But Please Don’t Treat Me Like a ChildPresenter: Nori Rem

University of Wisconsin at Whitewater

36th Annual Early Childhood Conference

April 10, 2014

I Can’t Read...

I Can’t Read: The Purpose of the Workshop

This workshop is aimed at helping early childhood teachers that also work with adolescent and adult family members who struggle with

literacy. In a study conducted by Even Start, 11% of the adults enrolled in the adult basic education program had reading levels at or

under fourth grade (McShane, 2005). These adults often pass this legacy of poor reading skills down to their children. Many of these

children are the very students that occupy the seats in your classroom. At the end of each school day, these children return home to

parents and siblings who struggle to read, and are often unable to provide them with very little reading assistance.

We know that learning to read is one of the most important skills a person can acquire throughout their lifetime. Reading provides

students with a sturdy platform from which they are launched into adulthood. Reading is also a vehicle for adolescents and adults to

gain entry into college, and careers that will help them meet their personal goals. Accomplished readers typically enter their adult

years filled with opportunity and promise. In contrast, struggling readers will most likely encounter social, emotional, and financial

difficulties, which can be directly attributed to their poor reading skills (International Dyslexia Association, 2002).

Adolescents and adults who struggle to read cannot be treated like little children. In order to provide these readers with a

supportive environment that fosters active participation, we must make every attempt to provide them with age appropriate

materials. To truly help our young students we must ask ourselves not only what can we do to help them; but also what can we do to

help their siblings and parents who struggle with literacy ?

I Can’t Read: Workshop Goals

During todays session we will examine:

1. The unique educational and emotional needs of middle school through adult students who struggle to read.

2. How assessment helps us meet students specific needs

3. How alphabetic knowledge impacts comprehension in older readers

4. Why learning to decode words using the six syllable rules is beneficial

5. Concrete methods to increase retention of information and improve comprehension

6. Effective strategies that specifically address the needs of adolescent and adult readers in each of the critical reading components

7. Writing strategies that really work

8. Appropriate lesson planning for adults and adolescents

What We Know About Struggling Adolescent and Adult Readers

They have a genuine desire to read

They feel embarrassed about their lack of reading ability (Imel, 1996)

They do everything in their power to hide their inability to read

They often use inappropriate behavior to deflect attention

They are not able to help their children learn to read

They frequently drop out of high-school

They are relegated to low paying jobs (International Reading Association, 2002)

Their standard of living may be negatively affected for life

Environments that Foster Participation

Adolescents and adults learn best when their environments are emotionally safe, appropriate, and respectful of individual differences.

To meet this need in older students :

• Learning should be student centered, stimulating, and age appropriate.

• Classrooms should be free of unnecessary distractions during instruction.

• Classmates should be discouraged from making negative or derogatory remarks when others are engaged

in reading.

• Instruction should be designed to encourage collaboration between student and teacher.

• Students should receive frequent and immediate feedback.

• Discussions regarding student’s reading progress should be considered a private matter, and never be

discussed with other adults, or in public.

• Teacher‘s should make every effort to establish a rapport with students.

• There should be meaningful connections between real life and any instruction. (Imel, 1996).

Step I:How Assessment Helps Educators Meet Adolescent & Adult Needs

Effective reading instruction is not a one size fits all process. To adequately meet the needs of more mature learners,

thorough diagnostic assessments should be conducted to identify each students specific strengths and weaknesses in

reading. Once instructors have carefully analyzed assessment data, that information should be incorporated into

instructional planning. Assessments assist teachers in ascertaining students current reading levels. They also help educators

provide students with targeted, relevant, literacy instruction specific to the areas in which they demonstrate weakness.

There are no standard assessment tools designed to fit the needs of every struggling reader. Consequently some students

may need to be assessed using a variety of instruments including computerized tools. If assessment results indicate possible

learning disabilities, those students should be referred to professionals trained to identify and diagnose specific reading

difficulties. When an official diagnosis related to a learning disability is determined, students may then be eligible for

certain federal protections in educational, or workplace settings.

