Harcourt Trophies Reading program for Sp Ed students/ Teach

K,

I’d suggest that you read the articles under reading in the LD Indepth section of this site. I wouldn’t use past of the Tropies program for remediation. I personally use Phono-Graphix (which you can read about in the book, Reading Reflex, by Carmen and Geoffrey McGuinness). But there are others as well. A new book out is called Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz. It also lists some good intervention programs. I would stick with the research based remedial programs. (Another great book, Straight Talk about Reading by Susan Hall and Louis Moats).

Good luck in your new job!
Janis

Remediation seems to be a dirty word these days, but if the LD student were able to learn to read by the methods being used in general education, they would not be in special education. They’re in RSP because of a “significant discrepancy” and a processing problem.

It is important to investigate the type of difficulty a student is having in reading, as well as at what level they read. Often the tests used for eligibility do not give the specific information needed to determine the type of instruction that will best suit that student. When I suspect that a student will qualify, I give them additional measures which are used as the baselines for the goals and objectives. There has to be some organization and some advance planning in order to stay sane in the RS job. These measures were 1) sight words (%correct at which level) 2) phonics survey (or sound/letter correspondence for the younger set) and 3) a leveled reading passage with comprehension questions such as an Informal Reading Inventory (IRI).

Writing goals in these three areas allowed me to show growth. One common fallacy is to expect LD students to make a year’s worth of growth. If the student were able to make year-for-year growth, they never would have qualified for sp ed. If your reading passages only measure growth in one year increments*, it is very important to have some other way to show growth, like increased word recognition of sight words or more sounds known, etc.

*There are some other ways to get around this, by your choice of IRI, but you do need to be careful and not set yourself up for appearing less competent that you are. I can give you more information if you need.

In spite of this warning, you will also see that when you’ve found the right approach for that student, they’ll make 2 or 3 years worth of growth in one year. Be humble, it’s not because you taught them so much, they just have finally (!) learned how to use what they know.

Best wishes for a successful year.

I feel very qualified to answer this question as it is all fresh.

OK, I just sat through a Trophies inservice all moring long because all the LD teachers had to go as our district is adopting this. Special ed doesn’t use it but we needed to know what was in general ed to support it. I took a good look at all the remedial stuff. ANd, there is mention of blending, segementing, sound manipulation etc… But I will tell you, there is SO MUCH STUFF, you can barely find it. The program looks very good and has lots of phonemic awareness stuff which I am happy about.

I asked the regional director about its remedial stuff. I looked at and spent some time in the books.

I wouldn NOT recommend this for a remedial program. If the child is 1.5 years behind then staying with the book in general is a good idea. I would NOT use it with a pull out program. there is not enough there of the “good stuff”. There is so much stuff to sift through you’ll get lost. Each teacher has so much including about 300 chapter books, ELL books, below grade level, above grade level, on grade level, suff in Spanish, Stuff for the computer, stories on tapes, supplements, workbooks. WOW.

Good program for general ed but not remedial.

Michelle AZ