Rationale Behind Leap Learning Systems Dialogic
Reading Interventions
Leap Learning Systems, a not for profit, has been dedicated to closing
the education gap through language and literacy. Many of our students
come from low print and low verbal households, thus entering head start
and kindergarten behind in language and emergent literacy skills. The
seminal work of Hart and Risley (1995) 1 supplemented by many other
researchers, for example beginning with Craig and Washington (1994) 2
indicates the degree to which students must ‘catch-up’ to expectations for
academic work in their school environments. It is the teacher’s
responsibility to help those students3 gain the skills to become proficient
and engaged readers. Response to Intervention (RtI) has just that goal. It
has the potential to be the model that will make closing the gap an
achievable goal for American education.
The promises of RtI are sometimes matched by the problems. The
ideals of RtI and the realities of the schools in large urban districts are
sometimes in conflict and provide seemingly “catch-22” dilemmas. These
may include the lack of any core reading curriculum, a day that is sufficiently
short as to not allow time for small group interventions without instituting
an after-school program, or having 60 to 90 percent of students in a
classroom not performing at grade level. The promise of No Child Left
Behind, IDEA, and Response to Intervention model is too important to let
the problems stop us. We hope to offer some solutions that will be
temporary as schools achieve some of the goals; hopefully some will
become part of the school culture permanently.
1 Hart, B. and Risley, T. (1995) Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experience of Young American Children. Paul H. Brookes, pub., Baltimore. 2Craig, H. and Washington, J. (1994) The Complex Syntax Skills of Poor, Urban, African‐American Preschoolers at School Entry. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools Vol.25 181-190 July
1994.
3 We
work with teachers to help all students achieve by identifying students with the ‘diagnosis’ of ABTT
(Ain’t Been Taught That, Green 2000) 8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
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This manual is designed to help your school offer meaningful
interventions to students that will bridge the language/literacy gap with
which they entered. This is a beginning step to embracing the whole ideal
that every staff member is a vital part of a team in which each player takes
full responsibility for the win. The win comes when each student reaches
his or her full potential as a learner. This manual does not address the
extremely important step that each school must do in ensuring that each
classroom is a learning center with a proven core-reading curriculum
presented with best teaching practices. And while it gives ways to measure
each student’s success with each intervention and the impact those
improved reading skills has on the students’ classroom success, it does not
give the classroom wide benchmark measures that should be completed at
least 3 times per year. Our schools do not have the luxury of time or
adequate personnel numbers to create a perfect Tier 1 environment before
embarking on the task of providing Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions. Of
course, not having Tier 1 in place creates another dilemma of not knowing
if all of the students receiving Tier 2 actually need that level of intervention
or would have blossomed in the ideal of Tier 1. We must strive to be
improving each aspect of the RtI model through-out the coming years. Leap
Learning Systems can support you as you enter and work through the
whole process. This manual is one small part of the whole model. At the
present time it deals solely with emergent and early reading in kindergarten
through 3rd grades and some support for reading for meaning and
enjoyment from 4th through 8th grades. While the math and behavior
aspects of the RtI model are not directly addressed, increasing language
skills will have a positive impact on both. Dr. Tony Bashir said this
eloquently; “The ability to learn with language is basic to content learning
which involves linking thoughts and ideas with words and word
relationships. Learning to use language and communication is important for
planning, controlling, and guiding one’s actions. Language is used in problem
solving, developing logical relationships, and making explanations.” Bashir,
A.S., Conte,B.M., Heerde,S.M. Language and School Success:(1998) In other
words learning relies on the students language capabilities.
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Principles of Leap Learning Systems Dialogic Reading Interventions:
Researched Based/ each technique comes with extensive references
Engaging for Students/ no drill and kill
Simple to Administer/ based on dialogic reading application
Curriculum & Illinois State Standards Based
Based on 5 pillars of reading
Language is the basis of reading
Leap Language Techniques are based upon proven teaching techniques as
old as Socrates himself. We offer them in simple to understand and easy to
remember sound bites in order that they can become an integral part of
each teachers constant repertoire. References to support each technique
are included in the appendices.
The categories of target goals of vocabulary, narrative, phonological
awareness, and print knowledge are meant to include the basics of reading
skills attainment. So while the categories of the 5 Pillars; phonemic
awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension and reading fluency can
be described in our 4 we have taken the liberty to extend the definitions to
include aspects of reading beyond what is usually included in their
definitions when only referring to emergent or early reading. Our basic
definitions were derived from Laura Justice’s work, (Read It Again, 2009.)
Vocabulary Components identified in Leap interventions:
Change case Awareness of categories
Identifying root words
Understanding prefixes and suffixes
Understanding multiple meanings
Understanding vocabulary as metaphor, inference, alliteration.
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Understand meaning in context
Narrative Components identified in Leap interventions;
Responds to question topic
Responds to question intent
Responds completely
Adequate detail
Adds information
Uses beginning, middle and end in longer explanations
Uses parts of story grammar: characters, plot, conflict, solutions,
motivation, point of view
Phonological Awareness Components used in Leap interventions:
Recognition that sentences are made up of words.
Recognition that words can rhyme - then production thereof
Recognition that words can be broken down into syllables - then
production thereof
Recognition that words can be broken down into onsets and rimes - then
production thereof
Recognition that words can begin with the same sound - then production of
such words
Recognition that words can end with the same sound -then production of
such words
Recognition that words can have the same medial sound(s) -then
production of such words
Recognition that words can be broken down into individual phonemes then production thereof
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Recognition that sounds can be deleted from words to make new words then production thereof
Ability to blend sounds to make words
Ability to segment words into constituent sounds
Phonemic Awareness: What Does it Mean? by Dr. Kerry Hempenstall
RMIT
University, Melbourne, Australia (this a
footnote?)
