instance, they can ask their neighbors “What do you see?” and their neighbor can answer with the name and color of the animal they made just like in the story.

Movement to Tier 2Tier 1 is effective in helping many children develop and acquire SOAP skills. BUT … some children need a stronger (NOT different!) focus on SOAP skills (more time, more exposure, more practice, more individualization, more intense). These children need Tier 2 small-group instruction.

Advantages of Multi-tiered Early Literacy Approaches

Serves students who require little intervention as well as students who require long-term, intensive intervention.Relies on progress-monitoring to inform instructional decisions.Matches level of support to student need.Allows for application of response to intervention model within a regular early childhood setting (Head Start) through the use of ongoing measurement of progress.

Response to Intervention

Tier 3Intensive,

individualized interventions

Tier 2Small group instruction

Supplemental Interventions

Tier 1High quality, research-based instruction

Core Curriculum

National Association of State Directors & Special Education, 2003

Response to Intervention: EMERGE

Tier 3Focused

Tutoring & Repeated

Readings

Tier 2Daily Teacher-led Small- group SOAP and Theme-

related activities and instruction

Tier 1Early Childhood “Packaged” Program Curriculum

Shared Book ReadingTheme-Related Activities

SOAP StrategiesLiteracy-Rich Environment

TIER Evidence-Based Early Literacy and Language Component

Books and Words[B-W Element]

Letters and Sounds[L-S Element]

Tier 160-90

min per day

o 150 books [3 books per wk]o Book-reading guides [1 per book]o Book charts [1 per book]o Tier 1 book-extension activities [2 per

book]o 200 vocabulary words [5 words per wk]

o SOAP Strategies Manual: Tier 1 implementation [6 small-group SOAP activities per week]

o Focus on L-S during book reading through strategies on book guide

Tier 240 min per day(two 20-

min small group activi ties)

Supplemental Small-Group Support Supplemental Small-Group Supporto Repeated reading of Tier 1 books and use

of Tier 1 vocabulary word sequenceo Book-extension activities: Tier 2 Support

implementation guidelines and strategies

o SOAP Strategies Manual: Tier 2 Support implementation guidelines and strategies

Supplemental Small-Group Challenge Supplemental Small-Group Challenge

o Book-extension activities: Tier 2 Challenge implementation guidelines and strategies

o SOAP Strategies Manual: Tier 2 Challenge guidelines and strategies

Tier 315 min

per day

o EMERGE Tutoring Manual: Focused practice and repetition of book-reading and vocabulary [1 book and word per session]

o EMERGE Tutoring Manual: Focused practice with individual letters and sounds [1 letter/sound per session]

Tier 2/3 ScreeningGoal:– Identify children at risk for reading failure– Ensure scaffolding of instruction across tiers to meet all

children’s needs– Identify lowest performing 40-50% of children to receive

Tier 2 in fall.

What measures do we use?– Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening-

PreKindergarten(PALS-PreK; Invernizzi, Sullivan, Meier, & Swank, 2004)

– Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT-III; Dunn & Dunn, 1997)

– Informal Oral-Story Retelling

– Get Ready to Read (GRTR)

Progress Monitoring

Theme Curriculum-Based

–Alphabet Knowledge (Focus Letters & Alphabet)

–Vocabulary Knowledge –Book Comprehension–Book Recognition

Progress Monitoring Theme 2- Letter Naming

X T EI L Q

M S C H BW N F A DZ P K O RY G J U V

Progress Monitoring: Theme 2 Book Recognition & Comprehension

Book Comprehension and Book Recognition

Here are pictures of some of the books that we read together. Look at the pictures of the books.

BOOK COMPREHENSIONPoint to the book about all of the different things you can do in your skin and all of the different colors of skin. [THE SKIN YOU LIVE IN]]Point to the book about a mystery object that is in a dark place.[IN A DARK, DARK WOOD]Point to the book about boys and girls at school who are coloring pictures, playing together, and are happy. [BRIGHT EYES, BROWN SKIN]

BOOK RECOGNITIONPoint to the book with the title: BRIGHT EYES, BROWN SKINPoint to the book with the title: IN A DARK, DARK WOODPoint to the book with the title: THE SKIN YOU LIVE IN

Progress Monitoring: Theme 2- Vocabulary Words Example

Progress MonitoringDecision-Making– Identify the lowest 50% of children for Tier

2/3 (supplemental support and intense focus small-group instruction) blending teachers’ knowledge and data from tools

3-6 children in the lowest 25% of the class comprise one small group (Intense Focus)3-6 children in the next highest 25% of the class comprise another small group (Supplemental Support)

Small Group Instruction• Small-group formats may be more effective in helping children acquire SOAP skills when compared to a large- group format for teaching similar skills.

• Small-group strategies increase instructional intensity:–Children can be divided into broad skills groups: well-below average, below average, average, and above average–Ways to modify: Focus on fewer letters at one time, provide additional practice with rhyming patterns, add kinesthetic-tactile activities –Greater exposure to language and print, additional practice with literacy skills, and activity adaptations –Intense Focus Group--Minimum 4 times weekly for 15 minutes

• Elbaum, Vaughn, Hughes, & Moody, 1999

Tips for Small-Group Activities• Plan ahead! Use small-group planning form.

