RtI & ELLs: Interpreting Reading Achievement Data

CESA 2 Title IIIA ConsortiumOctober 19, 2010

Presented byJulie A. DeCook, M.S.

ELL & World Language Programs Support TeacherSchool District of Janesville

The RtI FrameworkProportionate Representation

Gifted Programming & Talent Development

Special Education Referrals & Identifications

Disaggregated Achievement Data Disciplinary Data Attendance Data

The RtI FrameworkProfessional Learning Community

Essential Questions1. What do we want students to know

and be able to do?2. How will we teach them?3. How will we know they have learned?4. What will we do if they did not learn?5. How will we extend their learning if

they did learn?Adapted from DuFour, SDJ 2010.

The RtI FrameworkWhat do we want students to know and

be able to do?

Guaranteed & Viable CurriculumMarzano

The RtI Framework2. How will we teach the knowledge and skills?

Opportunity to Learn

The RtI Framework

Opportunity to Learn= Accessible

ComprehensibleMeaningful

Instruction at the Universal Level

Accessible, Comprehensible, Meaningful

Cultural Relevance“Mirror, mirror on the wall, do I see

myself at all?”

Accessible, Comprehensible, and Meaningful

Linguistic Relevance

What’s different about teaching ELLs to read?

What’s different about teaching reading strategies to ELLs?

Truths About ELLs

Everything about them is complex. They are NOT a homogeneous group.

“The answer to any question about ELLs is, ‘Well, that depends.’” (per Bret Russert, Van Buren)

Assumptions are more dangerous than ever.

EMBRACE THE COMPLEXITY!!!!!

Truths About ELLsOLD

NEW

Non-ELL ELL

Monolingual English Speakers

Sequential Bilinguals

w/developing English

proficiencyNon-ELL ELL

Monolingual, Bilingual,

Multilingual Speakers Proficient

in English

• Dual or Multi –Language Learners• Sequential

Bilinguals w/developing

English proficiency

Truths About ELLs Old question: What are good strategies

and assessment practices for ELLs?

New Questions: What are good strategies and assessment practices for this ELL?

Foundational Assumptions in Teaching Native-English Speakers to Read

In English 5 years of oral language development 2,000+ word vocabulary Internalized phonology Internalized intonation and cadence

Foundational Assumptions in Teaching Native-English Speakers to Read

Concepts of English Print› Book handling› Directionality› Return sweep› Sound-symbol correspondence

Reading Instruction Based on These Assumptions

Letter-naming Phonemic Awareness Phonics Decoding Sight words Word recognition Beginning fluency & comprehension

BUT for (many) ELLs . . . 5 years of oral language development

in L1 2,000+ word vocabulary in L1 Internalized phonology of L1 Internalized intonation and cadence of

L1

BUT for (many) ELLs . . . Concepts of Print

› Book handling› Directionality› Return› Symbol correspondence

The RtI FrameworkHow will we know if students have

learned?

Reading Level Systems, Running Records, Fluency Measures

The Problem: Instruction Assessment Tools Benchmarks

Are all based on the assumption that students start with the five-year English language development of a monolingual, native speaker----which is not true for ELLs.

The Problem:Using these

Instructional approaches Assessment tools Benchmarks

To determine that an ELL is not making adequate progress at the universal tier.

Thomas & Collier 750,000 ELLs K-12 over 15 years

Found that to reach the 50th percentile on a standardized, norm-referenced reading test,

It takes 5-7 years with solid L1 literacy 7-10+ years without L1 literacy

“Best Case Scenario”

ELLs K-1 learning to read in English as a nonnative language will take 7 years to reach full English reading proficiency.

No short-term intervention will get them up to grade-level.

Clash of the Benchmarks“The time it takes”

Vs.All students held to grade-level benchmarks/proficient on WKCE.

A Reading Level is Only One Piece of the Puzzle

English Reading Lens Phonemic

Awareness Phonics/Decoding Fluency Comprehension Vocabulary

Holistic English Lens Linguistic

complexity Specificity of Vocab Language Control Listening Speaking Reading Writing

Language Competence

L2CUPL1

Language Competence

L2CUPL1 Reading

Rigby’s On Our Way to English Language & Literacy Framework

Two Processes

Literacy DevelopmentEmergent Early Early

FluencyFluency

Language Acquisition in L1

Stage 1:PreproductionStage 2:Early ProductionStage 3:Speech EmergenceStage 4: Intermediate FluencyStage 5: Advanced FluencyStage 6:Full Proficiency

Birt

h to

Age

5

Kindergarten through Grade 5

Rigby’s On Our Way to English Language & Literacy Framework

Two Processes

Literacy DevelopmentEmergent Early Early

FluencyFluency

Language Acquisition in L2

Stage 1:PreproductionStage 2:Early ProductionStage 3:Speech EmergenceStage 4: Intermediate FluencyStage 5: Advanced FluencyStage 6:Full Proficiency

Transfer of Reading Skills from L1 to L2

L1 Language and Literacy Skills? Compatibility of L1 to English? What skills can be transferred? What literacy skills are being

introduced in English as the child’s second language?

Thomas & Collier (Again) Learn to read in L1 with high transferability

to L2: 4-7 years Learn concept or skill in L1 with

some transferability to L2: 6-8+ years Learn concept or skill in L2: 7-10+ years

To reach the 50th percentile on a norm-based, standardized reading test.

So What? Compare to other, similar ELLs—not to

native-English peers. Look at bigger picture-multiple

measures Look at long-term trendline Look for benchmarks per English

proficiency level

The RtI Framework What will we do if students have not

learned?

Item analysis, Diagnostics, Re-teaching, & Interventions

What about Interventions?Tier 1

Follow IRP (accommodations +) Incorporate instruction about the

English language Provide comprehensible input Give corrective feedback through

modeling. Build background knowledge

Intervention Issues

Research/Evidence-Based Interventions Ecological Validity Population Validity Fidelity of Implementation

Intervention & Monitoring Issues

Intervention Selection & Progress Monitoring Issues

What is the expected trendline for growth?

Population-based trendline vs. standards-based trendlines.

Time it takes to acquire full proficiency vs. “fixing” gaps through 6-8 week interventions.

Models of RtI

Standards-Based: is the student meeting expected benchmarks for his/her grade-level?

Problem-Based: is the student making comparable/expected/appropriate progress in relation to “true peers”?

Interpreting Reading Achievement Data for ELLs

Embrace the Complexity.Base judgments on research on ELLs.

Compare to other, similar ELLs.Celebrate the wins.

Share what’s working and replicate it.

Essential Questions Per Tier to Ensure Appropriate

Instruction of ELLs

Our Questions and

Understandings

THANK YOU!¡MUCHAS GRACIAS!

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