The Virginia Intervention Model:

1. The Virginia Intervention Model: Evaluating Its Effectiveness for Struggling Readers Who Speak English as a Second Language 1

2. University of Utah Reading ClinicGranite School District Kathleen J. Brown, Darrell Morris, Matt Fields, Stacey Lowe, Debbie Skidmore, Debbie Van Gorder, Connie Weinstein, Julie Robertson, & Ursula Brock 2

3. Theoretical Framework • Virginia Model of Intervention: Early Steps/Book Buddies = effective for at-risk G1 students in embedded, implicit, and explicit code classrooms Next Steps/Howard St. = effective for struggling G2-3 students when delivered by volunteers, certified teachers, or teacher aides (Brown, Morris, & Fields, 2002; Brown et al., 2000; Morris, Shaw, & Perney, 1990; Morris, Tyner, & Perney, 2000; Santa & Hoien, 1999) 3

4. Theoretical Framework • Virginia Model of Intervention: • guided reading @ instructional level • systematic, isolated code instruction • fluency instruction • (for ES, add p.a. instruction) • (for NS, add “read to” for comp/vocab) (Brown, Morris, & Fields, 2002; Brown et al., 2000; Invernizzi, Rosemary, Juel, & Richards, 1997; Morris, Shaw, & Perney, 1990; Morris, Tyner, & Perney, 2000; Santa & Hoien, 1999 4

5. Research History: • 1999/2000 - Early Steps pilot • 2000/01 – Early Steps Follow-up; Next Steps pilot • 2001/02 - Next Steps w/ strictly ELL 5

6. Research Questions: • Is Next Steps effective for struggling readers above G1 who are classified as ELL? • Can Next Steps be delivered effectively to ELL students by non-certified educators, who are supervised by an intervention specialist? 6

7. Method • N = 111 G2-G6 students from 8 Title 1 schools identified by school as ELL • 92% ethnic minority; 78% free or reduced lunch; 100% ELL • NS and Control students equivalent at baseline; reading level = “primer” 7

8. Method • Next Steps Intervention (Tx) • 1-on-1 45 min. 2x per week • guided reading at instructional level • word study • fluency training (rate + accuracy) • “read to” for comprehension/vocab dev. • Title 1 Intervention (Control) • 45-60 min. daily small group, some 1-on-1 • reinforce Open Court 8

9. Research Questions: • Is Next Steps effective for struggling readers above G1 who are classified as ELL? 9

10. Method • Measures • NSSI Passage Reading • 90% accuracy, grade level rate, comprehension • WRMT (Woodcock Reading Mastery Test) • ANCOVA • Pretest scores used as covariates • Analyses: • Next Steps Treatment vs. Control • Certified vs. Non-Certified Instructor • Non-Certified Instructor vs. Control 10

11. Passage Reading Level Coding Code # Reading Level 1 Pre-Primer 2 Primer 3 1.2 (late G1) 4 2.1(early G2) 5 2.2 (late G2) 6 3.0 12

12. Results: Next Steps vs. Control a almost end G2 b almost early G2 Note: pretest scores used as covariates 11

13. Results: WRMT Percentiles 14

14. Results: WRMT Percentiles 15

15. Discussion • Next Steps is effective at helping ELL readers above G1--even in Open Court classrooms • Next Steps students gained approximately 1 year’s growth in reading ability in only 45 sessions • Contrast this with control students who gained only 1/2 year’s growth in well over 100 sessions 16

16. Discussion • What makes Virginia model effective? • 1-on-1 • targets instructional level • systematic, isolated decoding instruction • fluency work • pacing: “raise the bar” ASAP • time on task (packed 45 min.-->1 hour/week reading aloud on level w/feedback)

17. Limitations • intervention format differences • tx = all 1-on-1 • control = some 1-on-1; mostly small grp • FAVORS TX GROUP! • Control = 120+ sessions@45-60 minutes • tx = 45 sessions@45 minutes • FAVORS CONTROL GROUP! 21

18. Research Questions: • Can Next Steps be delivered effectively to ELL students by non-certified educators, who are supervised by an intervention specialist? 17

19. Results: Non-Certified vs. Control a middle G2 b almost early G2 18

20. Results: Certified vs. Non-Certified a almost end G2 b middle G2 19

21. Discussion • Next Steps can be delivered effectively to ELL students by non-certified educators • with supervision from intervention specialist • Next Steps students tutored by non-certified educators significantly outperformed control students on all measures • No significant differences between Next Steps students tutored by certified and noncertified educators 20

22. Discussion • What accounts for effectiveness of non-certified personnel? • all participants supervised by IS • high experience level • practicum model = ongoing mentoring • modeling • observation • feedback 22 22

23. Discussion • ELLs present complex issues; must resist “label” • Porfirio: G3 = late G1 reader--> 1 yr of NS-->late G2 reader-->no intervention-->now in G5 = G6 reader • Juan: G5 = late G1 reader--> 1 yr of NS -->still late G1-->1 yr of OG-->now in G6 = late G2 reader 22 22

24. Future Research • Does performance trajectory continue at desired levels when Early Steps is followed by Next Steps in grade 2? • How does the “size of the group” impact the effectiveness of the Virginia Model? To what extent is it effective in pairs? small group? • Does group size interact with severity of reading difficulty? Who really needs 1-on-1 and who can “make it” with pair or even small group instruction? 21