Sally M. Barton-Arwood

The Impact of Comprehensive Reading Instruction on the Academic and Social Behavior of Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

The reading difficulties of children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have been well documented. In addition, it has been noted that reading difficulties are frequently correlated with antisocial behavior. Unfortunately, there is little empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of comprehensive reading interventions with this population of children.This study examined the effectiveness of a modified version of the Open Court Reading curriculum (Adams etal.,2000) combined with Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies (PALS) with 2 groups of children with EBD. Results show moderate gains in reading achievement for individuals in each group in the areas of nonsense word fluency, sound naming, blending, and segmenting. However, improvement in standardized scores was not observed. In addition, an impact on observed problem behavior was not observed. Findings suggest that this combined approach may be promising in improving the reading achievement of students with EBD. Limitations and direction for future research are discussed.

Reading Instruction for Elementary-Age Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders: Academic and Behavioral Outcomes:

This study evaluated the effects of a reading intervention on the reading achievement and social behaviors of 6 third-grade students with emotional/behavioral disorders. Reading instruction occurred 4 days a week using the Horizons Fast Track reading program and Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies. Analyses indicated variable improvements in basic reading skills with limited transfer to oral reading fluency. Outcomes for social behaviors indicated that changes in total inappropriate behavior were not directly related to the reading intervention; improved engagement appeared related to intervention but not necessarily reading achievement. Results are discussed in the context of possible reasons for differential responding and implications for practice and future research.

Designing, Implementing, and Evaluating Social Skills Interventions for Elementary Students: Step-by-Step Procedures Based on Actual School-Based Investigations.

This article presents a step-by-step, empirically validated method for designing, implementing, and evaluating a formal social skills intervention based on specific skill deficits as identified by the Social Skills Rating System (SSRS; F. M. Gresham & S. N. Elliott, 1990). The 6 steps include (a) identifying students for participation, (b) identifying specific skill deficits and designing the intervention program, (c) organizing intervention groups, (d) preparing intervention leaders, (e) implementing the intervention, and (f) monitoring student progress.

Preparing Adolescents With High-Incidence Disabilities for High-Stakes Testing With Strategy Instruction

Recent policy initiatives promoting high-stakes testing for graduation present a significant challenge to practitioners charged with educating students with high-incidence disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of test-taking strategy instruction on the test performance of secondary students with high-incidence disabilities. Students demonstrated small but significant increases in test performance and decreases in ratings of test anxiety following intervention. Recommended strategies are presented to practitioners for preparing high school students with disabilities for high-stakes assessment tests.

Functional Behavior Assessment Rating Scales: Intrarater Reliability with Students with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders

This study evaluated the intrarater reliability of two functional behavior assessment rating scales: the Motivation Assessment Scale and the Problem Behavior Questionnaire. Teachers rated 30 students from 10 self-contained classrooms for students with emotional or behavioral disorders on three separate occasions using both rating scales. Pearson correlation coefficients and exact and adjacent agreement percentages indicated variable and inconsistent ratings across administrations and rating scales. The authors discuss possible reasons for inconsistencies, as well as implications for practice and future research.

Teaching Elementary School Educators to Design, Implement, and Evaluate Functional Assessment-Based Interventions: Successes and Challenges

In this article, the authors present the findings of an intensive training series designed to train school-site teams in functional assessment procedures. They examined the extent to which participation in an intensive training series that included on-site follow-up was sufficient to provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to design, implement, and evaluate a function-based intervention. The resulting interventions included the core components necessary (e.g., social validity, treatment integrity, and generalization and maintenance) to draw accurate conclusions about intervention outcome. The results of the study indicate that two teams were able to decrease problem behaviors and increase the use of functionally equivalent replacement behaviors. The authors discuss several limitations regarding the present study and provide thoughts on future efforts in this area.

Mentoring with Elementary-Age Students:

The use and benefits of mentors have been investigated and documented for a variety of professions and populations, including numerous peer-based mentoring programs for elementary-age students. These peer-based programs, although reporting positive academic and social outcomes, have typically utilized controlled experimental procedures in manipulated settings, calling into question whether the benefits of mentoring can be generalized and maintained in real life situations. This article examines the use of mentoring in a natural setting between elementary-age students with and without disabilities as a way to improve the longevity and generalization of the benefits associated with peer-mentoring programs. Benefits of mentoring are reviewed, and recommendations are made regarding the organization and implementation of mentoring programs for social and academic purposes under natural conditions.

Using a Curriculum-Based Measurement Graphic Organizer to Facilitate Collaboration in Reading

Curriculum-based measurement (CBM) is a useful tool for both general and special educators to evaluate and improve student achievement. Although it is backed by more than 30 years of research and validation, particularly in reading, many teachers still do not use CBM in their classrooms. Historically, the use of CBM to guide instructional changes is more familiar to special education teachers than to general education teachers. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of CBM, along with a graphic organizer worksheet, to help teachers get started with using CBM in reading. First, CBM and its relationship to response to intervention (RTI) are discussed. Second, challenges to the use of CBM are addressed, and instructions for using the graphic organizer worksheet are provided. Finally, strategies are suggested to facilitate the use of CBM to enhance collaboration among general and special education teachers.

Using Graphic Organizers to Access the General Curriculum at the Secondary Level

Federal law requires that students with disabilities have access to the general curriculum. Specifically, students with disabilities must have access to, be involved in, and make progress in the same standards-based curriculum that students without disabilities receive. Intense demands of secondary settings as well as learning challenges present barriers for successful access for adolescents with learning disabilities (LD). Secondary teachers can use graphic organizers to minimize the barriers and increase the success of adolescents with LD. This article provides an introduction to the barriers experienced by adolescents, an overview of graphic organizers, and suggestions for use with adolescents with LD in secondary classroom settings.

The Role of Mentors in Developing and Implementing High-Quality Field-Based Placements

Teacher preparation programs (TPP) rely on school-based mentor teachers and university mentors to assist their teacher candidates with bridging the information presented in courses to the “real world” of teaching. Given the important role that the clinical components of teacher preparation provide in terms of candidate development, the variation across TPPs in terms of support provided for mentor teachers (from minimal to extensive) is pronounced. This article describes how one university delivered comprehensive training for mentors that reflects research-recommended practices in mentoring and delivery of special education practices. Outcomes from mentors, faculty, and teacher candidates are presented to illustrate how other TPPs can increase the level of support provided for mentor teachers and university mentors.