Lexia and the Early Elementary Learner:

Appropriate Placement and Seamless Transitions

Pamela Hook, Ph.D.

MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA

Preventing Reading Difficulties: A Three-Tiered Intervention Model

TIER I

TIER II

TIER III

Torgesen & Greenberg, 2004

TIER I

Main component

• A core reading program that supports the critical elements in reading instruction.

TIER I

Torgesen & Greenberg, 2004

TIER II

Main Component:

• Small-group supplemental instruction provided in addition to the core reading instruction.

Torgesen & Greenberg, 2004

TIER II

TIER III

Main Component:

• Intensive, strategic, supplemental instruction specifically designed and customized for small-group or 1:1 reading instruction that is extended beyond the time allocated for TIER I and TIER II.

Torgesen & Greenberg, 2004

TIER III

Four Types of Learners

Marion Sanders, (2002)

Percentages in each group vary—in some schools as many as 20 % are in SPED and 60-70% would benefit from explicit instruction.

Type D Type C Type B Type A

SPED “At Risk” On Level--CORE Above Level

Need Intensive Need Explicit Can Intuit Many Rules Reading

Instruction Instruction

5-10% 25-30% 60-65% 5%

TIER III TIER II TIER I

GRADE Tier III

SPED

Tier IIAt risk

Tier IOn level

Tier IAdvanced

K ER ER/PR ER/PR PR

1 ER/PR ER/PR PR PR

2 ER/PR PR PR PR/SOS*

3 PR PR PR/SOS*

SOS*

4and up

PR/SOS SOS SOS* SOS*

Lexia Reading Product

Placement Recommendation by Tier Group

*Levels 4 and 5ER-Early Reading

PR- Primary Reading

SOS- Strategies for Older Students

TIER I (Advanced): Lexia as EnhancementExample for Grade 1

Tier I (advanced) students will benefit from the extra phonics practice Lexia provides.

Students will continue to move forward at own pace.

Recommended Use: 2 times per week for 20 minutes

Add It reinforces the reading and spelling of common suffixes. Primary Reading, Level 5, Add It, Unit 5

Another example

Primary Reading, Level 5, Group It II, Unit 1

Group It II develops conceptual reasoning skills.

Another example

Elevator provides practice in constructing and reading two-syllable words in isolation, in sentences, and in stories.

This activity also supports comprehension.

Primary Reading, Level 5, Elevator, Unit 11

TIER I (On level): Lexia as ReinforcementExample for Grade 1

Tier I (on level) students will benefit from the extra phonics practice Lexia provides.

Students will continue to move forward at own pace and possibly move into advanced group.

Recommended Use: 2 times per week for 20 minutes.

Short Vowel Bridge works on medial vowel discrimination and sound/symbol correspondence. Primary Reading, Level 2, Short Vowel Bridge,

Unit 9

Another example

Picture-Word Match reinforces reading comprehension skills.

Primary Reading, Level 2, Picture-Word Match, Unit 9

TIER II: Lexia as SupplementalExample for Grade 1

Lexia provides supplemental support.

It addresses the reading skills of students who are not making adequate progress.

Students will need more exposure to the program.

Recommended Use: 3-4 times per week for 20 minutes

Sounds to Letters reinforces phonemic awareness skills. Primary Reading, Level 1, Sounds to Letters,

Unit 27

Another example

Sight Word Search develops automatic recognition of pre-primer high-frequency irregular words in isolation, in phrases, and in sentences.

This activity also supports comprehension.

Primary Reading, Level 1, Sight Word Search, Unit 12

TIER III: Lexia as IntensiveExample for Grade 1

Lexia use can provide the intensive support for Tier III students. The program individualizes the practice by repeating activities that the student is struggling with until mastery is achieved.

Tier III students will need extended exposure.

Recommended Use: Daily for 20-30 minutes

Sound Match increases awareness of beginning and ending sounds.

Early Reading, Level 1, Sound Match, Unit 1

Another example

Sound Slide increases awareness of syllables and sounds in words, and increases the ability to blend syllables and sounds to construct words.

Early Reading, Level 1, Sound Slide,

Unit 11