Week+8

**Lisa:** I am putting this article here because of its relevance to these last two categories. It is a very interesting study done by NIMH regarding the efficacy of specific reading interventions. I also like the fact that the article has active links so that you can link to the assessments that they are referring to (lisk the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills-TAKS): Lisa: I am a strong believer of looking to see what else others have created and I found this neat guide from the University of Chicago: A dichotomy of opinions both support and opposes the teaching of phonics for older struggling readers. According to NCTE’s position statement on adolescent literacy, “most adolescents do not need further instruction in phonics or decoding skills (Ivey and Baker, 2004). Research summarized in the National Reading Panel report noted that the benefits of phonics instruction are strongest in first grade, with diminished results for students in subsequent grades. Phonics instruction has not been seen to improve reading comprehension for older students” (National Reading Panel, 2000). Brozo states that while past remedial programs emphasized learning discreet skills like graphosyllabic analysis to improve reading fluency and spelling and others stress phonics and word study work, “instruction targeted to these skills. . . needs to be considered within the context of authentic literacy practices” (pp. 86-87). Programs often do not hold adolescents interests or teach self-efficacy and “approaches must stress contextual applications with real text that is engaging and accessible (p. 96). Allington states that “a small proportion of students fail to acquire the understandings and strategies that underlie this skill. . most of the children who fail to develop this skill will develop it with only a few weeks (6-12) of appropriately intensive, expert intervention” (p. 176). In opposition, others believe that even with older students phonological skills need to be strengthened because the “inability to identify speech sounds erodes spelling, word recognition, and vocabulary development ” and the “intervention match the students’ level of reading development” (Moats). One controversial statement, in my opinion, is a statement about the teaching of phonics at the secondary level. Wilkerson stated, “Although the research base on effective reading instruction for adolescents with EBD is limited, we do know that use of explicit, systematic phonics instruction can significantly increase the reading performance of struggling adolescent readers in general (Shippen, Houchins, Steventon, & Sartor, 2005) as well as adolescents with LD (Calhoon,2005; Manset-Williamson & Nelson, 2005).” Ultimately, it seems that only with extreme cases do older students benefit from phonics instruction. This is where the need to differentiate instruction and support students in the context of authentic literacy is important. Too many times these basic skills are taught in isolation and do not lead to the true comprehension gains needed for struggling adolescent readers.
 * WEEK 8 (July 30-August 3)**
 * Research Paper Create a teacher-friendly resource on Successful Adolescent Reading Interventions: Draw conclusions from reading done over summer and create own philosophy of what is needed in a secondary reading programs.(Angela--although this has been changed to the joint final project)
 * Create a list of specific reading interventions, styles, and strategies.
 * [|Response to Intervention for Middle School Students With Reading Difficulties: Effects of a Primary and Secondary Intervention] (Link) **
 * Create a list of reading intervention resources for educators.
 * [|Adolescent Literacy Intervention Programs: Chart and Program Review] (Link) **
 * In my research about teaching LD students with reading difficulties, I read various views on the teaching of phonics, which I found interesting. al sources are cited in my final project. (Angela)**