Rhyme, rime, onset
Sound letter association
Sound awareness
Sound blending/sound segmentation
Syllable blending/syllable segmentation
Sight word knowledge
Print Knowledge Components used in Leap interventions
Uses left right orientation
Employs orthographic awareness
Understands and constructs expository, narrative, and conversational text.
Understands authors tone (irony, sarcasm, exposition, comedy)
Whitehurst et al. (1988) taught mothers specific interactive techniques to
use when reading picture books with their preschool-age children. This
intervention program, called dialogic reading, produced substantial effects on
preschool children's language development. We are using dialogic reading
to be the techniques described by Whitehurst highlighting engaged reading
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style with emphasis on presentation skills and using language techniques to
engage the child’s prior knowledge.
In Tier 1;
Teacher uses best practices in classroom including Language Techniques.
Teacher notes from classroom observation, classroom tests or quizzes,
or standardized test results that some students are not performing at grade
level in reading
Teacher asks, “Is ________ having trouble reading due to problems with
vocabulary, narrative, phonological awareness, or print knowledge?”
Each intervention single lesson is designed to be complete in itself. The
book or the passage may be read again with different targets for students. It
is hoped that teachers will embrace the language techniques. Thus each
teacher or SLP may use other books or passages of their own choosing,
making sure to target the needs of the individual students in their follow up
questions. I’m sure that many teachers use engaging voice and language
when they speak as well as techniques that draw students into the lessons.
By using these techniques in a strategic and intentional manner they will
become part of the excellent teaching patterns required in Tier 1.
Tier 2
Interventions;
Each intervention uses a book (for k -2) or a passage from a book (either
text book or literature.)
Teacher has determined which underlying reading skill is needed by the
students in this small group and centers questions around that skill using
Language Technique.
Teacher records on tally sheet students response to questions as being
adequate or not.
Teacher may read through again centering on different skill if appropriate
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Kindergarten
Bear Snores On
“In a cave, in the woods,
in his deep, dark lair,
through the long, cold winter
sleeps a great brown bear…
Tier 1, 2, and 3… Each Tier becomes increasingly intense through
smaller groups and more intervention time.
Tier 1: Strategic Dialogic Reading for Whole Classroom
Students follow text as you read
Students answer your questions about the four main skills
addressed in this program:
1. vocabulary
2. narrative
3. phonological awareness
4. print knowledge
Students predict and summarize
Students activate prior knowledge
Benefits to students:
Successful listening experience
Match voice to text
Match meaning to text
Ask students to look at cover and guess what story is going to be
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about.
Point out story title; Bear Snores On, tell them they will hear those
words many times as you read.
Read through once with engaged voice (varying emphasis and
intonation, using voices for characters, etc.) and exaggerated body
language. Highlighting all goals: vocabulary, narrative, phonological
awareness, print knowledge.
Document difficulties students have in answering questions. Observe
student’s performance on classroom activities: discussion, reading,
writing, homework and test scores. .
Tier 2: Strategic Dialogic Reading for Small Group Intervention
Choose goal according to what you believe to be the underlying
difficulty student is having:
Goal:
1.
Reinforcing Vocabulary Knowledge
2.
Reinforcing Narrative Skills
3.
Reinforcing Phonological Awareness Skills
4.
Building Print Knowledge
Teacher will use questions that address components in the targeted
goal area. The questions are based on BEAR SNORES ON.
Questions:
Reinforcing Vocabulary Knowledge:
1.
The bear is in a lair. What do you think a lair might be?
(LT =OEQ/ understanding from context)
2.
Do you know daddies that like to go to their garage or the
basement and work? How is that like a lair? (LT=
BABCC/understanding meaning in context)
3.
If the bear lives in a lair, then a lair must be a kind of home.
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What kind of lair would a bird have? How about a mouse? (LT=
OEQ/Awareness of Categories)
Reinforcing Narrative Skills:
1.
The animals had a lot of fun in Bear’s cave. What are some
of the fun things they did?(LT =OEQ/ adequate detail)
2.
There were lots of different animals who went into Bear’s
cave- my favorite animal were the ones who danced because I
love dancing too! Which animal was your favorite? Why? (LT=
TT/responds completely)
3.
Remember when we went to the zoo saw a bear yawn and
show all his sharp teeth! When the Bear in the story woke up
the animals were very afraid. Why do you think the animals
were so scared? (LT= EPK/Story Grammar-Point of View)
Reinforcing Phonological Awareness Skills:
1. Watch my mouth and tell me if these two words sound the
same- bear and lair? They have different beginnings but
sound the same at the end- that means they rhyme.
(LT=RSP/Rhyme Awareness)
2. Let’s look at the word “cold”- I wonder if I can take away any
letters in this word to make a new word. What letter should I
take away? What new word did I make? (LT=TT/Sound
Segmentation)
3. I hear words that start with the same sound on this page.
What words do you hear that start with the same sounds?
(LT= OEQ/Sound Awareness)
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Building Print Knowledge:
1. In our story bear is sleeping through the long winter. Are
there any words in this story that make you feel sleepy?
(LT=EPK/Understands Author’s Tone)
2. Look at the word “cave”-what vowel sound do you hear? Do
you remember what letter in this word lets the “A” say its
name? (LT=OEQ/Orthographic Awareness)
3. In our story one of the animals is a hare. A hare is another
name for a rabbit. This word sounds like the hair on my
head, but look it is spelled differently. These are the 2
different ways you spell hare/hair. How are these two words
the same? How are they different? (LT=BNV/Orthographic
Awareness)
4
4 LT= Language Techniques BACC= Building Associations between Concepts & Content OEQ=Open Ended Questions BNV= Building New Vocabulary EPK=Engage Prior Knowledge TT= Think Alouds & Talk Alongs RSP= Reinforce Sound & Print Awareness 8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
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Measures:
1. Student progress with intervention: Do they answer the
questions correctly?
2. Tally responses.
3. Is there transfer to classroom?
4. Improved classroom test responses?
5. Increased frequency of classroom participation?
6. Increased quality of classroom participation?
7. Do students ask more/higher quality questions about
assignments?
8. Increased homework functionality?
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First Grade
The Empty Pot
“I admire Ping’s great courage to appear before me with the empty
truth, and now I reward him with my entire kingdom and make him
Emperor of all the land!”
Tier 1, 2, and 3… Each Tier becomes increasingly intense through
smaller groups and more intervention time.
Tier 1: Strategic Dialogic Reading for Whole Classroom
Students follow text as you read
Students answer your questions about the four main skills
addressed in this program:
1. vocabulary
2. narrative
3. phonological awareness
4. print knowledge
Students predict and summarize
Students activate prior knowledge
Benefits to students:
Successful listening experience
Match voice to text
Match meaning to text
Read through the story with an engaged voice (varying emphasis and
intonation, using voices for characters, etc.) and exaggerated body
language. Highlighting all goals: vocabulary, narrative, phonological
awareness, print knowledge.
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
Document difficulties students have in answering questions. Observe
student’s performance on classroom activities: discussion, reading,
writing, homework and test scores. .
Tier 2: Strategic Dialogic Reading for Small Group Intervention
Choose goal according to what you believe to be the underlying
difficulty student is having:
Goal:
1.
Reinforcing Vocabulary Knowledge
2.
Reinforcing Narrative Skills
3.
Reinforcing Phonological Awareness Skills
4.
Building Print Knowledge
Teacher will use questions that address components in the targeted
goal area. The questions are based on The Empty Pot.
Questions:
Reinforcing Vocabulary Knowledge:
1. The story says that every flower Ping planted “burst” into
bloom. When we think of things that can burst, like a bubble
or a balloon what does this tell us about the way Ping’s
flowers grow?
(LT=OEQ/Understanding Meaning in Context)
2. The flowers made the air smell like perfume. I remember the
smell of my mother’s perfume- it smelled so nice and
pleasant. I loved to smell her clothes because they smelled
like her perfume which made me think sweet thoughts. How
do you think the smell of flowers were like the smell of
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perfume? (LT= TT/Understanding Vocabulary as Metaphor)
3. Ping planted his seed in rich soil. Do you think mean the soil
had a lot of money? Ping used rich soil because the rich soil
was full of healthy plant food that would help the flowers
grow. What sort of rich foods do you eat to help you grow?
(LT=EPK/Understanding Multiple Meanings)
Reinforcing Narrative Skills:
1. An emperor is kind of like a king because he is in charge of
an entire country/kingdom. Emperors and kings have lots of
beautiful things and they live in palaces. Why do you think all
of the parents of the land wanted their children to be the new
emperor? (LT=BACC/Responds Completely )
2. Ping did not want to go see the emperor because he felt
ashamed of his flower. Why did Ping feel ashamed of his
flower? (LT=OEQ/Adequate Detail)
3. I remember planting pumpkin seeds in school and they grew
when took good care of them just like Ping. I wonder what
would happen if I cooked the pumpkin seeds like the
emperor and planted them- do you think they would grow? If
cooked seeds do not grow, where did all of the children have
such beautiful flowers? (LT=TT/Understanding Inferences)
Reinforcing Phonological Awareness Skills:
1. Remember how we used to clap out a word to see how
many syllables it had? Listen and look at the word
“kingdom.” It has two syllables- can you break the syllables
up in your head? One of the syllables is a word all by itselfcan you pick out the word? (LT=EPK/ Syllable
Segmentation)
2. Let’s look at the word “flowerpot”- Can you break this word
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up into syllables? How many syllables do you hear? What
many words do you hear?(LT=OEQ/Syllable Segmentation)
3. I hear words that start with the same sound on this page.
What words do you hear that start with the same sounds?
(LT= OEQ/Sound Awareness)
Building Print Knowledge:
1. The characters in our stories talk to each other just like we
can talk to each other and have a conversation. This is
called dialogue. We can tell when the characters in our story
are talking to each other when we see quotation marks. Can
you find any quotation marks on this page? Let’s read the
words like we are having a conversation.
(LT=BACC/Understanding Constructs of Narrative Text)
2. How did the emperor react when Ping brought his empty
pot? How do we know that he was excited? The exclamation
point is a type of punctuation that lets us know the emperor
was excited. Punctuation at the end of sentences tells us
how to read the sentence. A question mark tells us the
sentence is a question. Can anyone find a question and read
it from our story? (LT=BNV/Understands Constructs of
Narrative Text)
3. What is the vowel sound in the word “sprout?” It’s “ow” like
the word “cow.” Let’s read and listen for the vowel sound
“ow.” Let’s make a list of all the words we hear. Look at our
list- what letters can go together to make the “ow” sound?
(LT=OEQ/Orthographic Awareness)
Measures:
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1. Student progress with intervention: Do they answer the
questions correctly?
2. Tally responses.
3. Is there transfer to classroom?
4. Improved classroom test responses?
5. Increased frequency of classroom participation?
6. Increased quality of classroom participation?
7. Do students ask more/higher quality questions about
assignments?
