Search

The purpose of this evaluation was to examine the effectiveness and feasibility of a summer learning program for students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). We used a quasi-experimental design with pre and post assessments for both the treatment and comparison groups. Participants were fourth grade students (N = 92) below proficient on the state standardized literacy assessment and had social emotional/behavioral difficulties. Baseline equivalence on key factors (e.g., age, ethnicity) was established. Both the treatment and the comparison groups received the same dosage of intensive literacy instruction for five weeks, while the treatment group received embedded or explicated social emotional learning opportunities through a variety of enrichment activities related to self-regulation skills, appropriate peer interaction skills, emotional regulation skills, and conflict resolution strategies. Results indicated that both groups improved their literacy skills. Moreover, the treatment group significantly improved their emotional symptoms and peer problem scores, while the comparison group's social emotional behavior remained stable or slightly declined. The results of this study demonstrate initial evidence to support the use of an integrated (i.e., academic and enrichment activities) summer learning model for students at risk for EBD.

The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which two specific elements of fidelity of implementation (i.e., adherence and quality of delivery) enhanced or constrained the effects of a reading intervention for middle school students experiencing reading difficulties. A total of 281 middle school students with reading difficulties received an intensive reading intervention (i.e., Corrective Reading Decoding strand) delivered by trained school staff (n = 21) at three middle schools. Although students receiving the Corrective Reading Decoding strand made statistically significant (p less than 0.001) improvements in their basic reading skills and passage comprehension overall, variations in student gains were found. Overall fidelity of implementation accounted for 22% and 18% of the variance in the gains in basic reading skills and passage comprehension of middle school students with reading difficulties, respectively (p less than 0.05). Two teacher actions, following the lesson format as designed and reteaching lessons when needed, predicted student basic reading and passage comprehension skills above and beyond other teacher actions (p less than 0.05). Results, implications, and limitations are discussed. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)

A meta-analysis of 30 studies found the following learner characteristics influenced the treatment responsiveness of early literacy interventions: rapid naming; problem behavior; phonological awareness; alphabetic principle; memory; IQ; and demographics. With the exception of the demographic category, the obtained effect sizes for the primary learner characteristics were moderately large. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

This article reports on a pilot study of the Integrated Literacy Study Group, a digitally delivered professional learning intervention to prepare elementary school teachers to provide evidence‐based reading instruction and behavioral strategies to students with or are at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. Using broadcast methods, we recruited 72 teachers across five states in the western United States to participate in the randomized controlled trial. Intervention teachers, relative to controls, made significant gains in self‐efficacy and use of the reading and behavioral strategies learned in the professional learning program. Students with or at risk of emotional and behavioral disorders served by participating teachers made significant improvements in academic competence and engagement. Teacher professional learning can improve teacher knowledge of evidence‐based reading and behavioral strategies for students with (or at risk for) emotional and behavioral disorders, teacher self‐efficacy, and teacher practice, with positive impacts on student early literacy and academic competence. Practitioner Points: 1.Elementary teachers are challenged by students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders.2.An online intervention helped teachers manage student behavior and improve reading instruction.3.Teachers improved self‐efficacy and students gained academic competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) have significant reading difficulties, but educators have few in-service professional learning opportunities geared to reading instruction for these students. The Integrated Literacy Study Group was developed as an online professional development program to prepare elementary teachers to meet the literacy needs of students with or at risk of EBD. In this study, the authors use a within-subjects design to evaluate the feasibility of the 10-week digital program with 13 elementary teachers. From pretest to posttest, teachers made statistically and educationally significant gains in knowledge of evidence-based social and emotional learning and reading strategies for students with EBD, as well as significant improvements in general teacher self-efficacy, reading self-efficacy, and social and emotional self-efficacy. Pretest-to-posttest change in teacher burnout and classroom management was educationally significant, but statistically nonsignificant. Most teachers perceived the program content as relevant to their needs and those of their students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this evaluation was to examine the effectiveness and feasibility of a summer learning program for students at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). We used a quasi-experimental design with pre and post assessments for both the treatment and comparison groups. Participants were fourth grade students (N = 92) below proficient on the state standardized literacy assessment and had social emotional/behavioral difficulties. Baseline equivalence on key factors (e.g., age, ethnicity) was established. Both the treatment and the comparison groups received the same dosage of intensive literacy instruction for five weeks, while the treatment group received embedded or explicated social emotional learning opportunities through a variety of enrichment activities related to self-regulation skills, appropriate peer interaction skills, emotional regulation skills, and conflict resolution strategies. Results indicated that both groups improved their literacy skills. Moreover, the treatment group significantly improved their emotional symptoms and peer problem scores, while the comparison group's social emotional behavior remained stable or slightly declined. The results of this study demonstrate initial evidence to support the use of an integrated (i.e., academic and enrichment activities) summer learning model for students at risk for EBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a cohesive and intensive preventive prereading intervention on the phonological awareness, word reading, and rapid naming skills of children at risk of emotional disturbance and reading problems. Thirty-six children were assigned randomly to an experimental or comparison condition. Children in the experimental condition received Stepping Stones to Literacy. Stepping Stones includes 25 lessons designed to teach children pivotal prereading skills (e.g., phonological awareness, letter identification). Children in the experimental condition showed statistically significant improvements in their phonological awareness, word reading, and rapid naming skills relative to children in the comparison condition. Effect size estimates indicate that the improvements were moderate to large across all of the phonological awareness, word reading, and rapid naming measures. Treatment nonresponder analyses indicated that a relatively small number of children in the experimental group failed to show satisfactory gains in their phonological awareness (n = 3),word reading (n = 1), and rapid naming (n = 3) skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article was to systematically review the available research on learner characteristics that influence the treatment effectiveness of early literacy interventions. Meta-analytic procedures were applied to a total of 30 studies that met the inclusionary and exclusionary criteria. Mean average effect sizes were computed for seven primary learner characteristic categories: (1) rapid naming, (2) alphabetic principle, (3) phonological awareness, (4) problem behavior, (5) memory, (6) IQ, and (7) demographic. The primary learner characteristics that influenced the treatment responsiveness of early literacy interventions were, in order of magnitude, rapid naming, problem behavior, phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, memory, IQ, and demographics. With the exception of the demographic category, the obtained effect sizes for the primary learner characteristics were moderately large. The demographic primary learner characteristic (i.e., disability, ethnicity, grade-level status) of children was not statistically ( p < 0.05) distinct from zero. The findings, limitations, and future research needs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]