Once assessments are complete all results should be shared with students. This will encourage students to become active

participants in the learning process. This information will also help you and the student determine what goals and objectives

are important to achieve. Students who are actively engaged in goal setting are more likely to complete literacy programs.

Step I: Components of Comprehensive Assessments

A comprehensive assessment of reading ability should consist of many components.

Student interviews

Observations (Formal, informal, and anecdotal)

Surveys to determine individual interests

A review of previous school records whenever possible

A complete reading assessment that includes screenings of alphabetic knowledge, phonic skills, decoding, fluency, comprehension and writing samples.

Step II: How Alphabetic Knowledge Impacts Comprehension

Adolescents and adults who struggle to read will present with a wide spectrum of alphabetic knowledge. In many cases adult students may need to relearn the entire range of alphabetic skills to improve their reading ability. While the majority of students will be able to generally recite the alphabet with ease, it is important not to use this as the only indicator of alphabetic skill.

To move students from letter reading to word reading, students must understand the connection between letter forms and letter sounds. If this connection is not firmly established students will struggle with word reading, which will negatively impact comprehension. Before any attempts are made to teach students to read, daily instruction designed to strengthen this skill should be included in lesson plans.

However, although this is an elementary level skill it is important to use instructional materials that are designed for older students. Instructional materials should be free of any references to grade level, immature pictures, or “babyish” language.

Students should not attempt advanced word reading until they are able to:

1. Identify all letter forms- in and out of order

2. Correlate each letter form to each letter sound

3. Successfully blend words with three to four letters

4. Identify sight words on students designated reading level

Step II: Teaching Alphabetic Knowledge to Adolescents & Adults

1. Divide the alphabet into groups of 4-5 letters when teaching letter forms and sounds. When teaching make a visual distinction between vowels and consonants.

a b c d * e f g h * i j k l m * n o p q r * s t u v * w x y z

2. Teach students that the alphabet contains 5 vowels, the remaining letters are consonants. Make consistent references to the letters using this terminology.

3. Use explicit instruction to teach short vowel sounds. Students will not improve reading skills without mastering short vowel sounds. ă ĕ ĭ ŏ ŭ

4. Keep in mind that the letters b, d, p, t are quick sounds and pronunciation should not be dragged out.

5. Be careful when teaching the letter “r”. The letter “r” does not make the “er” sound.

6. Teach letters in isolation and in combination.

7. Continue reviewing letters previously taught.

Step II: Teaching Alphabetic Knowledge to Adolescents & Adults

theofandatoinisyouthatit

hewasforonareaswithhistheyI

atbethishavefromoronehadbyword

butnotwhatallwerewewhenyourcansaid

thereuseaneachwhichshedohowtheirif

willupotheraboutoutmanythenthemtheseso

someherwouldmakelikehimintotimehaslook

twomorewritegoseenumbernowaycouldpeople

mythanfirstwaterbeencallwhooilitsnow

findlongdowndaydidgetcomemademaypart

Instant Words- The First HundredIn addition to teaching students to sound out words by blending, they should also practice reading words that are regularly encountered in print. The list below contains the most common words found in beginning text. Generally called sight words these words should be memorized, and not blended.

Lincs.ed.gov (2012)

Step II: Teaching Alphabetic Knowledge to Adolescents & Adults

Digraphs Blends

Digraphs consist of two letters that make one sound. Digraphs can occur in the beginning, middle, or end of words Some examples of digraphs are:

th – this, southern, with sh- ship, worship, wishch- chip, teacher, teachwh- what, anywhereph- phone, phonograph, graph

Blends consist of two or three letters that maintain their unique sounds when pronounced. Some examples of blends are:

Beginning Blends Ending Blendsbl- blue st- most cl- clown ft- liftdr- draw mp- lampsp- spot lp- help tw- twin pt- keptqu- quit sp- wisp

Digraphs and blends should be taught after students have mastered basic alphabetic skills. They will help students decode more complex words.

