Preparing special educators to teach reading and use curriculum-based assessments
Abstract
Preparing special educators who are knowledgeable about evidence-based interventions for teaching reading to students with reading difficulties and who are capable of using curriculum-based assessments to monitor student progress and differentiate interventions is vital to the success of current school reform efforts. The primary purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the effect of tutoring and using assessment to monitor the progress of struggling readers on preservice teachers’ (PSTs’) knowledge and preparedness to teach reading. Also of interest was whether reading scores of tutored students improved. PSTs (n = 18) in an undergraduate reading methods course tutored at-risk second graders using an evidence-based intervention and monitored students’ progress weekly. PSTs made significant growth on a measure of teacher knowledge about the structure of language and on a survey of their preparedness to teach reading. A qualitative analysis of PSTs’ weekly reflections and final reports revealed that the majority used curriculum-based assessment data to describe students’ response to tutoring and were beginning to use that data to make instructional decisions. On average, tutored students improved reading fluency, but did not demonstrate significant growth in reading relative to national norms. Implications and limitations of the study are described and directions for future research are discussed.
Reference
Al Otaiba, S., & Lake, V. E. (2007). Preparing special educators to teach reading and use curriculum-based assessments. Reading and Writing, 20(6), 591–617.
Journal
Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal
Analysis
Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?
no
Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?
no
Research Approach
- Experimental
- mixed methods
Geographic Setting
Institutional Context
Certification Level
- Elementary/Special Education dual certification
Programatic Focus
Research Location Context
- field-based methods course
Preservice Participants
Preservice Sample Size
17
Other Participant Data
- Students in tutorial setting
Duration of Data Collection
Data Sources
- Teacher Knowledge Assessment- Structure of Language (Mather, Bos & Babur, 2001)
Data Analysis Tools
Researcher Positionality
- inside (staying their own students)
Research Questions
The primary purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the effect of tutoring and using assessment to monitor the progress of struggling readers on PSTs’ knowledge and preparedness to teach reading.
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes