Evaluation
Did the plan work?
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After 12 weeks in an evidence based reading program specializing in teaching alphabetic knowledge, Andy's scores took a dip. In the following 12 weeks Andy's progress is sporadic, but he was more than three data points below his target line. The lack of adequate progress means that it is time to reassess Andy's intervention and see what adjustments need to be made.
Why can’t Andy break the gain line?
Andy began the intervention with emerging skills in the area of alphabetic knowledge, but after 12 weeks of intensive intervention designed specifically for this component, his oral reading fluency is still weak. Was the intervention appropriate? Did the intensity of the intervention match the severity of the problem? Were there enough intervention options to meet Andy's specific needs? How can Andy's intervention be redesigned to be more effective?
Targeted Strategic Reading Fluency
After the evaluation, the original assessment data was re-analyzed and a targeted short-term intervention was designed for Andy focusing on reading fluency.
At the beginning of the week Andy would read a passage and the teacher would record the his time. He would then practice re-reading the passage with a fluent model two or three times during the week. At the end of the week he would read the passage and compare his prevous times to his most recent time and chart his progress.
Achieve 3000 has graciously granted permission to use their materials on this site to demonstrate how these activities were created. This is an example of one of the activities.
Reading Fluency Activity
Mars Had Water
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Reuters, March 3, 2004)
Scientists want to find out if Mars had water at one time. Why do scientists want to find water on Mars? Water is vital for life. If water was on Mars, maybe there was life there too. Mars is cold and distant from Earth. Scientists cannot yet send people there. So they sent a robot. The robot did not find water. But it did find signs that there was water at one time. How? It inspected the rocks. Some rocks have marks made by salt. Some rocks have shapes that are made by water. Scientists want to find out more from these rocks. A spaceship will be sent to Mars to bring rocks back to Earth. One day, Scientists also want to send people to Mars.
Dictionary
inspect (verb) to examine carefully
vital (adjective) necessary to the continuation of life; life sustaining
Copyright 2004, Achieve 3000
(re-printed with permission)
Did it work this time?
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