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March 8, 2018
What We Know About Literal and Inferential Comprehension in Reading
In 2000, the National Reading Panel identified five practice elements with a sufficient evidence base to be deemed essential for mastery of reading (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2000). These elements consist of systematic teaching of phonemic awareness, phonics instruction, vocabulary, fluency, and exposure to reading comprehension strategies. Of these skill sets, reading comprehension has received far less attention in the literature, but is indispensable for success as student’s progress through the grades and use reading in almost every course. Being able to make effective inferences from materials that a student read is considered central to effective reading comprehension. This meta-analysis of 25 studies evaluates the impact of inference instruction in grades K-12. The study reported that inference instruction had an effect size d=0.58 on general comprehension and d= 0.68 on literal comprehension. These are “moderate to large” effects of instruction on general comprehension and to making inferences for both skilled and less skilled readers. The pattern differed for the literal measure, however, with skilled readers showing almost no gain but unskilled readers showing sizable gains. These findings support work by Daniel Willingham and Gail Lovette titled, “Can Reading Comprehension be Taught”? Their interpretation of the effect of comprehension instruction is that it signals to students the significance of inferential thinking. Willingham and Lovette conclude that practicing inferences does not lead to increases in general inferencing for the following reasons; inferencing depends on the particular text, and whatever cognitive processes contribute to inferencing are already well practiced in oral language as we are constantly drawing inferences in daily conversation.
Citation: Elleman, A. M. (2017). Examining the impact of inference instruction on the literal and inferential comprehension of skilled and less skilled readers: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(6), 761-781.
Willingham, D. T., & Lovette, G. (2014). Can reading comprehension be taught. Teachers College Record, 116, 1-3
Link: http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-06326-001
http://www.danielwillingham.com/uploads/5/0/0/7/5007325/willingham&lovette_2014_can_reading_comprehension_be_taught_.pdf
March 2, 2018
Trends in High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 2014 Report Released
The Institute for Education Sciences (IES) National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) just released Trends in High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 2014. This annual report provides descriptive data on long-term trends in dropout and completion rates. It also reviews the characteristics of students in these categories including race/ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, disability status, immigration status, and outcomes in the labor force. Results show improvement in overall outcomes, but continued and significant disparity among children of different races. The 2014 ACS status dropout rate was lower for 16- to 24-year-olds who were Asian (2.5 percent), White (4.4 percent), and of two or more races (5.0 percent) than for those who were Black (7.9 percent), Pacific Islander (10.6 percent), Hispanic (10.7 percent), and American Indian/ Alaska Native (11.5 percent). There was also significant disparity between individual states, ranging from 2.7 percent status dropout rates in Vermont to 10.6 percent in Louisiana. High School graduation rates showed the same pattern of overall improvement but continued disparity by student race and individual states.
Citation: McFarland, J., Cui, J., and Stark, P. (2018). Trends in High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 2014 (NCES 2018-117). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.
Link:
https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2018117
https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018117.pdf
February 28, 2018
WWC Examines the Evidence on Two Teacher Training Programs
News Summary: If teachers are to have a significant impact on student learning it is necessary for them to be well trained and prepared for the role of teacher. This report examined the effectiveness of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) and My TeachingPartner Pre-K. The NBPTS is a professional certification program for teachers that have taught at least three years and can meet the NBPTS standards. My TeachingPartner Pre-K incorporates multiple media and coaching to prepare early education teachers. The results of the What Works Clearinghouse review of NBPTS is that it had mixed effects in mathematics in grades 3-8 and no discernable effect on English language arts achievement. There were no studies that met WWC standards for review so no judgment can be made about its effectiveness. The results of this review highlight the necessity of evaluating the effectiveness of teacher training programs. The stakes are very high for the students and families being served by teachers and nationally very large amount of money is spent on training teachers. It would be nice to know which approaches to teacher professional development are effective and which have no beneficial effect.
Citation: What Works Clearinghouse, Institute for Education Science (2018). National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification Intervention Report. Retrieved from https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/InterventionReport/689
Link: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/InterventionReport/689
February 28, 2018
Digest of Education Statistics 2015 Report Released
News Summary: The Digest of Education Statistics 2015 was just released by The Institute for Education Sciences (IES) National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). This annual publication provides a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of education from prekindergarten through graduate school. Topics include: the number of schools and colleges; teachers; enrollments; graduates; educational attainment; finances; federal funds for education; employment and income of graduates; libraries; technology; and international comparisons. It has been published annually since 1962, providing over 50 years of data with which to benchmark education performance at the system level in this country.
Citation: Snyder, T.D., de Brey, C., and Dillow, S.A. (2018). Digest of Education Statistics 2016 (NCES 2017-094). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC.
Link:
https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d16/
https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2017/2017094.pdf
February 7, 2018
The Information Book Flood: Is Additional Exposure Enough to Support Early Literacy Development?
News Summary: Over the past twenty years many reading interventions have been proposed. One of these, “Book Flooding”, proposes that providing an enriched environment in which books are present and readily available can improve reading. Much of the research on this topic has focused on exposing children in the early grades to storybooks. Given the greater importance on reading complex text in meeting new reading standards, this study examines the impact of book flooding of books that stress academic words and technical terms. This quasi-experimental study examines the influence of a book distribution program targeted at enhancing children’s exposure to information books. The research examined whether a flood of information books in early childhood settings could affect growth in language, content-related vocabulary, and concepts of comprehending information text. The study concludes there were no significant effects on student outcomes and that book distribution programs on their own need to be reevaluated if they are to improved student reading performance.