Step III: Why Learning to Decode Words Using Six Syllable Rules is Important

Many words in the English language may be easily identified by students; however, more complicated words requirestrong decoding skills. Strong readers can identify and decode words so effortlessly, that it does not impactcomprehension. When students labor over words it has a negative impact on comprehension.

Typically words in the English language follow predictable patterns. Struggling readers must learn to unlock theseword patterns to read more complex words. Once students have mastered all of the alphabet sounds and they areable to consistently blend simple three to four letter words with ease, they are ready to tackle the six syllablerules. The six syllable rules will help students decode words containing more than one syllable.

In addition to the six syllable rules, students should receive instruction in:

Root words = tell

Prefixes = retell

Suffixes = retelling

Plural endings = tells

Step III: Six Syllable Rules + 1

1. Closed Syllables The vowel in closed syllables is found between two consonants. The vowel in a closed syllable is short.căt bĕd hĭt pŏp pŭg

2. Open Syllables The consonant in an open syllable is immediately followed by a vowel. The vowel in an open syllable is usually long. gō nō hī

3. Vowel + R A vowel is immediately followed by the letter “r”. Er, ir and ur all make the same sound. These syllables can be found at the beginning, middle, or end of words.

ar= art er= fern ir= fir or= for ur= fur

4. Vowel Pals Vowel Pals consist of two vowels side by side in a syllable or word. The first vowel is long and the second vowel is silent. tēam fāir stēer

5. Secondary Syllables These syllables are found at the end of words. The sound never changes. ing= trying ture= picture zle= muzzle tion= function

6. Quiet “E” Occurs when the letter “e” is found at the end of a word. The “e” is silent. The vowel that proceeds the “e” is long. māke tūbe

7. Consonant “Y” When the letter “y” is found at the end of a one syllable word it makes the long “ī” sound.When the letter “y” is found at the end of a 2 syllable word, it makes the long “ē” sound.

fly= flī happy= happē

Step IV: Concrete Methods to Improve Comprehension

Effective reading instruction consists of strategies used before, during and after reading. Students must be provided with adequate time to synthesize the skills and then put them into practice. In addition, every student can benefit from reading instruction that is multisensory and hands- on. In order to transition to more complex comprehension tasks, students must be able to do more than simple recall. They must be able to merge information found in more complicated reading passages.

When older students receive targeted, systematic instruction in reading comprehension they are more likely to increase their skill level in reading. Unlike younger students, adults and adolescents often bring a whole range of knowledge, as well as diverse experiences to reading. These students should be given the opportunity to share their prior information. They can then use their experiences as a scaffold to help them combine that information with any subject matter they may encounter in reading passages. When student’s struggle with meaning in text, they should not be instructed to read silently, because it has not been shown to increase comprehension.

Older students also benefit when they are exposed to a wide variety of reading materials appropriate for their age and skill level. To meet this need it may be necessary to provide students with a selection of reading material, and allow students to choose that which is most interesting to them. When students are practicing new reading skills, instructors should take the time to explain how the skill impacts reading, and why the skill is important to achieve good reading results.

Step IV: Concrete Methods to Increase Comprehension

1.

Jake liked to stay home and bake. He

made cookies and cupcakes from nine to

five. Jake liked to bake white

chip cookies and bite- sized banana

cupcakes. When Jake finished, his mom

would taste all his treats.

2.

After he finished baking, he cleaned the

tile in the kitchen to make it shine. Then

he found a box to pack the cookies. He

used twine to tie the box. He tied the twine

tightly so that the cookies and cupcakes

would not slide out of the box.

3.

He then opened the gate to get his bike.

Jake rode his bike for one mile to get to

his favorite place. He loved to ride to

Hope Lake to visit his two friends Kate

and Nate, nice white mice. Kate and Nate

were twins.

