Early Literacy:Helping Children on the Path to

Reading Success

Presented by:Presented by:

First Grade Teachers:First Grade Teachers: Melissa Hembrey,Melissa Hembrey,Amy Lederer, Whitney Malone,Amy Lederer, Whitney Malone,

Jenny Pendleton Jenny Pendleton Reading Specialist:Reading Specialist: Jeri PowersJeri Powers

AgendaAgendaAgendaAgenda

•Welcome and IntroductionsWelcome and Introductions•Why Early Literacy is CrucialWhy Early Literacy is Crucial•Assessment of Early LiteracyAssessment of Early Literacy•Fun Activities: Break-Out SessionsFun Activities: Break-Out Sessions•Questions and AnswersQuestions and Answers

Why Worry About Basic Early Literacy Skills?

Reality: Reading Trajectories are Established

Early

“Overall, national longitudinal studies show that more than 17.5% of the nation’s children – about 10

million children – will encounter reading problems in the crucial first three years of their schooling.”

--National Reading Panel Progress Report, 2000

Good, R. H., Simmons, D. C., & Smith, S. B. (1998). Effective academic interventions in the United States: Evaluating and enhancing the acquisition of early reading skills. School Psychology Review, 27, 740-753.

Reality:Established Reading Trajectories

are Difficult to Change.

“Approximately 75% of students identified with reading problems in the third grade are

still reading disabled in the 9th grade.”--Shaywitz, et al., 1993; Francis et al., 1996

Good, R. H., Simmons, D. C., & Smith, S. B. (1998). Effective academic interventions in the United States: Evaluating and enhancing the acquisition of early reading skills. School Psychology Review, 27, 740-753.

Reality:Traditional Direct Measures of

Reading Identify Trajectories Too Late

The best solution to the problem of reading failure is to allocate resources for early identification and prevention. It is a tragedy of the first order that while we know clearly the costs of waiting too long, few school districts have in place a

mechanism to identify and help children before failure takes hold. Indeed, in the majority of

cases, there is no systematic identification until third grade, by which time successful

remediation is more difficult and more costly. ---Joseph K. Torgeson, 1998

Goal: All Proficient

How do Children Acquire Essential Early Literacy Skills?

Family is the Root of a

Child’s Early Literacy

Experiences(IRA, 2003)

Characteristics of Families Whose Children Do Well in School

• Establish a daily family routine• Monitor and set limits on out-of-school activities• Model the value of learning, self discipline, hard work• Express high but realistic expectations for

achievement• Encourage children’s development and progress in

school• Encourage reading, writing, and

discussions at home• View reading as an enjoyable activity

– not homework• Use community resources

Time Spent Reading EachTime Spent Reading Each DayDay

The Power of Parents…

What young children learn…are deeply affected by their relationships

with parents, the behavior of parents, and the environment of the homes in

which they live.” (Primavera, 2000)

• Helping children recognize letters• Reading to children• Assisting children with reading and writing assignments

How Do We Make Sure Children Don’t Fall

Behind?

The best solution to the problem of reading failure is to allocate

resources for early identification and prevention…---Joseph K. Torgeson, 1998

Parents and Teachers Working Together…

When schools work together with families to support learning,

children tend to succeed not just in school but throughout life.

--Henderson Research Study, 1997

Findings from the National Reading Panel:

Big Ideas for Reading Instruction

PhonemicAwareness

Phonics

Vocabulary

Text Comprehension Fluency

www.nationalreadingpanel.org/

Literacy Assessments:

An Ongoing Process

• Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)

• Benchmark Assessment• Diagnostic Word Study Inventory• Informal Teacher Assessments

How Do You Systematically Identify Struggling Readers Early?

DIBELS • Dynamic: Measures are administered on

frequent, ongoing basis• Indicators: Measures represent target

skills that indicate progress• Basic Early Literacy Skills: Skills that

are directly related to/facilitate later reading competence

Purpose of DIBELS• Identify children at-risk for reading

difficulty EARLY• Target early literacy skills that can

be developed by instruction and learning opportunities

• Evaluate the effects of interventions to reduce risk

Initial Sound

FluencyThis is a mouse, flowers, pillow, letters (point to each picture while saying its name).Mouse begins with the sound /m/ (point to the mouse). Listen: /m/, mouse. Which one begins with the sounds /fl/?

Phoneme Segmentation Fluency

I am going to say a word. After I say it, you tell me all the sounds in the word. So, if I say, “sam,” you would say /s/ /a/ /m/. Let’s try one. (one second pause). Tell me the sounds in “mop”

Ok. Here is your first word.

DIBELS Nonsense Word FluencyHere are some more make-believe words (point to the student

probe). Start here (point to the first

word) and go across the page (point across the page). When I say, “begin”, read the words the best you can. Point to each letter and tell me the sound or read the whole word. Read the words the best you can. Put your finger on the first word. Ready, begin.

DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency

Please read this (point)

out loud. If you get stuck, I will tell you the word so you can keep reading. When I say, “stop” I may ask you to tell me about what you read, so do your best reading. Start here (point to the first word of the

passage). Begin.

Benchmark Reading AssessmentBenchmark Reading AssessmentAuthentic assessment that guides instruction.Authentic assessment that guides instruction.

*Helps to identify the specific strengths our *Helps to identify the specific strengths our students have and the skill areas where they need students have and the skill areas where they need

support support *Helps to monitor students' growth and *Helps to monitor students' growth and

development over time. development over time. *Ensure your teaching strategies are at the *Ensure your teaching strategies are at the

appropriate level appropriate level

Analyzing Errors for Instructional Analyzing Errors for Instructional DirectionDirection

Word StudyWord Study

The best differentiator between good and poor The best differentiator between good and poor readers is repeatedly found to be their readers is repeatedly found to be their knowledge of knowledge of spelling patternsspelling patterns and their and their proficiency with spelling-sound translations.proficiency with spelling-sound translations.

Marilyn Adams, Marilyn Adams,

Beginning to ReadBeginning to Read

Diagnostic Word Study AssessmentDiagnostic Word Study Assessment

Administered 3 times per yearAdministered 3 times per year Helps to track students’ Helps to track students’

progress and guide instructionprogress and guide instruction Allows for error analysis – Allows for error analysis –

determine what a child knows determine what a child knows and doesn’t knowand doesn’t know

Word Study StagesWord Study Stages

There is remarkableconsistency between the stages of spellingdevelopment and the

stages of reading acquisition.

(Ehri, 1997; Frith, 1985; Juel, 1991)

5 Big Ideas of Literacy

PhonologicalAwareness

PhonologicalAwareness

PhonicsPhonics

Comprehension

Comprehension

Vocabulary Vocabulary

FluencyFluency

Phonological Awareness“Playing with the Sounds of our Language”

Ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in words without attaching

printed letters.

»Rhymes and alliterations »Syllables»Sounds within words

Phonics

The relationship between written letters and the sounds they

produce

• Decode words when reading• Encode words when spelling• Sight words

Fluency

• Ability to read a text accurately, effortlessly, and with good expression.

Vocabulary• Understanding what words mean

when we see them in written materials, like books, or understanding words that people use when talking.

Comprehension• Understanding what you read and

the ability to communicate it to others. It is the reason for reading!

»Predicting»Summarizing»Main Idea»Answering and Generating Questions»Prior knowledge»Mental imagery»Self monitoring» Inferencing

Break-Out Sessions

• Designated tables are set up around the cafeteria.

• If you signed up for vocabulary, go to that station first.

• Other stations may be attended in any order.

• Timer will sound when time to rotate to next center.