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Remedial Reading Chatboard

What do Teachers Want in a Remedial Reading Program?

by Mark Pennington

Aug 15, 2009

As we get started back to school, I began dreaming up a sort of remedial reading teacher's manifesto. Will you comment or add to, if you have time? Given that remedial reading (reading intervention) teachers of upper elementary, middle school, high school, and adult students all share the same instructional goal: help their students become fluent readers who understand what they read.

1. Teachers want to achieve this goal in the shortest amount of instructional time. 2. Teachers want diagnostic assessments that will pinpoint individual reading strengths and deficiencies. But, they don’t want assessments that will eat up excessive amounts of instructional time or cause mounds of paperwork. 3. Teachers don’t want to waste time by starting each learner from “scratch” with hours of repetitive practice. 4. They want the targeted resources to be able to teach students what the results of the diagnostic assessments indicate to be their clear weaknesses in the shortest amount...See MoreAs we get started back to school, I began dreaming up a sort of remedial reading teacher's manifesto. Will you comment or add to, if you have time? Given that remedial reading (reading intervention) teachers of upper elementary, middle school, high school, and adult students all share the same instructional goal: help their students become fluent readers who understand what they read.

1. Teachers want to achieve this goal in the shortest amount of instructional time. 2. Teachers want diagnostic assessments that will pinpoint individual reading strengths and deficiencies. But, they don’t want assessments that will eat up excessive amounts of instructional time or cause mounds of paperwork. 3. Teachers don’t want to waste time by starting each learner from “scratch” with hours of repetitive practice. 4. They want the targeted resources to be able to teach students what the results of the diagnostic assessments indicate to be their clear weaknesses in the shortest amount of time possible. 5. To mix metaphors, teachers want program resources that will enable them to establish a clear game plan, but also ones which will allow them to deviate from that plan, according to the needs of their students. 6. Teachers want resources that won’t assume that they are reading specialists. However, they don’t want resources that treat them like script-reading robots. Teachers are fast learners. 7. Teachers want resources that they can grab and use, not resources that require lots of advance preparation. Teachers want to do a great job with their students and still maintain their sanity. 8. Teachers want reasonable class sizes that are conducive to effective remedial instruction. 9. Teachers understand that remedial readers frequently have behavioral problems; however, their behaviors can’t interfere with other students’ rights to learn. Administrators have to buy-in to this condition. 10. Teachers want to be able to integrate writing, grammar, and spelling instruction and include real reading in their remedial reading programs, not solely skill development.

Teri I like your list. I especially agree with the one about class size. Last year I had a class with 34 students (in a high school intensive reading class).

Also, I want resources that allow/encourage students to use strategies to read at grade level; not just hi interest/lo readability resources. The state test is not high interest nor low r...See MoreI like your list. I especially agree with the one about class size. Last year I had a class with 34 students (in a high school intensive reading class).

Also, I want resources that allow/encourage students to use strategies to read at grade level; not just hi interest/lo readability resources. The state test is not high interest nor low readability and they are expected to perform!

On 8/15/09, Mark Pennington wrote: > As we get started back to school, I began dreaming up a > sort of remedial reading teacher's manifesto. Will you > comment or add to, if you have time? Given that remedial > reading (reading intervention) teachers of upper > elementary, middle school, high school, and adult students > all share the same instructional goal: help their students > become fluent readers who understand what they read. > > 1. Teachers want to achieve this goal in the shortest > amount of instructional time. 2. Teachers want diagnostic > assessments that will pinpoint individual reading strengths > and deficiencies. But, they don’t want assessments that > will eat up excessive amounts of instructional time or > cause mounds of paperwork. 3. Teachers don’t want to waste > time by starting each learner from “scratch” with hours of > repetitive practice. 4. They want the targeted resources to > be able to teach students what the results of the > diagnostic assessments indicate to be their clear > weaknesses in the shortest amount of time possible. 5. To > mix metaphors, teachers want program resources that will > enable them to establish a clear game plan, but also ones > which will allow them to deviate from that plan, according > to the needs of their students. 6. Teachers want resources > that won’t assume that they are reading specialists. > However, they don’t want resources that treat them like > script-reading robots. Teachers are fast learners. 7. > Teachers want resources that they can grab and use, not > resources that require lots of advance preparation. > Teachers want to do a great job with their students and > still maintain their sanity. 8. Teachers want reasonable > class sizes that are conducive to effective remedial > instruction. 9. Teachers understand that remedial readers > frequently have behavioral problems; however, their > behaviors can’t interfere with other students’ rights to > learn. Administrators have to buy-in to this condition. 10. > Teachers want to be able to integrate writing, grammar, and > spelling instruction and include real reading in their > remedial reading programs, not solely skill development.

Aug 15, 2009

g. beisel Thanks Mark. You seem to hit the nail on the head. I am back teaching remedial reading after being gone two year (teaching GATE/EXCELL students). I want diagnostic that help me know if my student truly needs the program I am offering. Our school places students based on CST (state test) scores. Many kids are just poor test takers and don't really n...See MoreThanks Mark. You seem to hit the nail on the head. I am back teaching remedial reading after being gone two year (teaching GATE/EXCELL students). I want diagnostic that help me know if my student truly needs the program I am offering. Our school places students based on CST (state test) scores. Many kids are just poor test takers and don't really need, in my case Language! I want to be able to quickly and effectively diagnose the problem and give my students what they need, and move those that don't need the program into the right classes.