1. Teachers/ parents preview the story to determine if any vocabulary or concepts will create a problem for students

2. Survey student’s prior knowledge regarding story concepts or main ideas3. Preview story with students and make predictions (Discussing story prior to reading helps students

retain information)4. Pre-teach vocabulary5. Present text in chunks if necessary

It’s in Your Hand! Quiet “E” - Decodable Story One

Jake Can Bake By Nori Rem

Step IV: Concrete Methods to Increase Comprehension

It’s in Your Hand! Quiet “E” - Decodable Story One

Jake Can Bake by Nori Rem

1. Jake liked to stay home and bake. He made cookies and cupcakes from nine to five. Jake liked to bake white chocolate

chip cookies and bite- size banana cupcakes. When Jake finished, his mom would taste all of his yummy treats.

2. After he finished baking, he cleaned the tile in the kitchen to make it shine. Then he found a box to pack the cookies. He

used twine to tie the box. He tied the twine tightly so that the cookies and cupcakes would not slide out of the box.

3. He then opened the gate to get his bike. Jake rode his bike for one mile to get to his favorite place. He loved

to ride to Hope Lake to visit his two friends Kate and Nate, nice white mice. Kate and Nate were twins.

5. Model reading one or two paragraphs and pose questions by thinking aloud. (Ex: It seems like Jake does a great deal of baking, I wonder if he and his mom can eat all of that food?6. Children read story... Children re-read story (Very important for comprehension)8. Complete comprehension check9. Revisit prior knowledge board and discuss new knowledge10. Write summary of story to further increase comprehension, help retain knowledge

Step IV: Concrete Methods to Increase Comprehension

Reading Strategies

Before Reading During Reading After Reading

1. Pre-teach challenging, confusing, or new vocabulary.

2. Allow children to highlight challenging vocabulary in text.

3. Evaluate children’s prior knowledgebefore reading story, then provide them with relevant information to fill in the gaps.

4. Browse book and have children make predictions about the story based on pictures or read an excerpt to increase interest.

5. Make real life connections to concepts in text.

1. As you are reading stop and “think aloud” which encourages children to think about what they are reading.

2. Ask children open ended questions during reading to help them develop critical thinking skills.

3. Present text to children in amounts appropriate for their age and skill level.

4. If children are overwhelmed with too much text on a page, make a copy and cut it up.

5. Glue cut up text to notebook paper and allow students to make notes as they read

1. Reread story at least twice.(Improves both fluency and comprehension).

2. Ask students to retell story in their own words.

3. Have students draw what happened in beginning middle and end of story to reinforce sequencing skills.

4. Ask students to write a summary of about what was read.

5. Do hands- on project following each story. (Ex. Create pyramids after reading about Egypt)

Step V: English Language Learners

What Research Says

Research tells us that oral language development is the foundation for early literacy (Roskos, 2009). In addition, we know that children who struggle with oral language may also struggle with literacy skills as they enter school (2013). English language learners have the double burden of developing strong literacy skills in their home language, in addition to their second language.

In order to provide support for English language learners, educators must create learning environments that not only nurture and strengthen student’s native languages, but also provide a soft place to land as they attempt their acquisition of a second language. Creating a language friendly environment will assist students in making the connection between native language skills acquired in the child’s home to the conventions of the English language. To achieve this goal, experts suggest delivering an ELL students initial instruction entirely in their native language (Espinosa, 2008). Then once they have mastered the mechanics of their language, the transition can begin to instruction in the second language (2008).

Unfortunately, this research is proving difficult to move from theory to practice. First of all, there is no single effective model for ELL classrooms or established method of instruction. Each English Language Learners program is different and outcomes vary from program to program. Second, the federally funded Head Start program has authenticated over one hundred forty different languages spoken in their classrooms nationwide, which makes it difficult to obtain teachers who speak every language (Espinosa, 2008).

Furthermore, ninety percent of teachers only speak one language, which means that it is difficult to place every ELL student in a classroom where they receive instruction in their native language, or a teacher who can communicate with them in their native language (2008). Finally, and perhaps most distressing is the high number dropouts related to ELL students, which can be directly attributed to a lack of strong English skills (Espinosa, 2008). Statistics indicate that English Language Learners have a dropout rate double the rate of those students in which English is the native language spoken in the home (2008).

