Charlie's Reading Intervention Plan

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Charlie's Reading Intervention Plan /
Jennifer Simonson
EDRD 6529
December 5, 2010

My intervention plan will describe Charlie, a struggling, second grade reader. My plan will include:

• Charlie's reading profile and my interpretation of his assessment data.
• The rationale for Charlie's multi-week plan.
• Adescription of his multi-week plan.
• Activities to be covered during our one-to-one or small group, pull-out instruction.
• The rationale supporting these lessons.
• A description of the final assessments that will document Charlie's reading improvements.

Charlie

Charlie is a struggling second grade reader. He is in the "low" reading group. Charlie quickly reads words he already knows but tends to stall when trying to sound out new words. When he sees an unknown word, he makes a few attempts to read it but frequently gives up and becomes frustrated This effects his comprehension of text. My concern for Charlie is, although he has a good attitude about reading, he struggles will eventually change that, and he will fall further behind. Fortunately, Caldwell and Leslie state, "A growing number of studies suggest that early and intensive instruction can prevent reading difficulties for a large majority of children." (Schudt Caldwell & Leslie, 2009) An intensive intervention plan, customized for Charles' reading needs, will accelerate him to an appropriate reading level for his grade and maintain his optimism about reading.

Data Assessment

Charlie's reading ability was assessed, based on his grade level (with the exception of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) which uses age ), using measurement tools that identified word identification, meaning, and fluency. The table below details the assessments that were used, Charlie's score, and the interpretation of that score.

Assessment / Word identification / Meaning / Fluency / Interpretation
Qualitative Reading Inventory-5
Grade 2 reading passage - The Lucky Cricket
Reading accuracy (out of 346 words)
Reading acceptability (meaning-changing) / 38 errors
19 errors / 89% Frustration Level
95% Instructional Level
Comprehension
Retelling (out of 52)
Questions (out of 8) / 9 units recalled
3 of 8 correct / 17% Frustration Level
38% Frustration Level
Z-Test (out of 36)
-CVC words OK
-Trouble with blends, long vowels / 24 errors / 33%
Informal Phonics Inventory (IPI)
Consonant sounds (out of 20)
Consonant digraphs (out of 5)
Beginning consonant blends (out of 20)
Final consonant blends (out of 12)
Short vowels in CVC words (out of 10)
Silent e (out of 4)
Long vowel digraphs (out of 10)
Diphthongs (out of 6)
R-controlled/r (out of 6) / 18 correct
1 correct
4 correct (bl, cl, gl, pl)
5 correct (bank, band, bang, lift, list)
7 correct
0 correct
3 correct (heat, weed, fee)
2 correct (joy, oil)
1 correct (sir) / Mastery
Systematic Instruction
Systematic Instruction
Systematic Instruction
Review
Systematic Instruction
Systematic Instruction
Systematic Instruction
Systematic Instruction
Fry Sight Word Inventory (out of 100) / 72 correct / 72% -Attend to missed words.
Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) - Winter / 28 WCPM / At Risk
Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) / 63rd percentile / Extremely low score-Inadequate vocabulary to comprehend test.

Charlie's Profile

Based on assessments, Charlie struggles with word identification (decoding), meaning (comprehension), and fluency. Charlie knows letter names, the sounds that the letters represent, and the different sounds that make up a word. Therefore, phonemic awareness is not an issue. However, Charlie struggles to efficiently use letter and sound patterns and has difficulty decoding unfamiliar words. Because of his ineffectiveness in decoding, Charlie does not fluently read text and, as a result, does not attend to the meaning of what he has read (comprehension).

Charlie needs systematic instruction for word identification (letter-sound patterns and decoding strategies), with the exception of consonant sounds and short vowel sounds in CVC words. However, since he is proficient in these two areas, it may be an effective place to begin his word study. Charlie can review what he already knows while gaining confidence in his word work.

Along with word identification, based on the feedback from the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS), Charlie also needs to strengthen his reading fluency. Caldwell and Leslie state,

"In order to be fluent, readers need three things. First, they must have a large store of sight words, those that are automatically recognized from memory. Second, they must have effective strategies for analyzing unfamiliar words. And third, they must understand that they purpose of reading is comprehension, which allows them to read with expression." (Schudt Caldwell & Leslie, 2009)

Based on his assessments, Charlie needs a fluency emphasis on developing his sight vocabulary, decoding unfamiliar words, and attending to the meaning of the text (narrative or expository). Including the study of sight vocabulary into his intervention plan,he will be able to better attend to and comprehend the materials that he is reading once he has a better grasp of sight words. Charlie scored at the frustration level for his reading for meaning (comprehension) abilities. These low scores are supported by all of the assessments in whichhe took part. Since he struggles with word identification and fluency, he is unable to grasp the meaning of what he reads. Also, based on his score from the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), his inadequate vocabulary may prevent Charlie from fully comprehending the test.

