I have a group of 15 seventh-and eighth-graders in my self-contained LD class. Academically they are way below grade level in all subjects. I give them their reading and language arts instruction.
Technically, there are about 3 or 4 different reading groups I could construct in order to try to individualize their programs more. However, many of them have some serious behavior issues and I am reluctant to depart from the whole-class teaching I’ve started them with so far this year. They have been very repsonsive behaviorally, and I am afraid that once I start separating them and expecting them to work independently that their behavior will deteriorate and my control will not be as effective.
I am looking for a combination of programs to use with them-I’ve got vocabulary development, comprehension, and writing covered. What I am lacking is a decoding program that they will benefit from. My plan is to direct my decoding portion of the program to those students who are at the highest level-(about 4th grade). I am open to suggestions of specific programs or combinations of programs that will help me accomplish my goals. I am reluctant to use RR with them-I’m afraid they will perceive it as too babyish. I am leaning toward a Wilson type Orton program, but I’m afraid there is too much rule memorization there for them. I’ve thought about Project Read, Megawords, or any combination-they’ve had Stevenson Reading and an assortment of other methods.
They are a tough bunch-most of them have been together as a class in one form or another since 5th grade, feeding off each other’s misbehaviors. I am kind of proud of the way I’ve managed to keep them in control through my behavior modification methods, because some of their other teachers are having a very difficult time with them. I would like to see their reading skills improve but I don’t want to lose control in the process by splitting them into smaller groups. Any suggestions? The ones I get here are the best!
Laurie
I would...
I had a similar group of students ten years ago…in fact, it was their extreme neediness which led to my developing Great Leaps. My wife was pregnant at the time and I needed to keep my job at all costs - and these rowdy students were the kind who could devour even an experienced teacher. These children were poor, had little or no ability to listen, had very low language scores, and had been together in a special education “gang” for about five years.
I could not get to them one on one to teach reading. They would use any excuse to disrupt. I chose a short story by Langston Hughes - “Thank You Mam” and read it to them - translating, opening up discussions, guiding them in the ideas of plot - probed with questions like, “Oh no! She’s got him! What do you think she’s gonna do with him?” I did the reading, they did the thinking.
We worked our way through a number of great short stories that year - The Country of the Blind by H.G. Wells, All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury, the Lottery by Shirley Jackson, The Tell-tale Heart by Poe, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Mark Twain, After Twenty Years by O. Henry, the Interlopers by Saki, To Serve Man by Damon Knight and so forth.
I taught them to plot a story - title/author I. the Opening (Beginning) in which they either write or tell me how the story begins - setting, time, and main characters; II. the Problem (which I teach will have its solution at the end of the story - all stories have a problem; III. four major events in the story, and IV the Solution to the Problem.
We did a lot of vocabulary work. We would do these very organized but short lessons in the first five minutes of the period - when most were done (there’s always one who will refuse) we went on to the reading - Occasionally I would let a student read a small paragraph or a couple of sentence - I knew who could do it proficiently so never embarassed anyone.
Eventually we worked our way to novels. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry; the Devil’s Arithmetic; Sweetgrass; Maniac Magee, etc.
I knew I had won when on a Friday afternoon, 7th period - the bell rang and the class (one of my toughest) moaned.
I hope this helps - good luck - Ken Campbell
Multilevel teaching
Hi, I wrote a teacher about how I did multilevel decoding with students. If you will email me, I will send you a copy of the letter. [email protected]
Re: What would you do?
Thank you so much for the suggestions-lots of helpful tips that validate that I’m on the right track with these kids. Incidentally, Ken, we’re reading “The Interlopers” starting on Monday!
Re: What would you do?
Have you considered using Rewards from Sopris West? This is an excellent program that is easy to teach to a whole class. Ideally, you want a beginning 4th grade reading level and up, but it has been used even with students who are on a 2nd grade reading level (see the research at the website). The program is scripted, so there is next-to-know prep time. I would advise getting the video that goes with it, so you can see it used in an actual classroom setting.
Website is http://www.rewardsreading.com
Nancy
Re: What would you do?
Nancy-I’ve been thinking that Rewards is what I’m going to use. I’ve had the teacher’s manual for about a year and haven’t had the right group of kids with which to use it. I was hoping someone would mention it! Thanks! Now I’m off to order some student books…..
I don’t know about a cohesive group with difficult behaviour — best of luck to you and keep up whatever is working.
For decoding for all ages I use a standard tried-and-true series which I have often recommended here before, Check and Double Check Phonics from scholarschoice.ca
The first level, Book 1, is single consonants and short vowels and students at your level generally are past it. Book 2 does digraphs and blends and vowel pairs, and almost certainly your guys can use that. Book 3 gets into syllabification and more vowel work and Book 4 does pretty complex multisyllables, variant sounds snd spelling patterns, etc. Your students could probably benefit a lot from these tow levels. Book 2 looks fairly simple but by Book 3 the work is obviously challenging.
I’ve found a generally effective way to introduce this. I bring Books 2 through 4 with me. I say that I want the student to work through this and I know the practice will make him a better reader, that I’ve seen dozens of people read faster and more easily after they do this program. Then I say that of course they don’t need Book 1 so I didn’t even bring it, forget that, Book 2 is pretty easy, and by Books 3 and 4 the work gets harder. I show some sample pages from Book 4. (For a group, you could use an opaque projector or make a transparency for the overhead.) The student looks at a full page of complex multisyllables and instructions about prefixes and suffixes, and he agrees yeah, that looks pretty hard. I say I know it looks hard now, but I want you to work up to it and get ready for it. Then I show some sample pages from Book 3 and say well, this is what I’d like you to do this semester. The student sees larger print and shorter words but still pages of print and multisyllables, and agrees, yeah, it doesn’t look that bad, I guess I could do it, maybe. Then I say well, I know this is pretty easy and you’ll probably zip through it fairly fast, but just to get started I think we should do a quick review of Book 2 before we dive into the harder stuff. I show some sample pages from Book 2 and the student sees pictures and short words and agrees yeah, that does look pretty easy. I reiterate, OK, we’re going to do a quick review of Book 2 just to get going, and then we’ll buckle down and start Book 3 before Christmas and we’ll see how much we can do of that rough stuff in Book 4 by the end of the year.
Seeing a plan for progress and not being stuck in baby books all year, the student is usually positive about the review first and work through idea. The quick review requires averaging a minimum of a page a day, preferably two and sometimes three. Then the student can see the fast progress and recognize that yes, we are not going to bestuck here all year.
I teach the material actively, having the students say each and every word out loud, read directions out loud, etc. Never ever silently copying, actively counterproductive. And never filling in the blanks by guessing the pattern without first reading the word. Sometimes it is necessary to go over the page orally with pens down before allowing any writing. The C&DC series has several exercises which show up students who are guessing and copying; I make students correct these by going over orally, and it’s important to keep a stress on meaning and sound.
This same presentation approach can be used with other programs. I know that Shay uses Reading Reflex with non-reading students in Grades 10 through 12 (and has notable success getting them through high school exit exams, a real feat); she also gives a speech at the beginning explaining that they have never been taught an effective program before and now she is going to start over and teach them differently with something that really works.