Due to funding issues, research regarding best practices for English Language Learners is limited and sporadic . In the meantime, we must use the information that is currently available to provide the best instruction we can and create environments conducive to supporting second language learners. All of our student’s deserve appropriate instructional support in both oral language development and early literacy skills.

Part V: English Language Learners

Research Says English Language Learners

Have the ability to learn more than one language (Espinosa, 2008) Gain cognitively from learning more than one language (2008) Benefit economically from learning more than one language (2008) Instruction for second language learners with backgrounds in Spanish, French,

Italian and Portuguese can better facilitated by incorporating explicit instruction in cognates into reading lessons (Literacy Information and Communication System, 2012)

Adult second language learners typically have a less extensive vocabulary (2012)

Step V: Stages of Language Acquisition

Stages of Language Acquisition in English Language Learners

1.L1: Student only speaks native language2.L2: Silent period when student is reluctant (afraid) to speak the second language3.Pre-Production: English comprehension is limited and student is working on improving listening skills4.Early Production: Student has gained ability to speak and comprehend limited amount of English, & sentence construction has improved. Vocabulary development is limited to concrete thoughts and ideas5.Speech Emergence: Student can speak and comprehend English necessary for clear communication, has developed strong sentence construction skills. However student continues to struggle with abstract information in English.6.Intermediate Fluency: Fluency has improved and student is able to create increasingly difficult sentences and produce more complicated vocabulary. (Connecticut State Department of Education, 2007)

We know that many cognates that transfer from language to language, such as bank and banco. However, there are some sounds in the English language that do not exist in Spanish. For instance, there are no short vowel sounds for ă, ĕ, ĭ, ŏ, ŭ in Spanish. The letter a makes the same sound in Spanish, as the short vowel sound o in English.

In addition, many other consonant sounds are problematic for second language learners.

Part V: English Language Learners

d- dog -thog j-juice- chuice r- rat- r is rolled

sh- shoes- choes th-that- tat v- very- bery

g- angel -anhel su- sugar- shugar z-zebra- sebra

Part V: Strategies to Support English Language Learners

1. Select a partner for the student2. Teach the student vocabulary necessary to survive in their new environment3. Schedule one-on-one time with ELL students to practice basic vocabulary and

sentences4. Give the child think time when answering questions.5. Develop quiet signals so student can let teacher know they are struggling with

information6. Create places of refuge in classroom where ELL students can relax7. Provide classroom print materials in students native language8. Connect your words to your actions (Ex. I am using scissors to cut a circle.)

9. Connect students words to their actions (Ex. Now you are using scissors to cut a circle.)

10. Create a safe classroom environment.

(Connecticut State Department of Education, 2007)

Step VI: Lesson Planning for Adolescents & Adults

objectives Time Teacher Activities

Student Activities

Materials

AlphabeticKnowledge

Decoding

Comprehension

Fluency

References

Connecticut State Department of Education. (2007). Preschool experiences in early language and literacy. State Education Resource Center. Retrieved from http://www.ctserc.org/rfi/Preschool%20Experiences.

Espinosa, L. (2008, January). Challenging common myths about young English learners. Foundation for Child Development. Retrieved from http://fcd-us.org/sites/defaults/files/Myths.

Imel, S. (1996). Inclusive learning environments for adults. Eric Digests.org. Retrieved from http://www.ericdigests.org/1996-2/adult.html

Kruidner, J. (2002). From practice to practice: Research- based principles for adult basic education reading instruction. National Institute for Literacy. Retrieved from http://lincs.ed.gov/webcasts/assesspractice2/webcast0111.html

Literacy Information and Communication System(2012). Instant words- First Hundred. Retrieved from http://www.lincs.ed.gov/readingprofiles/PF_Instant_Words.htm.

McShane, S. (2005). Applying research in reading instruction for adults: First steps for teachers. National Center for Family Literacy. Retrieved from http://lincs.ed.gov/publications/html/mcshane/index.html

The International Dyslexia Association. (2002, October). Adults with dyslexia and the workplace. Retrieved from http://www.interdys.org