8. Increased homework functionality?
5
5 LT= Language Techniques BACC= Building Associations between Concepts & Content OEQ=Open Ended Questions BNV= Building New Vocabulary EPK=Engage Prior Knowledge TT= Think Alouds & Talk Alongs RSP= Reinforce Sound & Print Awareness 8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
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1st grade
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
“The only thing that was really different about Chewandswallow was
its weather. It came three times a day, at breakfast, lunch, and
dinner. Everything that everyone ate came from the sky.”
Tier 1: Strategic Dialogic Reading for Whole Classroom
Students follow text as you read
Students answer your questions about the four main skills
addressed in this program:
1. vocabulary
2. narrative
3. phonological awareness
4. print knowledge
Students predict and summarize
Students activate prior knowledge
Benefits to students:
Successful listening experience
Match voice to text
Match meaning to text
Ask students to look at cover and guess what story is going to be
about.
Point out story title; Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.
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Read through the story once with engaged voice (varying emphasis
and intonation, using voices for characters, etc.) and exaggerated
body language. Highlighting all goals: vocabulary, narrative,
phonological awareness, print knowledge.
Document difficulties students have in answering questions. Observe
student’s performance on classroom activities: discussion, reading,
writing, homework and test scores.
Tier 2: Strategic Dialogic Reading for Small Group Intervention
Choose goal according to what you believe to be the underlying
difficulty student is having:
Goal:
1.
Reinforcing Vocabulary Knowledge
2.
Reinforcing Narrative Skills
3.
Reinforcing Phonological Awareness Skills
4.
Building Print Knowledge
Teacher will use questions that address components in the targeted
goal area. The questions are based on Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Questions:
Reinforcing Vocabulary Knowledge:
1. In the story Grandpa states that “when the townspeople went
outside they carried their plates, cups, glasses, forks, spoons,
knives, and napkins with them.” Let’s look at the words cups,
glasses, forks, spoons, knives, and napkins. Each of these words
represents an object that we use when eating. Can you think of
any other objects that we use when eating? Which of these items
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do we use for breakfast? Which of these items do we use for
lunch? Which of these items do we use for dinner? (LT=
EPK/awareness of categories)5
2. After the food for the day has fallen the Sanitation Department
begins its job. In the story it says that the Sanitation Department
“had to remove the food” and that the workers “cleaned things up
after every meal.” Using what we know about their job, what do
you think the word sanitation means? (LT= BNV/understanding
meaning in context)
3. When there are two or more words right next each other that
begin with the same sound we call it alliteration. As the weather
begins to take a turn for the worse the town is hit with a “tomato
tornado.” What beginning sound do you hear in these two words?
What beginning sound do you hear in the following phrase,
“sneezing themselves silly?” Is this an example of alliteration?
(LT= RSP/understanding vocabulary as alliteration)
Reinforcing Narrative Skills:
After leaving Chewandswallow, none of the townspeople ever
returned to see what had happened to the town. Why do you
5 LT= Language Technique OEQ= Open‐Ended Question BACC= Building Associations between Concepts and Content BNV= Build New Vocabulary EPK= Engage Prior Knowledge TT= Think aloud and Talk along RSP= Reinforce Sound and Print awareness 8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
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1. think no one ever went back? If you were from
Chewandswallow would you return to see what happened?
What do you think happened to the town? (LT= OEQ/adds
information)
2. When we talk about the point of view of a story we are talking
about the view from which a story is told. Sometimes stories
are told by one person, a narrator, and other times they are told
by the characters in the story. Through whose point of view do
we see the town of Chewandswallow? What makes this
viewpoint different than if the story were being told by someone
who actually lived in Chewandswallow? (LT= BACC/use parts
of story grammar)
3. Why did the pancake flipping onto Henry’s head remind
Grandpa of the town of Chewandswallow? What event toward
the end of the story reminds you of the flying pancake at the
beginning of the story? (LT= BACC/responding to question
intent)
Reinforcing Phonological Awareness Skills:
1. How many syllables are in the name Chewandswallow? Let’s
clap the syllables. Can you think of any other four syllable
words? (LT= EPK/syllable segmentation)
2. The name of the town Chewandswallow begins with two letters,
“c” and “h.” When we put these two letters together do they
make one sound or two different sounds? What sound do they
make? Can you list five words that start with the “ch” sound?
(LT= RSP/sound-letter association)
3. The words could, would, and should, can be found several
times throughout the story. What is similar, the same, about
these three words? Do they follow regular vowel patterns?
Can you sound these words out? How do you read these
words? (LT= EPK/sight word knowledge)
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Building Print Knowledge:
1. Look at the words on each page of the book. What is different
about the way the words are on the pages of this book
compared to other books that you have read? Is there more
room on the pages for words or pictures? What other books
have more room for pictures than words (comic books)? (LT=
BACC/uses left right orientation)
2. For dinner one night the townspeople of Chewandswallow had
baked beans. What letter makes the “a” in bake say its name.
What other words have the silent-e at the end? (LT=
EPK/employs orthographic awareness)
3. When we talk about the “tone” of a story, we are talking about
how an author is saying something. Sometimes the events in
stories make us feel sad, make us laugh, and sometimes they
make us angry. As we read Cloudy with a Chance of
Meatballs, how did it make you feel? What part(s) of the story
made you feel that way? (LT= OEQ/understand author’s tone)
Measures:
Student progress with intervention: Do they answer the questions
correctly?
Tally responses.
Is there transfer to classroom?
1. Improved classroom test responses?
2. Increased frequency of classroom participation?
3. Increased quality of classroom participation?
4. Do students ask more/higher quality questions about
assignments?
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5. Increased homework functionality?
2nd Grade
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
“I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my
hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the
skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the
water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible,
horrible, no good, very bad day.”
Tier 1, 2, and 3… Each Tier becomes increasingly intense through
smaller groups and more intervention time.
