Theories and Approaches to Working with Students with Mild Disabilities

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Theories and Approachesto Working with Students
with Mild Disabilities

• Week 14 Week of April 14, 2002Theories and
  Approaches to Teaching/Learning to Read
• Read Lerner, Chapter 11.
• Do the tenth set of postings (Week 14).

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Week 14 Advance Organizer
When this chapter is completed, the student will
be able to

1. Know the consequences that reading disabilities
   have for the individual, society, and the nation.
2. Become familiar with the condition of dyslexia.
3. Understand the philosophy of whole-language
   instruction.
4. Understand the explicit-code emphasis approach to
   teaching reading.
5. Describe ways of recognizing words.

Continued
Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 117
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Week 14 Advance Organizer

1. Describe ways to teaching reading comprehension.
2. Describe both informal and formal methods for
   assessing reading performance.
3. Know strategies for improving word recognition.
4. Know strategies for improving fluency.
5. Know strategies for teaching reading
   comprehension.
6. Describe remedial methods for teaching reading.
7. Know how computers can be used to teach reading.
8. Test yourself on phonics rules and
   generalizations.

Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 117
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Week 14 Chapter Summary

• Reading is one form of the integrated language
  system and is linked to oral language and written
  language. It is one of the major academic
  difficulties for students with learning
  disabilities. Inability to read has detrimental
  consequences for society as well as for the poor
  reader.
• Dyslexia is one form of learning disability in
  which the individual encounters extreme
  difficulty in learning to read. The problem is
  thought to be organic, related to differences in
  brain structure or function.

Continued
Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 117
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Week 14 Chapter Summary

• The stages of reading acquisition include(1)
  early literacy(2) decoding(3) fluency(4) using
  reading for learning(5) multiple viewpointsand
  (6) construction and reconstruction.

Continued
Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 118
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Week 14 Chapter Summary

• The reading process is complex. Generalizations
  about the reading process of effective readers
  are the following(1) reading is a constructive
  process(2) reading must be fluent(3) reading
  must be strategic(4) reading requires
  motivation, and(5) reading is a lifelong
  pursuit.
• Two views about the teaching of reading are(1)
  whole-language instruction, and(2) explicit
  code-emphasis instruction. The best approach is
  to integrate these two instructional methods.

Continued
Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 118
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Week 14 Chapter Summary

• The whole-language philosophy includes the
  synthesis of reading and writing, the use of
  authentic literature, and the focus on meaning in
  reading.
• Explicit code-emphasis instruction provides
  systematic, direct instruction of the elements of
  the alphabetic code with an emphasis on decoding
  skills.
• Two major components should be considered in
  teaching reading word recognition and reading
  comprehension. Word-recognition clues include
  phonics, sight words, context clues, and
  structural analysis. The ability to recognize
  words is a prerequisite to comprehension.

Continued
Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 118
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Week 14 Chapter Summary

• Reading comprehension involves three interactive
  elements the reader, the text, and the context
  of the reading situation. Several concepts are
  important for reading comprehensionWhat the
  reader brings to the text,reading as a language
  process,reading as a thinking process, andthe
  need for active intervention with the text.
• Other topics related to reading comprehension are
  fluency, reading of narrative materials, and
  reading of expository materials.

Continued
Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 118
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Week 14 Chapter Summary

• Ways to assess reading performance include
  informal measures, such as the informal reading
  inventory, miscue analysis, and portfolio
  assessment. Formal tests include survey tests,
  diagnostic tests, and comprehensive batteries.

Continued
Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 118
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Week 14 Chapter Summary

• Teaching strategies are organized into the
  following sections(1) developing word
  recognition,(2) strategies for building
  fluency,(3) strategies for improving reading
  comprehension,(4) using special remedial
  methods,(5) dealing with special reading
  problems, and(6) using computers to teach
  reading.
• A number of special methods are used with
  students with reading disabilities. Teachers of
  these students should have competencies in using
  the methods.

Continued
Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 118
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Week 14 Stages of Reading Development

• Stage Type of Learning Reading Grade Level

1 2 3 4 5 6
Early literacy or prereading Decoding Fluency
Use reading for learning Multiple
viewpoints Construction reconstruction
Below grade level 1 Reading grade level 1
beginning grade level 2 Reading grade level 2 to
3 Reading grade level 4 to 8 High school
reading grade College beyond
Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 124
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Week 14 Whole-Language Views

• Use integrated language system oral language,
  reading, writing.
• Both oral and written languages are acquired
  through natural usage.
• Use only authentic literature.
• Teach writing early.
• Provide abundant opportunities for writing.
• Avoid instruction on separate nonmeaningful parts
  of language or use of exercises and drills.

Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 125
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Week 14 Word-Recognition Strategies

• Sight words
• Phonics
• Context clues
• Structural analysis
• Combining word-recognition strategies

Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 126
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Week 14 KWL Strategy Sheet

• K
• What we KNOW

W What we WANTto find out
L What we LEARNED
Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 127
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Week 14 Strategies for Reading Comprehension

• Basal readers
• Activating background knowledge
• Language experience method
• K W L method
• Building memory vocabulary and concepts
• Expanding vocabulary

Continued
Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 128
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Week 14 Strategies for Reading Comprehension

• Word webs
• Cloze procedure
• Reading-writing connection
• Thinking strategies
• Learning strategies instruction for reading

Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 128
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Week 14 Example of a Cloze Passage

• This is a book_1_ learning disabilities, a
  problem _2_ impedes learning for many _3_,
  adolescents, and adults, affecting _4_ schooling
  and adjustment to _5_. There is a growing
  concern _6_ children and youth with _7_
  disabilities who have extreme _8_ in learning
  academic and _9_ skills, despite their mental
  _10_ for doing so.
• The _11_ of the youngster who _12_ extreme
  difficulty in learning, _13_ is not new.
  Children from _14_ walks of life have _15_ such
  difficulties throughout the _16_.

Adapted from Lerner, 8th edition, p. 129