Welcome to the RTI: Evidenced-Based Instruction On-Line Discussion

[mhougen]

Dr. Hougen and others-

The research behind reading instruction has been around for a bit of time. Why is it taking so long for teacher preparation programs to integrate this research into instruction?  Do you find a disparity in the inclusion of SBRI within special education teacher preparation coursework when compared to general education teacher preparation coursework?

Thanks

I once read that it took 50 years for research to filter down to the classroom.  I know it doesn't take that long anymore, but it is still a struggle. I have been in this field for almost 40 years; allow me to share my observations.
First, we seem to teach how we have been taught. Therefore, it takes a great deal of modeling, practice, coaching, etc. to change that practice.
Also, just implementing anything new takes 3-5 years. Rarely do initiatives in education last that long!  As a teacher, when we were told to implement a new program, I would roll my eyes and say to myself, "let's see how long this one lasts", so teachers are distrustful of ever-changing initiatives that never seem to be the panacea for which we all are searching.
    Teacher educators seem to be among the last to change their practices!  Linda Darling-Hammond has written a great deal about how teacher education could be improved, and there are several IHEs that are doing wonderful things to better prepare teachers (Darling-Hammond, L. (2006) Powerful Teacher Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; Darling-Hammond, L. & Bransford, J., Eds., (2005). Preparing teachers for a changing world: What teachers should learn and be able to do. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.).  One problem I see is that teacher educators in many IHEs receive little or no support to continue their own professional development. Most universities are not "research one" institutions. In many, there may only be one faculty member teaching reading, for example, with several preparations each semester. For that person to keep up to date on the research and to understand it well enough to teach it and assist their teacher candidates in implementing the research is a challenge.
     Special educators do seem to have a better handle on some aspects of SBRI, especially in the areas of how to differentiate instruction, progress monitor, and provide explicit, systematic instruction, in the areas of reading and mathematics. Also, they generally know how to adapt instruction so that students with disabilities can learn it more effectively. However, all teachers can learn these skills...there is nothing "secret" about special education!

[lholdheide]

Dr. Hougen-

Are there specific strategies or tools that a teacher educator could use to evaluate current coursework to determine if evidenced-based instructional strategies are taught, modeled, and practiced?

Thanks!

[mhougen]

Feel free to post a question or comment to the discussion board!  You will first need to register (http://ncctq.org/forum/index.php?action=register) and then select REPLY at the top or bottom of the screen.

Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts, experiences, and suggestions with the group!

Thank you for joining the discussion!  I look forward to learning about your thoughts and those of others who are participating!

[mhougen]

Dr. Hougen-

Are there specific strategies or tools that a teacher educator could use to evaluate current coursework to determine if evidenced-based instructional strategies are taught, modeled, and practiced?

Thanks!

Yes, several have been developed recently. A TQ Research & Policy Brief was published in June, 2007, and includes an Innovation Configuration (IC) Checklist that can be used to determine if your syllabus contains the most relevant research and evidence-based strategies in reading.  (Smatt, S. & Reschly, D. Barriers to the preparation of highly qualified teachers in reading. TQ Center). Other IC's are being developed in classroom organization and behavior management, use of strategies, etc.

I have drafted (not yet published) a rubric to evaluate textbooks for reading. It is included in the materials posted for this conversation. Please try it out and let me know what you think!

One book that helped to guide me in preparing for my classes was the following: Snow, C., Griffin, P. & Burns, M.S. (Eds.) 2005. Knowledge to support the teaching of reading. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

There are national organizations that offer standards; however, some of these are not up-to-date on the recent research so you may need to expand upon them. However, they are a good start.
I am most familiar with the teaching of reading. I hope those with expertise in other areas will add to this list.

[lholdheide]

Provided below is the link to the tools referenced in Dr. Hougen’s response on strategies used to evaluate teacher preparation coursework:

The National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality released two Issue Briefs which include Innovation Configurations that can be used to evaluate teacher preparation coursework.  Presently, an IC is prepared in Scientifically Based Reading Instruction and Classroom and Behavior Management. Both can be accessed below:

                   Barriers to the Preparation of Highly Qualified Teachers in Reading
                   http://www.tqsource.org/publications/June2007Brief.pdf

                   Effective Classroom Management: Teacher Preparation and Professional Development.
                   http://www.ncctq.org/topics/effectiveClassroomManagement.pdf

Additional ICs on Inclusive Services and Instructional Strategies are near completion and will be available soon.For additional information and/or training regarding the use of these ICs to evaluate teacher preparation coursework, please contact Dan Reschly, Vanderbilt University, at dan.reschly@vanderbilt.edu or 615- 708-7910.