Tier 1: Strategic Dialogic Reading for Whole Classroom
Students follow text as you read
Students answer your questions about the four main skills
addressed in this program:
1. vocabulary
2. narrative
3. phonological awareness
4. print knowledge
Students predict and summarize
Students activate prior knowledge
Benefits to students:
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Successful listening experience
Match voice to text
Match meaning to text
Ask students to look at cover and guess what story is going to be
about.
Point out story title; Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, and tell them they will hear the words terrible, horrible,
no good, and very bad many times as you read.
Read through the story once with engaged voice (varying emphasis
and intonation, using voices for characters, etc.) and exaggerated
body language. Highlighting all goals: vocabulary, narrative,
phonological awareness, print knowledge.
Document difficulties students have in answering questions. Observe
student’s performance on classroom activities: discussion, reading,
writing, homework and test scores.
Tier 2: Strategic Dialogic Reading for Small Group Intervention
Choose goal according to what you believe to be the underlying
difficulty student is having:
Goal:
1. Reinforcing Vocabulary Knowledge
2. Reinforcing Narrative Skills
3. Reinforcing Phonological Awareness Skills
4. Building Print Knowledge
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Teacher will use questions that address components in the targeted
goal area. The questions are based on Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day.
Questions:
Reinforcing Vocabulary Knowledge:
1. Terrible, horrible, no good, and very bad are all synonyms,
words that have the same meaning. What do you think the
antonym (opposite) of terrible is? (LT = BACC/awareness of
categories)5
5 LT= Language Technique 2. In the story, Alexander says that his best friend deserted him.
Let’s think about the story. How does Alexander feel when he
says his friend deserted him? What do you think deserted
means? (LT= BNV/understanding meaning in context)
3. When we add a suffix to the end of a word, it affects its
meaning. In this case, the –ed suffix changes the tense of the
word it is attached to. Let’s think about the following words:
painted, colored, hammered. What are the root words? When
we add the –ed suffix it changes the tense of the word from
present tense (happening at that moment) to past tense (has
already happened). Now that we know that desert means to
“leave someone or something without planning to return,” what
happens to the meaning of the word when we add the -ed to
the end? What does deserted mean? (LT= EPK/understanding
suffixes)
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Reinforcing Narrative Skills:
1. At the end of the story Alexander’s mother explains to him that
“…everyone has bad days, even people who live in Australia.”
Why do you think his mother said this? Do you think this made
Alexander feel better? Why? What makes you feel better when
you have a bad day? (LT= EPK/adding information)
2. I have had days like Alexander’s before. From the moment I
woke up, everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong.
Have you ever had a day like that? What events happened to
Alexander throughout the day that made him feel like his day
just kept getting worse and worse? (LT= TT/use beginning,
middle, and end in longer explanations)
Every story has a point of view. A point of view is basically how the
events of the story are seen through the eyes of the person telling the
OEQ= Open‐Ended Question BACC= Building Associations between Concepts and Content BNV= Build New Vocabulary EPK= Engage Prior Knowledge TT= Think aloud and Talk along RSP= Reinforce Sound and Print awareness 3. story (i.e. the narrator, characters in the story). Whose point of
view do we see the story through? How would the story be
different if Alexander’s mother were telling the story? (LT=
OEQ/uses story grammar, adds information)
Reinforcing Phonological Awareness Skills:
1. How many syllables are in the words terrible and horrible? Let’s
clap the syllables. Can you think of any other three syllable
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words? (LT= EPK/syllable segmentation)
2. After waking up, Alexander accidentally drops his sweater in
the sink. How many letters does the word sink have? How
many syllables does the word sink have? If we take off the “s”
and put in a “p,” we get the word pink! Do pink and sink
rhyme? What other words rhyme with sink? (LT= RSP/rhyme
awareness)
3. A compound word is a word that is made up of two words put
together to make one word. In the beginning of the story,
Alexander trips on a skateboard. The word skateboard is a
compound word with two syllables. The first syllable is skate
and the second syllable is board, and when we put them
together we get skateboard! What happens when we put the
words good and night together? What does this word mean?
When do we use this word? (LT= RSP, EPK/syllable blending)
Building Print Knowledge:
1. Look at the front cover of the book. Now look at the back cover
of the book. Which side looks like it is where we should start
reading? When I open the cover of the book and turn to the
first page of the story I see words on the page with a picture.
Where do you think I should start reading? Does the first word
start on the left side or the right side? Have you ever tried to
read a story by reading from the right to the left side of the
book? Were you able to understand what you read? Why
would it be silly to read a story starting from the words on the
right side of the page? (LT= TT/uses left right orientation)
2. When we talk about the “tone” of a story, we are talking about
how an author is saying something. Many things happen to
Alexander throughout his day that upset him and make him feel
as if his day is getting continually worse. As we read the story,
how did it make you feel? Do you think that the author intended
for you to feel that way? What do you think the tone of the story
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is? (LT= OEQ/understand author’s tone)
3. Quotation marks are used in stories to show when two or more
characters are talking to each other. Just like we talk to our
friends, characters talk to each other in stories. This is called
dialogue. Let’s look through the book. Where in the story do
you see quotation marks? What characters are talking to each
other? (LT= OEQ/understands conversational text)
Measures:
Student progress with intervention: Do they answer the questions
correctly?
Tally responses.
Is there transfer to classroom?
1. Improved classroom test responses?
2. Increased frequency of classroom participation?
3. Increased quality of classroom participation?
4. Do students ask more/higher quality questions about
assignments?