Again, Charlie requires a systematic, reading intervention plan to prevent a further decline of his reading abilities. Charlie is not a disabled reader. His strengths include:phonemic awareness and an optimistic attitude about reading. His Quality Reading Inventory-5 (QRI-5) scores in reading accuracy and acceptability are borderline in both frustrationand instruction. However, he does require a one-to-one intervention program to get him up to speed with his second grade peers.

The Rationale For Charlie's Multi-week Plan

My recommended plan for Charlie is a pullout, one-to-one or small group intervention approach. The consistent, balanced structure of Charlie's individualized plan will include the following components: word study (word sorts, word games, and spelling), fluency activities, including reading easy and familiar material, reading aloud and guided reading (with the reading specialist), and reading for meaning (comprehension) which includes oral and silent reading of books appropriate for Charlie's age and interest level with frequent comprehension checks. "...successful interventions all incorporate a balanced structure-that is, each lesson in some way addresses word study, fluency development, and comprehension." (Schudt Caldwell & Leslie, 2009) Charlie's instruction will be in daily, forty minute sessions.

My rationale for Charlie's plan is supported by the scores of his assessment data. For example, with the exception of consonant sounds and CVC words, Charlie's Informal Phonics Inventory (IPI) and Z-Test scores support systematic phonics instruction. Providing Charlie with one-to-one or small group word study instruction will provide clear and direct word study instruction, develop his word recognition strategies, build on Charlie's phonemic awareness, and will be integrated into his overall reading program. Charlie will use the Words Their Way curriculum for his word study needs. Charlie's Word Study Plan is: consonants, consonant digraphs and blends, short vowels in CVC words, long vowel digraphs, silent -e, r-influenced (controlled) vowels, and diphthongs. This is also the curriculumhis second grade peers are using and therefore when his word study skills are more developed he can easily integrate back into daily class word work.

Reading fluency is the bridge between reading words and comprehending those words being read. Charlie's score on the DIBELS assessment (28 WCPM) falls well within the "at risk" category. Caldwell and Leslie argue, "Reading speed is rather an indicator of two things: that the reader is able to recognize words automatically and that he or she can process meaning at an acceptable rate." Charlie is not a fluent reader and therefore struggles to assign meaning to what he is reading. Within his reading plan, he must have a fluency component to build the bridge between the words he reads and their meaning. For example, Charlie's plan will include being read aloud to, assisted reading (reading aloud together), echo reading, and paired reading (possibly with an older student). These activities will support the development of Charlie's reading fluency.

The rationale to include reading comprehension within Charlie's intervention plan is supported by his"frustration level" score of both reading comprehension retelling and questions assessments. Charlie will receive direct instruction in retelling narrative and expository text. He will also learn comprehension strategies including prereading, active reading, and postreading. The challenge in this portion of Charlie's plan will be to find text that reflects his current word study, the inclusion of appropriate sight words (based on Charlie's Fry Sight Word Inventory assessment), and incorporating Charlie's reading interests.

Charlie's Daily Plan

During regularly scheduled class reading instruction, Charlie will receive either one-to-one or small group, pull-out instruction based on his reading assessment needs. Daily, during the forty minutes of instruction time Charlie will:

Review-10 min. / Word Study-10 min. / Fluency 10-min. / Comprehension-10 min
-Review reading homework
-Reread reading passage or text from last session (assessing for fluency).
-Review word bank words identified in prior days reading.
-Review word study words from previous day. / -Words Their Way-Word work includes Sound Sorts (picture, word sorts, and blind sorts), Pattern Sorts (word sorts), Meaning Sorts (concept sorts, spelling meaning sorts), and Writing Sorts. Other work will include building word banks and word hunts.
-Word study work will begin with consonant sounds. Although Charlie is at the mastery level for this skill, it is important for students to begin their word work with what they know and are familiar with. / We will read aloud (together or individually) the daily reading and other easy to read, fun text. Reading will incorporate word study and high frequency words. Charlie will also be exposed to fluent readings either by me, other students, or books on tape. / We will apply comprehension strategies to either narrative or expository text. Strategies will include: prereading, active reading, and post reading. We will also incorporate oral and written summaries, questioning, and reflections into our activities.