Dr. Hougen also presented a draft rubric that could be used to evaluate text books for reading. This document can be accessed at: http://www.tqsource.org/forum/documents/AppendixC-SelectingaTextbook.pdf

[robh66]

Dr. Hougen and others-

Have you noticed disparity between traditional preparation programs and alternative preparation programs in their knowledge base of evidenced-based instructional strategies and the speed at which faculty integrate it within coursework?  Is anyone aware of any specific work occuring within alternative teacher preparation programs?

Thanks

[mtransition]

Dr. Hougen-

Does your project complete any observations of faculty to determine if the SBRR components are successfully integrated into coursework?  Do you, or are other participants, aware of any observation tools specific to SBRI?

Thanks

[mhougen]

Dr. Hougen and others-

Have you noticed disparity between traditional preparation programs and alternative preparation programs in their knowledge base of evidenced-based instructional strategies and the speed at which faculty integrate it within coursework?  Is anyone aware of any specific work occuring within alternative teacher preparation programs?

Thanks

I have been involved with many alternative certification programs, or, as many are calling them now, "pathways to teaching". These programs are so diverse I can't make generalizations about them. Some are university-based post-baccalaureate programs, some are completely online, some are sponsored by school districts, others by private for-profit organizations. The requirements to get "approved" differ state by state.

Some require their candidates to take 1, 2 or even 3 university courses in reading, math, and other areas.  Others provide 3 hours (clock hours, 1/2 day), in how to teach reading, clearly not enough. Some are careful about teaching about evidence-based strategies, whereas others do not.  I encourage those who work with ACPs or who are investigating which pathway might be most appropriate, to use something like the Innovation Configurations we discussed yesterday to determine if the program does include evidence-based strategies and the opportunity to implement those strategies, with supervision and feedback from a knowledgeable instructor.

It does appear easier for most alternative certification programs to change their requirements and course content than it is for university-based programs. So that means there are great opportunities for the ACPs to integrate the most recent evidence-based research and strategies!

[mhougen]

Dr. Hougen-

Does your project complete any observations of faculty to determine if the SBRR components are successfully integrated into coursework?  Do you, or are other participants, aware of any observation tools specific to SBRI?

Thanks

Yes, there are tools out there.  The Innovation Configuration checklists discussed yesterday and available through the TQ Center are useful. At this point they pertain to a review of syllabi. There are other tools and
I am researching how to obtain permission to use them and will post that information tomorrow.

Some sites to look at for this information regarding reading instruction and implementation of SBRI in schools include:
The Florida Center for Reading Research: www.fcrr.org
The University of Oregon: Institute for Development of Educational Achievement: http://idea.uoregon.edu/
Please check this site tomorrow and I'll have more resources for you.

And yes, we do observe faculty teaching and we have a rubric that we use and are in the processing of validating. Also, faculty observe each other and discuss how they integrate SBRI.
The grant currently supporting HEC requires three sources of confirmation that members are integrating SBRR and SBRI in their pre-service courses: 1. The syllabus; 2. observations; 3. student surveys.
The student surveys ask the teacher candidates to rate their knowledge in SBRR at the beginning of the semester and at the end of the semester. Some schools also use it to have students rate their knowledge at the end of the program. Although not perfect, these surveys do give us a trend and a perspective about student knowledge.

[lholdheide]

Dr. Hougen-

Do you have any example syllabi of reading courses that exemplify best practice (i.e.  that all the components of SBRR/SBRI are taught and opportunities to practice the skills with supervision and feedback provided)?

Thanks

[mhougen]

Dr. Hougen-

Do you have any example syllabi of reading courses that exemplify best practice (i.e.  that all the components of SBRR/SBRI are taught and opportunities to practice the skills with supervision and feedback provided)?

Thanks

Well, I have my own!  Seriously, I have some examples but I would need to get permission to share them with you. Also, most universities address the components through several courses, over the entire program.  I am writing an sample course now, "Reading 101", that does contain all the elements with application opportunities. I will be glad to post that later this summer for your use.

I'll work on posting sample syllabi on this site tomorrow.

[lholdheide]

Dr. Hougen-

Making changes in the university setting can be an uphill battle. What barriers have surfaced and how have they been addressed?