5. Increased homework functionality?
3rd Grade
The Toll Bridge Troll
“Trigg thought for a moment. He couldn’t pay a penny everyday to go
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to school. He would just have to trick the troll. “I have an idea, “
Trigg said. “We’ll ask a riddle. If you answer the riddle, I won’t cross
your bridge. But if I answer the riddle, I get to cross for free today.”
Tier 1, 2, and 3… Each Tier becomes increasingly intense through
smaller groups and more intervention time.
Tier 1: Strategic Dialogic Reading for Whole Classroom
Students follow text as you read
Students answer your questions about the four main skills
addressed in this program:
1. vocabulary
2. narrative
3. phonological awareness
4. print knowledge
Students predict and summarize
Students activate prior knowledge
Benefits to students:
Successful listening experience
Match voice to text
Match meaning to text
Ask students to look at cover and guess what story is going to be
about.
Point out story title; The Toll Bridge Troll , and tell them they will hear
the sentence “Trigg walked across the field, up the big hill, and down
the long road” several times as you read.
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Read through the story once with engaged voice (varying emphasis
and intonation, using voices for characters, etc.) and exaggerated
body language. Highlighting all goals: vocabulary, narrative,
phonological awareness, print knowledge.
Document difficulties students have in answering questions. Observe
student’s performance on classroom activities: discussion, reading,
writing, homework and test scores.
Tier 2: Strategic Dialogic Reading for Small Group Intervention
Choose goal according to what you believe to be the underlying
difficulty student is having:
Goal:
5. Reinforcing Vocabulary Knowledge
6. Reinforcing Narrative Skills
7. Reinforcing Phonological Awareness Skills
8. Building Print Knowledge
Teacher will use questions that address components in the targeted
goal area. The questions are based on The Toll Bridge Troll.
Questions:
Reinforcing Vocabulary Knowledge:
4. Looking at the pictures of the bridge, what stands out about the
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bridge? Does it look new or old? Does it look safe? Would
you want to walk across the bridge? Now, using what we just
said about the overall appearance of the bridge, what do you
think the word rickety means? (LT = BNV/understand meaning
in context)5
5. Whenever the Troll needed to think he hunched over into his
thinking crouch. What does it mean to hunch over? What does
it mean to crouch? Do these two words have similar
meanings? What other words are synonyms with hunch and
crouch? (LT= EPK/awareness of categories)
6. When we add a suffix to the end of a word, it affects its
meaning. In this case, the –ed suffix changes the tense of the
word it is attached to. Let’s think about the following words:
jumped, tricked, and answered. What are the root words?
When we add the –ed suffix it changes the tense of the word
from present tense (happening at that moment) to past tense
(has already happened). (LT= EPK/understanding suffixes)
Reinforcing Narrative Skills:
Have you ever been in a situation where you had to find a way
5 LT= Language Technique OEQ= Open‐Ended Question BACC= Building Associations between Concepts and Content BNV= Build New Vocabulary EPK= Engage Prior Knowledge TT= Think aloud and Talk along RSP= Reinforce Sound and Print awareness 4. to get out of doing something? Have you ever come up with
excuses for why you cannot do your chores or why you forgot
your schoolwork? What did you do before you gave your
excuse? Did Trigg plan what he would do each day in order to
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avoid paying the toll? Why was it important that Trigg planned
his next trick before seeing the troll again? (LT= TT/responds to
question topic)
5. When we describe events that have happened we often use
“sequential vocabulary” that helps us tell the order in which
things happened. Examples of “sequential vocabulary” are the
words first, then, next, second, before, and after. Can you think
of any other words that we use to tell the order of events?
Using “sequential vocabulary,” explain the tricks that Trigg
played on the Toll-Bridge Troll in the order that they happened.
(LT= BACC/uses beginning, middle, and end in longer
explanations)
6. How do you think the mother troll felt after her son gets tricked
for the third time? Why do you think the Toll-Bridge Troll’s
mother decided to send him to school with Trigg? (LT=
OEQ/responds completely, adds information)
Reinforcing Phonological Awareness Skills:
4. What is the difference between the words toll and troll? When
we put an “r” after the letter “t” what sound does the “t” make?
What other words start with “tr?” (LT= RSP/sound blending)
5. What sound do you hear at the beginning of the word jump and
at the end of the words bridge and page? Is this sound
represented by the same letters in both words? Let’s list some
other words that have this sound at the end of the word? Let’s
list some other words that have this sound at the beginning of
the word? Looking at both lists, what patterns do you see?
What letter(s) do we use to represent the sound at the
beginning of words? What letter(s) do we use to represent the
sound at the ends of words? (LT= RSP, EPK/sound, letter
association)
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Building Print Knowledge:
4. Vowels can be either “short” or “long.” When a vowel is “long,”
it says its name. What is similar about the words use, smile,
and hole? What is similar about the vowels in the words use,
smile, and hole? What does the silent-e do to the sound of the
first vowel in the word? What other words in the story follow this
pattern? (LT= EPK/employs orthographic awareness)
5. There are many different types of text. This story is called a
narrative because it tells the story of a series of events, in this
case fictional events, in a character’s life. Have you ever told a
story about something that happened to you? What details did
you think were important? Did you tell everything or did you
leave some details out? What are some examples of other
narratives that you have read? (LT= BACC/understands and
constructs narrative texts)
Measures:
Student progress with intervention: Do they answer the questions
correctly?
Tally responses.
Is there transfer to classroom?
6. Improved classroom test responses?
7. Increased frequency of classroom participation?
8. Increased quality of classroom participation?
9. Do students ask more/higher quality questions about
assignments?
10. Increased homework functionality?
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3rd Grade
The Crane Wife
“Unable to contain himself, Osamu ran around the screen. A long
beak swung toward him. Sad black eyes gleamed at him. There
stood the crane he had saved in the storm!”
