Closing the Achievement Gap: Progress Monitoring of Head Start Students within an Early Reading First Curriculum

Transcription

1 Closing the Achievement Gap: Progress Monitoring of Head Start Students within an Early Reading First Curriculum Karen L. Gischlar, Edward S. Shapiro, Patricia H. Manz, Ageliki Nicolopoulou Lehigh University Center for Promoting Research to Practice NHSA, 2007 San Antonio, TX

2 Project LEARN Partnership between Lehigh University s Center for Promoting Research to Practice and Community Services for Children, Inc., located in Allentown, PA funded by an Early Reading First grant from the U.S. Department of Education 2

3 The Setting Community Services for Children, Inc. Seven full-day, full-year Early Reading First classrooms across three sites Classrooms serve 137 three- and four-year old children and their families More than 25% of students speak Spanish as their primary language 3

4 The Students Sample includes 50% of students Age: 18 three-year-old children (25.7%) 52 four-year-old children (74.3%) Gender: 33 male (47.1%) 37 female (52.9%) Primary language: 26 (37.14%) English Language Learners (ELLs), primary language Spanish 4

5 The Curriculum Opening the World of Learning (Pearson Early Learning, 2005) Research-based, integrated curriculum designed to develop language and early literacy skills through content areas mathematics, science, and social studies Instruction supported by literacy mentors Periodic integrity checks On-going professional development 5

6 Progress Monitoring What is it? Evidence-based practice used to assess student progress and to evaluate effectiveness of instruction Why is it important? Indicator of general health Data-based decision-making Early intervention Efficient means for communicating student progress 6

7 CIRCLE Assessment Center for Improving the Readiness of Children for Learning and Education (CIRCLE; CIRCLE Group, 2004) Letter Naming, Vocabulary, and Phonological Awareness measures Three benchmark periods PDA administered Immediate feedback and suggested classroom interventions for addressing individual skill deficits Spanish version 7

8 CIRCLE cont... 8

9 CIRCLE cont... 9

10 Using CIRCLE to Make Instructional Decisions Letters Group Polly Pocket Dora Explorer Bob Builder Alliteration Group Dora Explorer Jimmy Neutron Spongebob Squarepants Letter Sorting and Matching (#28) Name Sort (#12) Name Chart (#14) Tongue Twisters (#1) Fingerplays and Poems (#2) Sounds in Motion (#3) 10

11 CIRCLE Sample Lesson Sounds in Motion Activity Have students stand in a circle. Explain that they will be listening for the first sound in their names. Call out a letter sound, name an animal and a movement that begins with that same letter sound. For example: If your name starts with /s/, go into the circle and slither like a snake. As the students enter the circle, add their names to the alliterative sentence. For example: Susan and Sam are slithering like snakes. Continue the activity using letters appropriate for your students names. 11

12 IGDI Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDI; Early Childhood Research Institute on Measuring Growth and Development, 1998) Picture Naming, Rhyming, and Alliteration Monthly administration All materials downloadable free of charge Free website provides individual and classwide progress monitoring graphs 12

13 IGDI cont... Picture Naming Alliteration Rhyming 13

14 IGDI Graph Instructional decision? Pebbles Flintstone Picture Naming 14

15 IGDI Graph Instructional decision? Fred Flintstone Alliteration 15

16 Instructional decision? IGDI Graph Barney Rubble Rhyming 16

17 Year 1 CIRCLE Findings Measure Change Score Effect Size Letter Naming Vocabulary Listening Rhyming Rhyming Alliteration Syllabication Sentences Onset Rime* *English version only 17

18 Year 1 CIRCLE cont... Circle Measures Effect Sizes Spring 2006 Onset Rime 0.5 Sentences 0.25 Syllabication 0.55 Alliteration 0.15 Effect Size Rhyming Rhyming Listening Vocabulary Small Medium Large Letter Naming

19 Year 1 IGDI Findings Sample Picture Naming Alliteration Rhyming Total Sample year-olds year-olds Girls Boys Primary Language English Primary Language Spanish

20 Year 1 IGDI cont... IGDI Slopes Slope 0.6 Attained Expected Picture Naming Alliteration Rhyming 20

21 Implications for Practice Assessment Benchmarking and progress monitoring allow for ongoing assessment of progress of all students Instruction Continual monitoring allows teacher to track student response to instruction and intervention and adjust accordingly Intervention/Prevention At-risk students receive early intervention designed to ameliorate future learning problems 21

22 Pathways to Success Administrative support Instructional support Time Professional development Assessments Data review Team meetings Financial resources Technology 22