On 8/15/09, Mark Pennington wrote: > As we get started back to school, I began dreaming up a > sort of remedial reading teacher's manifesto. Will you > comment or add to, if you have time? Given that remedial > reading (reading intervention) teachers of upper > elementary, middle school, high school, and adult students > all share the same instructional goal: help their students > become fluent readers who understand what they read. > > 1. Teachers want to achieve this goal in the shortest > amount of instructional time. 2. Teachers want diagnostic > assessments that will pinpoint individual reading strengths > and deficiencies. But, they don’t want assessments that > will eat up excessive amounts of instructional time or > cause mounds of paperwork. 3. Teachers don’t want to waste > time by starting each learner from “scratch” with hours of > repetitive practice. 4. They want the targeted resources to > be able to teach students what the results of the > diagnostic assessments indicate to be their clear > weaknesses in the shortest amount of time possible. 5. To > mix metaphors, teachers want program resources that will > enable them to establish a clear game plan, but also ones > which will allow them to deviate from that plan, according > to the needs of their students. 6. Teachers want resources > that won’t assume that they are reading specialists. > However, they don’t want resources that treat them like > script-reading robots. Teachers are fast learners. 7. > Teachers want resources that they can grab and use, not > resources that require lots of advance preparation. > Teachers want to do a great job with their students and > still maintain their sanity. 8. Teachers want reasonable > class sizes that are conducive to effective remedial > instruction. 9. Teachers understand that remedial readers > frequently have behavioral problems; however, their > behaviors can’t interfere with other students’ rights to > learn. Administrators have to buy-in to this condition. 10. > Teachers want to be able to integrate writing, grammar, and > spelling instruction and include real reading in their > remedial reading programs, not solely skill development.

Sep 11, 2009

Mark Pennington You're welcome. Time to get that one off my chest. Diagnostic and formative data are the best weapons in our teacher arsenals to fend off unworkable programs and student program placements that just don't make sense. Diagnostic and formative data that directly affect our instruction are what we need (and our students).The summative data that affect...See MoreYou're welcome. Time to get that one off my chest. Diagnostic and formative data are the best weapons in our teacher arsenals to fend off unworkable programs and student program placements that just don't make sense. Diagnostic and formative data that directly affect our instruction are what we need (and our students).The summative data that affect administrator job evaluations, such as the CST, et al, are much less valuable. Check out my free reading, spelling, grammar-mechanics whole-class diagnostic assessments at [link removed].

> Thanks Mark. You seem to hit the nail on the head. I am > back teaching remedial reading after being gone two year > (teaching GATE/EXCELL students). I want diagnostic that help > me know if my student truly needs the program I am offering. > Our school places students based on CST (state test) scores. > Many kids are just poor test takers and don't really need, in > my case Language! I want to be able to quickly and > effectively diagnose the problem and give my students what > they need, and move those that don't need the program into > the right classes. > > On 8/15/09, Mark Pennington wrote: >> As we get started back to school, I began dreaming up a >> sort of remedial reading teacher's manifesto. Will you >> comment or add to, if you have time? Given that remedial >> reading (reading intervention) teachers of upper >> elementary, middle school, high school, and adult students >> all share the same instructional goal: help their students >> become fluent readers who understand what they read. >> >> 1. Teachers want to achieve this goal in the shortest >> amount of instructional time. 2. Teachers want diagnostic >> assessments that will pinpoint individual reading strengths >> and deficiencies. But, they don’t want assessments that >> will eat up excessive amounts of instructional time or >> cause mounds of paperwork. 3. Teachers don’t want to waste >> time by starting each learner from “scratch” with hours of >> repetitive practice. 4. They want the targeted resources to >> be able to teach students what the results of the >> diagnostic assessments indicate to be their clear >> weaknesses in the shortest amount of time possible. 5. To >> mix metaphors, teachers want program resources that will >> enable them to establish a clear game plan, but also ones >> which will allow them to deviate from that plan, according >> to the needs of their students. 6. Teachers want resources >> that won’t assume that they are reading specialists. >> However, they don’t want resources that treat them like >> script-reading robots. Teachers are fast learners. 7. >> Teachers want resources that they can grab and use, not >> resources that require lots of advance preparation. >> Teachers want to do a great job with their students and >> still maintain their sanity. 8. Teachers want reasonable >> class sizes that are conducive to effective remedial >> instruction. 9. Teachers understand that remedial readers >> frequently have behavioral problems; however, their >> behaviors can’t interfere with other students’ rights to >> learn. Administrators have to buy-in to this condition. 10. >> Teachers want to be able to integrate writing, grammar, and >> spelling instruction and include real reading in their >> remedial reading programs, not solely skill development.

Sep 12, 2009

Reader Also check out the Stieglitz Informal Reading Inventory. It is a very good tool to use to determine a student's reading levels, and goes quite deep into determining which reading cueing system the student uses )or doesn't use). I got my copy off of Amazon...it's been a godsend for me.

On 9/12/09, Mark Pennington wrote: > You're welcome....See More

Sep 13, 2009

Sara If I were an administrator reading this, I'd ask you- ok, great - exactly what diagnostic assessments do you want me to purchase for you?

(Who said you had to start from scratch? There is NO single reading program that works for all students but it sounds as if you've been made to use one single program with much repetitive practice. Wilso...See More

Sep 17, 2009

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