Citation: Neuman, S. B. (2017). The Information Book Flood: Is Additional Exposure Enough to Support Early Literacy Development?. The Elementary School Journal, 118(1), 1-27.
Link: http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdfplus/10.1086/692913
February 7, 2018
Promoting teachers’ implementation of culturally and contextually relevant class-wide behavior plans
News Summary: Research suggests students of differing racial groups are unequally impacted by school disciplinary interventions. This study examines whether teachers who self-assessed their own use of culturally and contextually relevant practices would implement a class-wide behavior plan with high levels of implementation fidelity. Results indicated that teachers who engaged in self-assessment and training did implement the plan with high levels of implementation fidelity, particularly when given performance feedback.
Citation: Fallon, L. M., Cathcart, S. C., DeFouw, E. R., O’Keeffe, B. V., & Sugai, G. Promoting teachers’ implementation of culturally and contextually relevant class‐wide behavior plans. Psychology in the Schools.
Link: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pits.22107/full
January 31, 2018
Introduction to Special Issue: Null Effects and Publication Bias in Learning Disabilities Research
This paper addresses null effects and publication bias, two important issues that are impediments to improving our knowledge of what works and what doesn’t in education. Despite great progress over the past twenty years in establishing empirical evidence for interventions and instructional practices in the field of education, more needs to be accomplished in identifying not only what works, but also what research can inform us about inaccurate evidence that can lead us down a blind alley. This key element in the scientific process has often been over looked in the body of research that is published. Therrien and Cook examine how the contingencies that control publication of research are limiting our knowledge by excluding results of research that suggest practices that don’t produce positive outcomes and conditions under which practices work. The paper highlights the fact that not all negative results are equal. One such instance is when research results are mixed, some revealing positive results and other studies offering negative outcomes. Negative effects in these situations can be of assistance in identifying the boundary conditions as to where and when the practice can be used effectively. Another benefit of null effects research is when popular opinion is such that everyone believes something to be, true-sugar increases hyperactivity, but rigorous research reveals there to be no significant cause and effect relationship.
Citation: Therrien, W. J. and Cook, Brian. G. (2018). Introduction to Special Issue: Null Effects and Publication Bias in Learning Disabilities Research. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice. DOI10.1111/ldrp.12163
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322700698_Introduction_to_Special_Issue_Null_Effects_and_Publication_Bias_in_Learning_Disabilities_Research
January 23, 2018
The Effectiveness of Direct Instruction Curricula: A Meta-Analysis of a Half Century of Research
A soon to be published meta-analysis of Direct Instruction (DI) curricula that reviews research on DI curricula between 1966-2016 reports that DI curricula produced moderate to large effect sizes across the curriculum areas reading, math, language, and spelling. The review is notable because it reviews a much larger body of DI research than has occurred in the past and covers a wide range of experimental designs (from single subject to randomized trials). 328 studies were reviewed and almost 4,000 effects were considered. Given the variability in research designs and the breadth of the effects considered, it suggests that DI curricula produce robust results. There was very little decline during maintenance phases of the study and greater exposure to the curricula resulted in greater effects.
Citation: Stockard, J., Wood, T. W., Coughlin, C. & Khoury, C. R. (in press), Review of Educational Research. DOI: 10.3102/0034654317751919
Link: DOI: 10.3102/0034654317751919
January 22, 2018
Homework and academic achievement: A meta-analytic review of research
This study from Turkey looks at the effect of homework on students’ academic achievement. This meta-analysis attempts to answer to the question: “What kind of effect does homework assignment have on students’ academic achievement levels?” The effect size of homework on student achievement was determined to be a small effect size, d = 0.229. Despite the significant time students spend on homework, this study supports previous research that suggest these efforts only have a modest effect. Successful use of homework requires making smart choices about when to assign homework and how much to assign. To maximize the impact, teachers must grade homework assignments promptly and provide timely feedback. Unless these rules are followed, homework unsurprisingly achieves poor results (See Wing Institute Homework Abstract).
Citation: Bas, G., Senturk, C., & Cigerci, F. M. (2017). Homework and academic achievement: A meta-analytic review of research. Issues in Educational Research, 27(1), 31-50.
Link: http://www.iier.org.au/iier27/bas.html
January 22, 2018
The impact of tier 1 reading instruction on reading outcomes for students in Grades 4–12: A meta-analysis
This meta-analysis examines the impact of 1st tier reading instruction on reading outcomes for students in grades 4-12 in an Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS) service delivery model. 37 studies met criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The study finds small, but positive effects for 1st tier reading instruction on comprehension, vocabulary, and indicates minimum evidence for struggling readers maintaining or improving reading comprehension over struggling students receiving typical instruction. Hedges’s g was used calculating effect sizes. Because of the limited number of studies examining phonics/word recognition and fluency instruction, it was not possible these critical instruction areas in this meta-analysis.
Citation: Swanson, E., Stevens, E. A., Scammacca, N. K., Capin, P., Stewart, A. A., & Austin, C. R. (2017). The impact of tier 1 reading instruction on reading outcomes for students in Grades 4–12: A meta-analysis. Reading and Writing, 30(8), 1639-1665.
Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11145-017-9743-3
