Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers

1 Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers (Second edition, 2019). A Good Practice Guide for Teachers This NEPS Good Practice Guide was developed by educational psychologists. It is based on current knowledge in this area. It is intended as a guide only. Not all the suggestions here will apply to any one student or situation. 1. Section 1 Introduction Who is this Guide for? This is a guide for teachers, particularly special education teachers, primarily those working within mainstream schools, but also relevant to those working in many special schools and classes. While classroom teachers retain overall responsibility for a student's teaching and learning, special education teachers have a key role in giving additional assistance to Struggling Readers .

2 This guide aims to help teachers by sharing information about evidence-based approaches to teaching reading to Struggling Readers . The guide does not explore in detail specialist approaches for children with very specific diagnosis and/or high levels of need- such a braille users, profoundly deaf students, children with autism or those with severe and profound learning disabilities. The guide covers the age range 6 to 18 years. It also encompasses all students with reading difficulties, including those who have dyslexia (specific learning difficulties), as well as those who have made poor progress in reading and may or may not have additional general learning difficulties.

3 Information here can be applied to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, minority groups and to students for whom English is not a first language. While the full range of literacy involves more than just reading the focus here is particularly on reading skills: the ability to decode, read fluently and understand text. Structure of the Guide The guide is divided into the following sections: Section 1- Introduction, Defining Literacy, Context and Literature Review Section 2- Elements of Effective Reading Instruction Section 3- Organising for Effective Teaching Section 4- Assessment and Measuring Progress Section 5- Evidence-Based Interventions in Ireland Section 6- Resources to Support Struggling Readers Healthy Literacy Diet- Templates Precision Teaching Resources Teaching Sight Vocabulary and Improving Reading Fluency, A Good Practice Guide Precision Teaching Approaches and Using SNIP.

4 Checklists for First Hundred Words, Second Hundred Words and Phonics A Rough Guide to Reading Partners- A NEPS Good Practice Guide Guidance on the Use of Positive Declarations References Acronyms Appendices Acknowledgements Throughout this guide, key messages for teachers are highlighted in yellow textboxes. If you do not want to read through the more detailed information, you can move quickly from box to box, picking up these key messages about Effective teaching of reading. 2. Defining Literacy Definitions of reading and reading literacy have changed over time to reflect changes in society. Reading is no longer considered an ability acquired only in childhood.

5 Instead it is viewed as an expanding set of knowledge, skills and strategies that individuals build on throughout life in various contexts, through interaction with their peers and the wider community. The massive growth in the use of computers and technological devices has moved literacy skills into a digital domain that requires a range of new and different skills than were needed 20 years ago. To learn more about international definitions of literacy, including those of PISA, PIRLS and PIACC, see Appendix 1. Definitions of literacy are evolving and current definitions of literacy, and particularly reading literacy, emphasise a constructivist and interactive process, where Readers construct meaning from text.

6 Literacy is seen as multi-faceted and increasingly includes digital literacy. Information about the theoretical understanding of literacy can be found in Appendix 2. The Context This resource needs to be conisdered in the context of other policy and practice documents, particularly those curriculum documents that focus on the teaching of literacy. These include: The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy 2011-2020. The Primary Language Curriculum Junior Cycle and Post-Primary Context DES Policy and Guidance The National Literacy Strategy 2011-2020 has brought about significant improvements in the literacy skills of Irish students, both at primary and post-primary level and these gains have been documented in international studies.

7 However, further work needs to be done to raise the literacy achievements of some children in DEIS schools. To learn more about each of these areas, see: Appendix 3 The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy 2011-2020. Appendix 4 The Primary Language Curriculum Appendix 5 Junior Cycle and Post-Primary Context Appendix 6 DES Policy and Guidance 3. What Sources of Evidence Were Used? We already know a great deal about teaching reading to students generally, and there is now a growing knowledge base about how to help students who struggle with reading. This pack collates research evidence from a range of sources and suggests how this evidence can be applied to teaching practice.

8 This is the second edition of this resource. The first edition, published in 2012, included a synthesis of research findings drawn from twelve studies, which were characterised by rigorous methodological approaches. This edition supplements that evidence, with new up-to-date research, including research carried out in Ireland. In collating this research, we have been mindful of the importance of looking at the quality of the evidence. It is sobering to read the multiple reports of the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) in the UK. In 2018, their EEF Project Reports cover 38 literacy projects of which 42% found no effects on literacy or negative effects.

9 Only 10 (26%) were considered promising'. This means that teachers need to be cautious about the claims made by commercial programmes and need to consider the scientific evidence to support the use of the programme. A word of caution! The quality of research varies greatly. As Brooks et al (1999) stated, it can vary from the meticulous to the appalling' (p51). Be cautious about Interventions and programmes that are supported only by glowing testimonials'. Read all research with a critical eye and look for rigorous standards in data collection. While a wide range of source material contributed to this second edition, there are three sources of information that need to be highlighted: The What Works Clearing House The Education Endowment Foundation What Works for Children and Young People with Literacy Difficulties (Brooks, 2016).

10 To learn more about each of these sources of information, see the following Appendices: Appendix 7 The What Works Clearing House Appendix 8 The Education Endowment Foundation Appendix 9 What Works for Children and Young People with Literacy Difficulties (Brooks, 2016). Data from Ireland Finally, the research strategy for this second edition included specific focus on research done in Ireland in the last five years. Accordingly, a request was issued in the summer of 2016 to all 4. universities and teacher training colleges seeking up-to-date research, which may or may not have been published. The criteria for inclusion were as follows: The intervention must have been used in Ireland The intervention must target school aged Struggling Readers (age range 5 to19 years).