Thanks

[mhougen]

Dr. Hougen-

Making changes in the university setting can be an uphill battle. What barriers have surfaced and how have they been addressed?

Thanks

Most of the barriers I have encountered involve misperceptions by faculty members about the purpose of the Higher Education Collaborative (HEC). The HEC does not tell anyone what to teach or how to teach. Rather, we work together to review the most current evidence-based research and how that could best be integrated into pre-service classes to better prepare our teacher candidates and better instruct our young children.

The universities with which I have worked that have embraced change and the adoption of new research are those that have a close faculty who work together to align their courses to ensure all standards are taught to their candidates. The Deans and Dept. Chairs of those universities are involved in this effort and support their faculty. We have several deans who regularly attend the HEC seminars; one university has 26 members, including the dean! Not only do they thrive on discussing the new information and resources they gain from the seminars, but they relish the time they have together during those days to work on improvement of their program.

Of course there are barriers. State and university policies and regulations make it difficult to add or change courses. Budget constraints may limit resources and personnel needed to effect change. Many schools depend upon adjuncts with whom other faculty often have limited contact, and the adjuncts receive limited support or mentoring. However, the biggest barrier I have found exists among "naysayers", those who are not interested in learning anything new and are teaching the same content they were teaching years ago. We all have something to contribute that would be useful to our colleagues and teacher candidates; the challenge is to make sure that our contributions are based in research and not our personal philosophy or "the way I've always done it" mentality. When I worked in an urban school district, the motto was "Children First", which meant that every decision we made was based upon what was best for the students, not what was best for the teachers or administrators. I think that motto applies to teacher educators as well--what is best for our teacher candidates and, most importantly, for the students they will be teaching, as determined by research, is what we should be teaching. When faculty ascribed to that thought, most barriers can be overcome.

[lholdheide]

Dr. Hougen and others-

Which of the 5 SBRI essential components is taught less frequently in preservice classrooms?

Thanks

[mhougen]

Dr. Hougen and others-

Which of the 5 SBRI essential components is taught less frequently in preservice classrooms?

In my recent experience, it seems that all except comprehension are not taught frequently or well, and even the teaching of comprehension often does not extend to metacognition strategies that emphasize the students learning to choose and implement the most appropriate strategy for the text.

Teacher educators often confuse phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and phonics. They don't stress that phonemic awareness (PA) does NOT involve letters but only sounds in words. They don't understand the continuum of skills in developing PA, how to teach it in an engaging way, nor how to assess mastery of the skill. Circling beginning sounds on a worksheet of pictures is NOT PA.

Linking phonemic awareness to letter sounds and teaching the alphabetic principle is also not taught to teacher candidates.  How to systematically and explicitly teach the grapho-phonemic connection is generally not taught thoroughly.

Phonics, decoding, and word study are taught very little. When teacher candidates understand some of the patterns of our language, including the influence of word origins, English becomes much more predictable and easier!  When I ask teachers or teacher educators the types of syllables and how they can help support learning to read, few are able to respond. Yet the six (or 7) types of syllables are a tool to decoding multisyllabic words. When children know that ch sounds like /k/ in words with a Greek origin (chorus) it makes sense. No English word can end in v, so an e is added to words like love and dove. Phonics and wordy study can be fun and interesting and not drill and kill.  Morphology is a way to unlock decoding and support vocabulary development as well, yet I rarely see it taught in college classrooms.


Fluency is being taught now, but still I see it taught as "reading fast" rather than reading with prosody, a skill which can increase comprehension for young children.

Vocabulary is probably one of the least well taught concepts and  yet one of the most important. Teaching children to engage with words and to learn word meanings in a deep, meaningful way is absolutely necessary.  Too many children come to school already behind in vocabulary development and wide reading, while a wonderful practice, is not enough to make up for these vocabulary deficits. Vocabulary must be taught directly and thoughtfully. Fortunately, there is a wealth of research available that present effective strategies teacher educators should share with their students (see work by Beck, McKeown, Kucan; Biemiller; Nagy; Coyne; Graves; and others).

Finally, comprehension instruction can be improved.  I see teacher candidates being taught K-W-L and Venn diagrams everywhere!  That is a good start--they must learn strategies to use before, during, and after reading. We must also teach students how to know which strategy is best for a particular text, how to evaluate the use of that strategy, and how to know when to use another approach. Comprehension instruction needs to go beyond asking students questions after they read a text to how to encourage deep, critical thinking.


Thanks
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