Tier 1, 2, and 3… Each Tier becomes increasingly intense through
smaller groups and more intervention time.
Tier 1: Strategic Dialogic Reading for Whole Classroom
Students follow text as you read
Students answer your questions about the four main skills
addressed in this program:
1. vocabulary
2. narrative
3. phonological awareness
4. print knowledge
Students predict and summarize
Students activate prior knowledge
Benefits to students:
Successful listening experience
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
Match voice to text
Match meaning to text
Ask students to look at cover and guess what story is going to be
about.
Point out the title: The Crane Wife. Have the students look at the
illustration on the cover of the book. Talk about how the cover
prepares the reader for the setting of the story. Make predictions
about what the story may be about based on the cover and the title.
Read through the story once with engaged voice (varying emphasis
and intonation, using voices for characters, etc.) and exaggerated
body language. Highlighting all goals: vocabulary, narrative,
phonological awareness, print knowledge.
Document difficulties students have in answering questions. Observe
student’s performance on classroom activities: discussion, reading,
writing, homework and test scores.
Tier 2: Strategic Dialogic Reading for Small Group Intervention
Choose goal according to what you believe to be the underlying
difficulty student is having:
Goal:
9. Reinforcing Vocabulary Knowledge
10. Reinforcing Narrative Skills
11. Reinforcing Phonological Awareness Skills
12. Building Print Knowledge
Teacher will use questions that address components in the targeted
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goal area. The questions are based on The Crane Wife.
Questions:
Reinforcing Vocabulary Knowledge:
7. At the beginning of the story Osamu finds the crane lying on his
porch during an autumn storm. Which of the four seasons of
the year is autumn? What happens to the landscape during
this season? (LT = EPK/understanding categories)5
8. When we add an –ing to the end of a word it changes the
meaning to reflect that the action is being done in the present.
When Osamu held the first magic sail Yukiko sewed he heard a
whispering that “lifted from the folds” of the sail. What is the
root word of whispering? What is the suffix attached to the root
word? What does the word whispering mean? (LT= BNV/
understanding suffixes)
9. The first magic sail that Yukiko sewed was described as being
“immensely strong” even though it “weighed nearly nothing at
all.” Let’s think about what the word “immensely” could mean.
What does it feel like when things “weigh nearly nothing?” Are
things that are light in weight usually strong? Looking at these
phrases, you can see that the author stresses the surprising
fact that opposite of being weak because it is so light, the sail is
immensely strong. What then could immensely mean? (LT:
BACC/ understanding vocabulary as inference)
5 LT= Language Technique OEQ= Open‐Ended Question BACC= Building Associations between Concepts and Content BNV= Build New Vocabulary EPK= Engage Prior Knowledge 8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
TT= Think aloud and Talk along RSP= Reinforce Sound and Print awareness Reinforcing Narrative Skills:
7. The main conflict of a story is the problem that is faced by the
characters. Main conflicts usually have solutions in which the
problem is solved as a result of an action or actions taken by
the characters in the story. In The Crane Wife, Osamu is poor
and lonely until a mysterious girl named Yukiko shows up at his
door one night during a storm. After marrying her, Osamu
discovers that Yukiko can make magic sails. What is the main
conflict/problem of the story? Think about how the story ends.
What is Osamu’s motivation for his actions? If you were
Osamu, would you make the same decisions? Is the conflict
truly resolved? (LT= OEQ/using parts of story grammar)
8. At the end of the narrator states that every autumn Osamu
would sit and watch the cranes in the marsh and wait for a
knock on his door. Have you ever done something that you
regret? How do you feel when you know that you cannot take
back something you have said or done that has hurt someone
else? How do you think Osamu feels about what happened?
What do you think happened to Yukiko? (LT= TT/ adds
information)
9. In stories, the setting is used to create the image of where and
when the events are taking place. When you think of spring,
what so you think about? When you think of autumn, what do
you think about? How does the change in the setting of the
story help you to imagine time passing? (LT= OEQ/using parts
of story grammar)
Reinforcing Phonological Awareness Skills:
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6. What do the words overjoyed, beautiful, disappeared, and
fisherman have in common? Let’s clap out the syllables in
each word. What are some other words that you can think of
that are similar to these words? (LT= EPK/ syllable
segmentation)
7. The names of the two main characters O-sa-mu and Yu-ki-ko
each have three syllables. Each of the syllables ends with a
vowel. When a syllable ends with a vowel, does the vowel
sound short or long? What would need to come after each
vowel in order for it to be short? Let’s say each syllable with
the long vowel ending. Now blend each of the syllables
together. How do you pronounce each name according to the
syllable patterns? (LT= RSP/syllable blending)
8. After being offered a lifetime of gold, Osamu thought about his
promise to his wife that she would never have to make another
sail. Let’s look at the word thought. What sound does the
vowel combination of “ou” can make in this word? What are
some other words that have this vowel combination in them?
Do all of these words rhyme? Which words rhyme? Does the
“ou” vowel combination always sound the same? What
patterns do you see in the words that rhyme? Does the sound
of the “ou” change depending on the consonants around it?
(LT= EPK, OEQ/ rhyme awareness)
Building Print Knowledge:
6. Using the setting, the thoughts of the main character, and the
events of the story, the author sets a specific tone for the story.
How do the events in the beginning of the story make you feel?
What causes your feelings to change towards the middle and
end of the story? Do the events of the story and the main
character’s actions affect how you feel about the main
character? What do you think the overall tone of the story is?
