Patricia G. Mathes

Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies: Making Classrooms More Responsive to Diversity

The primary focus of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a classwide peer tutoring program in reading for three learner types: low achievers with and without disabilities and average achievers. Twelve schools, stratified on student achievement and family income, were assigned randomly to experimental and control groups. Twenty teachers implemented the peer tutoring program for 15 weeks; 20 did not implement it. In each of the 40 classrooms, data were collected systematically on three students representing the three learner types. Pre- and posttreatment reading achievement data were collected on three measures of the Comprehensive Reading Assessment Battery. Findings indicated that, irrespective of type of measure and type of learner, students in peer tutoring classrooms demonstrated greater reading progress. Implications for policymaking are discussed.

Peer‐Assisted Learning Strategies for First‐Grade Readers: Responding to the Needs of Diverse Learners

This research examines the effectiveness of Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies for First-Grade Readers (First-Grade PALS) as a tool for enhancing the reading achievement of different learner types, particularly low-achieving students, representing the range of academic diversity typically present in primary grade classrooms. First-Grade PALS helps teachers to accommodate this diversity (a) by decentering instruction through peer mediation so that students become more actively involved in the learning process, (b) by including provisions for integrating phonological and alphabetic skills into the decoding of words in connected text, and (c) by providing extensive and repeated exposure to a variety of childrens literature. In this research, the efficacy and feasibility of First-Grade PALS were examined in naturally constituted, academically heterogeneous first-grade classes, during time normally allocated for reading instruction. Twenty first-grade teachers and 96 first-grade students (46 low, 20 average-, and 20 high-achieving) participated. Ten teachers incorporated First-Grade PALS into their reading program; 10 continued to teach reading as usual. Data collected included (a) time-series phonological awareness and reading fluency data, and (b) pre- and post-measures of concepts of print, decoding, fluency, and comprehension. Students and teachers also were asked to rate their satisfaction with various aspects of First-Grade PALS. Results indicate that all learner types were positively affected by participation in FirstGrade PALS, with the greatest gains indicated for low-achieving students. Likewise, both students and teachers implemented First-Grade PALS with relative ease, demonstrated high fidelity, and reported high levels of satisfaction. n nESTA INVESTIGACION examina la efectividad de las Estrategias de Aprendizaje Asistido por Pares para Lectores de Primer Grado (PALS 1er. Grado) como una herramienta para mejorar el desempeno en lectura de diferentes tipos de estudiantes, particularmente estudiantes de bajo rendimiento, que representen el rango de diversidad academica tipico de las aulas de primer grado. PALS 1er. Grado ayuda a los docentes a adaptar esta diversidad: (a) descentralizando la ensenanza a traves de la mediacion de pares, de modo que los estudiantes se involucren mas activamente en el proceso de aprendizaje, (b) incluyendo elementos para integrar habilidades fonologicas y alfabeticas en la decodificacion de palabras durante la lectura de textos y (c) proporcionando una exposicion extensa y repetida a una variedad de literatura infantil. En este trabajo, se examino la eficacia y viabilidad de PALS 1er. Grado en aulas de primer grado constituidas naturalmente y, heterogeneas desde el punto de vista academico, durante el tiempo normalmente dedicado a la lectura. Participaron veinte docentes y 96 estudiantes de primer grado (46 de bajo rendimiento, 20 de rendimiento promedio y 20 de alto rendimiento). Diez docentes incorporaron PALS 1er. Grado a sus programas de lectura; diez continuaron ensenando como lo hacian habitualmente. Los datos recogidos incluyeron: (a) datos de conciencia fonologica y fluidez en lectura tomados en distintos periodos y (b) pre y post tests de conceptos sobre la escritura, decodificacion, fluidez y comprension. Tambien se pidio a estudiantes y docentes que evaluaran varios aspectos de PALS 1er. Grado. Los resultados indican que la participacion en PALS 1er. Grado influyo positivamente en todos los tipos de estudiantes, siendo los estudiantes de bajo rendimiento los mas beneficiados. Asimismo, tanto los estudiantes como los docentes implementaron PALS 1er. Grado con relativa facilidad, demostraron un alto cumplimiento y manifestaron estar muy satisfechos. n nDIESE FORSCHUNGSSTUDIE untersucht die Erfolgsaussichten von Lernstrategien mittels schulerbezogener Aufgabenverteilungen fur Erstklasler beim Lesen—Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (1. Klasse PALS)—als Anleitungshilfe zur Steigerung der Leseleistung unterschiedlich lernbefahigter Schuler, insbesondere von Schulern mit Leistungsschwachen, und berucksichtigt die akademischen Unterscheidungsspannweiten wie sie typischerweise in Klassenraumen der Anfangsstufe vertreten sind. 1. Klasse PALS hilft den Lehrern auf diese Unterschiede einzugehen, (a) durch eine vermittelnde Aufgabenverteilung auf die Mitschuler, so das die Schuler aktiver in den Lernprozes einbezogen werden, (b) durch Hinzufugen von Masnahmen zur Integrierung phonologischer und alphabetischer Fertigkeiten im Entschlusseln von Worten innerhalb eines zusammenhangenden Textes, und (c) durch die umfangreiche Bereitstellung und der wiederholten Darbietung unterschiedlicher, ausgewahlter Kinderliteratur. In dieser Forschungsstudie wurden Wirkungskraft und Durchfuhrbarkeit von 1. Klasse PALS Masnahmen im Rahmen der normalen Unterrichtszeit fur Lesestunden in naturlich zusammengestellten, akademisch heterogenen 1. Schulklassen untersucht. Es nahmen 20 Lehrkrafte der 1. Klasse und 96 Schuler der 1. Klasse (davon 46 unterdurchschnittlich, 20 durchschnittlich, und 20 uberdurchschnittlich begabt) an der Studie teil. Zehn Lehrer bezogen die 1. Klasse PALS Strategien in ihren Leseunterricht mit ein; die ubrigen 10 fuhren fort, das Lesen wie bisher ublich zu unterrichten. Die Datenermittlung schlos ein (a) eine zeitbemessene Serienerfassung der phonologischen Aufmerksamkeit und Daten fur fliesendes Lesen, ferner (b) Masnahmen zur vorherigen und anschliesenden Bewertung von Konzepten des Druckmaterials, des Entschlusselns, der Flussigkeit und des Verstandnisses. Schuler und Lehrer wurden ebenfalls gebeten, ihre Zufriedenheit mit den 1. Klasse PALS Strategien unter verschiedenen Aspekten zu beurteilen. Die Ergebnisse weisen daraufhin, das alle Lerngruppierungen positiv durch die Teilnahme am 1. Klasse PALS beeinflust wurden, mit den besten Steigerungsindikatoren bei leistungsschwachen Schulern. Gleichermasen wandten Schuler und Lehrer die 1. Klasse PALS Strategien mit ausgesprochener Leichtigkeit an, zeigten hohe Zustimmung und berichteten von hochgradiger Zufriedenheit. n nCETTE RECHERCHE examine lefficacite de Strategies dApprentissage Assiste par des Pairs (SAAP) pour des lecteurs de premiere annee, comme outil damelioration de la reussite en lecture de types dapprenants assez differents pour presenter lensemble des caracteristiques que lon peut trouver dans des classes du premier degre, et en particulier les eleves peu performants. Les SAAP en premiere annee aident les enseignants a faire face a cette heterogeneite (a) en decentrant lenseignement grâce a la mediation des pairs de sorte que les eleves simpliquent plus activement dans le processus dapprentissage, (b) en se donnant les moyens dintegrer des habiletes phonologiques et alphabetiques pour le decodage des mots dun texte continu, et (c) en fournissant une exposition importante et frequente a de nombreux livres de jeunesse. Dans cette recherche, on a examine lefficacite et la faisabilite de SAAP en premiere annee dans des classes constituees de maniere normale, heterogenes sur le plan academique, et pendant le temps normalement prevu pour lenseignement de la lecture. Vingt enseignants de premiere annee et 96 eleves de premiere annee (46 faibles, 20 moyens, et 20 bons) y ont participe. Dix enseignants ont inclus des SAAP dans leur programme de lecture, dix ont continue a enseigner la lecture comme dhabitude. Les donnees recueillies comportent (a) des donnees relatives a la conscience phonologique et a la maitrise de la lecture (series temporelles) et (b) des mesures relatives aux conceptions de lecrit, au decodage, a la maitrise de la lecture, et a la comprehension (avant/apres). On a egalement demande aux eleves et aux maitres devaluer leur degre de satisfaction relatif a differents aspects des SAAP en premiere annee. Les resultats indiquent que la participation aux SAAP en premiere annee a eu un impact positif sur tous les types dapprenants, les eleves les moins performants obtenant les benefices les plus eleves. Par ailleurs, tant les eleves que les enseignants ont mis en oeuvre assez facilement les SAAP en premiere annee, ont fait preuve dune grande fidelite, et ont manifeste une grande satisfaction.