• Make adjustments in group size as needed:• Small enough so EVERY child has plenty of opportunities to respond.• Large enough so there are plenty of different responses from children and peer interaction.

• Balance teacher guidance and student choice:• Make sure there is a strong focus on SOAP skills, BUT … avoid drill, drill, drill.

DIFFERENTIATED SMALL GROUP PLANNINGACTIVITY:

HOW TO DO IT: Strategies, Ideas Focus (Circle One)

Typical Group Sound AwarenessOral Language/VocabAlphabet KnowledgePrint Awareness

Need to Support(Below Group)

Sound AwarenessOral Language/VocabAlphabet KnowledgePrint Awareness

Need to Intensely Focus(Well-Below Group)


Need to Challenge(High Group)


Activity Goal/Focus:

Evidence of Progress:Reflections about how it went:

Next Goal/Focus:

Small Group Vocabulary GameBingo Card

Bingo Vocabulary Card:Definition Example

Small-Group Curriculum• SOAP Activities:

• Manualized• Can be adapted (ways to support and challenge)• Developmental Focus:

• Sound awareness: noticing sounds, breaking down sounds, rhyming, alliteration, and manipulating sounds (2)

• Oral language: vocabulary and word knowledge, expressive language, asking and answering questions, and comprehension of stories and books (1)

• Alphabet knowledge: distinguishing letters from non- letters, letter matching and recognition, naming letters, letter shapes and letter writing, and letter-sound correspondence (2)

• Print awareness: message and meaning of print, environmental print, book awareness, and writing (1)

EMERGE SOAP Activities Manual

Small-Group CurriculumThematic Small-Group Activities:– Manualized– Developmentally appropriate, thematic

activities designed to supplement the curriculum

– Nine themes, each including 8-10 small- group activities

– Include ways to support and challenge– Include math or science connections

SOUND AWARENESS: Noticing SoundsActivity: FIND THE SOUND

Why? To help children listen to and identify a sound.

What’s Needed? Ticking clock or timer

How?1. Ask the children to cover their eyes. 2. While their eyes are covered, hide a ticking clock or

timer somewhere in the room.3. Children cover their eyes and find the sound by

listening.


SOUND AWARENESS: Noticing SoundsHow to Support?

1. If children are having difficulty with this activity, allow children to keep their eyes open during the first time you do this activity before asking them to close their eyes.

2. Give clues as needed.

How to Challenge?

1. As the children’s listening skills develop, more difficult hiding places can be used.


ALPHABET KNOWLEDGE: Letter Matching and Visual Recognition

Activity: EYE SPY

Why? To gain experience locating and naming letters in familiar words.

What’s Needed? Pretend glasses, or special magnifying/“spy” glasses

How?

1. Present a chart with children’s names or a word list. Another option is to point out signs or labels in the classroom.2. Demonstrate how to use the special spy glasses to be a detective to find target letters in their names, vocabulary words, or other familiar words.3. Children use the glasses to pretend to be spies looking for a target letter in their names, vocabulary words, or other familiar words.


ALPHABET KNOWLEDGE: Letter Matching and Visual RecognitionHow to Support?

1. If children are having difficulty with this activity, write the words around the room in all upper-case letters. These words should be short (4-5 letters).

2. Give the child a card with the target upper-case letter on it. They can reference the card and match the letters.

How to Challenge?

1. Have the child look for lower-case target letters that are found within a word and are not the first letter of the word. After the child has found a letter, have the name it and say its sound.


Story Stretcher “Too Much”

Small Group Video

Results: Upper Letter Naming for Children

Upper-Case Letter Naming

0

5

10

15

20

25

Multi-Tier Strategies only Control

Fall

Spring

Percentage of Students Qualifying for Letter Sound Measure

Letter Sounds Identification: % qualified

01020304050607080

Fall Spring

Multi-TierStrategies only

Data Informed Bottom line ….

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll only get what you always got!

What Remains Uncertain about Multi-Tiered Model

Sustaining Delivery of M-TIER Instruction– Which multi-tiered instructional components will

remain in place without grant; – Prior curriculum alone probably rarely met student

needs, yet unlikely that Tier 3 level instruction will occur without funding (thus importance of Tier 2);

– Instruction that is well-specified, explicit, and carefully designed to student level is most effective for small group instruction; progress monitoring needed, yet unlikely without grant support and expectation;

– How much and what type of instruction needed to “close the gap” for long-term outcomes?

AcknowledgementsCo-Project Director, Dr. Maribeth Gettinger

Graduate assistants and coaching staff: Jessica Brumm, Carrie Ball, Jenn DeSmet, Kristin Dezen, Heather Drumm, Mary Fenelon, Jackie Flint, Erin Brodhagen, Sandy Gadzichowski, Laura Hage, Melissa Hernandez, Heather Lesser, Jenn Ping, Crystal Pratt, & Leah VanGrinsven

Appreciation is expressed for our partnership with Social Development Commission Head Start of Milwaukee County

Contact InformationKaren Stoiber

University of [email protected]

(414) 229-6841

mailto:[email protected]

rti and early literacy practice: whole group and small ... · tier 1 is effective in helping many...

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