Charlie will follow this schedule until his reading ability is assessed at the second grade level. Again, it important that the structure of word study, fluency, and comprehension lessons are maintained on a regular basis. "Student progress or lack of it is often a function of the class structure as opposed to the class activities. That is, conflicting, variable, and unpredictable class structures may negatively affect student progress." (Schudt Caldwell & Leslie, 2009) Therefore, Charlie is likely to be more successful if his intervention plan is structured and follows a predictable sequence of events.

The Appropriateness of Lessons

The approach described in Charlie's Daily Plan supports the areas in which Charlie needs additional reading assistance. Based on the interpretation of the QRI-5, Z-Test, the IPI, and Fry Sight Word Inventory assessments, Charlie struggles with word identification which prevents him from reading fluently and comprehending what he is reading. Therefore, daily word work attending to phonics, vocabulary, and spelling instruction should enable Charlie to quickly decode and identify meanings of words which will lead to better comprehension of the text.

Charlie scored 28 Words Called Per Minute (WCPM) on the DIBELS assessment. Due to his challenges decoding, Charlie has difficulty fluently reading. According to McKenna and Stahl, "When we consider fluency, we are interested in all three components: accuracy, automaticity, and prosody." (McKenna & Dougherty Stahl, 2009) Since Charlie struggles with decoding, he has challenges reading accurately with speed and expression. Therefore, he does not fully comprehend what he reads. Daily work practicing fluency. Examples include:the wide reading of an easy text, oral readings, read aloud, and teacher modeling of fluent reading.

Due to Charlie's struggles with decoding and fluency, he has difficulty comprehending what he is reading. Based on his comprehension assessment, Charlie is at the "frustration level" with both retelling of a story or reading passage and answering questions regarding the text that he has just read. Additionally, Charlie scored at the 63rd percentile for his age on the PPVT text which assesses his vocabulary knowledge. His low vocabulary knowledge also prevents him from fully attending to the meaning of the text. Within the intervention plan, on a daily basisCharlie will be exposed to and will practice his developing comprehension skills, especially as he strengthens his word identification and fluency skills. Based on the daily plan, he will be exposed to narrative and expository text and will be taught, as well as modeled to him, the strategies that will help him understand the meaning of what he is reading such as summarizing and retelling what was read. He will also get experience answering questions pertaining to the text. Overall, Charlie's daily intervention plan will address his reading needs based upon his reading assessment information.

Progress Measurements

Charlie's reading progress will be assessed by his daily work and re-administering parts of his original informal assessments as needed. As Charlie progresses through his daily work and informal assessments are taken, I will have a good idea what instruction is working for Charlie and what may not be building his reading skills. For example, Charlie's word study work within the Words Their Way curriculum will be assessed as he moves from various word patterns. If he cannot master his present level of work, he will not move on to the next level. No matter the type of assessment, based on the feedback, I will adjust instruction to meet Charlie's developing reading needs.

As needed, Charlie will be re-assessed using theInformal Phonics Inventory (monitoring specific phonics skill acquisition) and the Fry Sight Word Inventory. In the Spring, I will use the DIBELS assessment for fluency, and his comprehension will be assessed following progress made within his word study and fluency work. The Z-Test may be re-administered to demonstrate improved decoding skills as well as the PPVT to evaluate improvement in vocabulary. The QRI-5 assessments may be used again, however, since Charlie tested at the 89% level for reading accuracy and 95% level for reading acceptability. It may not be necessary to subject him to another assessment.

The goal of the assessments is to note and celebrate improvement. It will also address areas of instruction or curriculum that may need to be adjusted. It will be possible to determine, if reading levels are not improving, make the necessary recommendations to further investigate why Charlie is continuing to struggle with reading.

My goal with this intervention plan is to interpret his reading assessments, address Charlie's reading needs, and with structured and direct instruction based on his daily reading plan, move his reading level back to that of his grade level/age level peers.

References

Bear, D. R., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2008). Words Their Way. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc.

McKenna, M. C., & Dougherty Stahl, K. A. (2009). Assessment for Reading Instruction. New York: Guilford Press.

Oregon, U. o. (2010). DIBELS Benchmark Goals. Retrieved December 5, 2010, from DIBELS Data System:

Schudt Caldwell, J., & Leslie, L. (2009). Intervention Strategies to Follow Informal Reading Inventory Assessment. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.