All Children Can Learn To Read: Critical Care for the Prevention of Reading Failure

In this article, we present the position that students with special needs, regardless of causation, share the same basic needs for literacy instruction. What sets special needs learners apart from higher performing learners is that systematic, explicit instruction appears to be critical rather than merely beneficial and that special needs students require more instructional time and opportunity to practice reading. The need for greater explicitness and time intensity does not, however, change the content of what composes good literacy instruction. We take the position that general education should maintain primary responsibility for literacy education for all children, with special educators and reading specialists providing instructional support and, if necessary, additional instructional intensity and practice opportunities. Obstacles to providing quality literacy instruction are examined, and a school-based case study in which these obstacles have been largely overcome are presented.

Assisted reading techniques for developing reading fluency

Abstract Less successful readers often evidence slow, effortful word recognition that may impair their ability to comprehend text. This article reviews the relation between reading fluency and reading comprehension and examines the efficacy of three assisted reading techniques designed to address fluency deficits: (a) repeated reading, (b) oral previewing, and (c) tape‐recorded assistance. Procedures and the research base for each technique are reviewed and implications for classroom application are discussed.

Accommodating Diversity through Peabody Classwide Peer Tutoring.

We encourage our readers to submit ideas, suggestions, or manuscripts for Spotlight. This feature of Intervention focuses on a specific school program, clinic, camp, or individual concerned with special and remedial education. We would be pleased to assist our readers in developing an article for this column.--GW