(LT= OEQ/understand author’s tone)
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7. Why do you think this story is written as a narrative and not as
a conversational text? Is it important to see the events through t
the narrator’s point of view? Are the conversations between
the characters important? How does the narration add to the
story? (LT=OEQ/ understands narrative)
8. What is similar about each of the following words: everyone,
lifetime, and springtime? How many words make up each of
these words? Can you list some other words that follow this
pattern? (LT= EPK/orthographic awareness)
Measures:
Student progress with intervention: Do they answer the questions
correctly?
Tally responses.
Is there transfer to classroom?
11. Improved classroom test responses?
12. Increased frequency of classroom participation?
13. Increased quality of classroom participation?
14. Do students ask more/higher quality questions about
assignments?
15. Increased homework functionality?
5 LT= Language Technique OEQ= Open‐Ended Question BACC= Building Associations between Concepts and Content BNV= Build New Vocabulary 8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
EPK= Engage Prior Knowledge TT= Think aloud and Talk along RSP= Reinforce Sound and Print awareness Appendices
10. Table of Leap Language
Techniques
11. References for Language Techniques
Print awareness
Ehren, B. J. (2009) Response-to-Intervention: SLPs as Linchpins in Secondary Schools. The ASHA Leader.
5
levels of content literacy appropriate for adolescents—direct teaching focusing on application of reading
skills
Whatworks clearinghouse http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/topic.aspx?tid=01
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
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Vocabulary
Savage, R. (2006). Reading comprehension is not always the product of nonsense word decoding and
linguistic comprehension: evidence from teenagers who are extremely poor readers, Scientific Studies Of
Reading, 10(2), 143–164.
(Decoding skill)
Whatworks clearinghouse http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/topic.aspx?tid=01
Kamhi, A. (2009). Solving the Reading Crisis—Take 2: The Case for Differentiated Assessment
Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 40, 212-215.
Improvements in reading comprehension typically require improving language and cognitive skills as well
as subject-specific knowledge. measurable gains in reading comprehension rarely occur after short-term
interventions.
Lonigan, C.J., & Whitehurst, G.J. (1998). Relative efficacy of parent and teacher involvement in a sharedreading intervention for preschool children from low-income backgrounds, J. Early Childhood Research
Quarterly, 13, 263-290.
DeThorne, L., Johnson, C., Walder, C., Mahurin-Smith, J. (2009). When “Simon Says” Doesn’t Work:
Alternatives to Imitation for Facilitating Early Speech Development. American Journal of Speech-Language
Pathology, 18, 133–145.
minimize ‘pressure to talk’
Narrative
Nation, K., Snowling, M. (2004). Beyond phonological skills: broader language skills contribute to the
development of reading, Journal of Research in Reading, 27, 342–356.
Building language skills predicts reading fluency through 13 years more than decoding
Kulkofsky, S., Wang, Q., and Ceci, S. (2008). Do Better Stories Make Better Memories? Narrative
Quality and Memory Accuracy in Preschool Children, Appl. Cognit. Psychology, 22, 21–38.
guided questions increase quality of narrative
Stothard. S. and Hulmet, C., (1995 ). A comparison of phonological skills in children with reading
comprehension difficulties and children with decoding, J Child Psychiatry and Psychology, 86, 399-408.
Difficulties Even with decoding issues a companion language difficulty accompanies skills improvement
Kuhn, M. and Schwanenflugel, J. eds.,(2007) Fluency in the Classroom, Guilford Press. New York, NY. 8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
Connect concepts and content
Taylor, B.M., , Pearson, P.D., , Peterson, D.S., and Rodriguez, M. (2003), Reading Growth in HighPoverty Classrooms: The Influence of Teacher Practices That Encourage Cognitive Engagement in Literacy
Learning, The Elementary School Journal, 104.
teachers who emphasized higher-order thinking, either through the questions they asked or the tasks they
assigned, promoted greater reading growth among the 9 target students in their classrooms
Nation,K. and Snowling, J. (1998), Semantic Processing and the Development of Word-Recognition
Skills:Evidence from Children with Reading Comprehension Difficulties, Journal Of Memory And Language,
39, 85–101.
Even with good decoding skills, poor comprehenders have more difficulty reading words that depend on
semantic contextuality
DeThorne, L., Johnson, C., Walder, C., Mahurin-Smith, J. When “Simon Says” Doesn’t Work:
Alternatives to Imitation for Facilitating Early Speech Development, American Journal of Speech-Language
Pathology, 18, 133–145.
‘focus on function’
Kulkofsky, S., Wang, Q., and Ceci, S. (2008), Do Better Stories Make Better Memories? Narrative
Quality and Memory Accuracy in Preschool Children, Appl. Cognit. Psychol., 22, 21–38.
guided questions increase quality of narrative
Cain. K. and Jane Oakhill, J. (2006), Profiles of children with specific reading
comprehension difficulties, British Journal of Educational Psychology, 76, 683–696.
There is a general verbal comprehension deficit in poor readers (fluent and accurate readers)
Kamhi, A. (2005), Finding beauty in the ugly facts about reading comprehension. In H. Catts & A. Kamhi
(Eds.), The connections between language and reading disabilities (pp. 201–212). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Print knowledge (textual knowledge) and language comprehension underlie later reading mastery, less so
decoding
Ziv. M. and Solomon, A. (2008). Young Children’s Recognition of the Intentionality of Teaching, Child
Development, Volume 79, 1237 – 1256.
3-8 yr olds recognized and classroom performance improved with teaching versus imitation
Oakhill, J. (1993), Children’s difficulties in reading comprehension, Educational Psychology Review, 5, 223237.
Training in making inferences and integrating info in text can improve reading fluency
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
Carbo, M. (2007), Best Practices for Achieving High, Rapid Reading Gains, Principal, 87, 42-45
Openended questions
Taylor, B.M., , Pearson, P.D., , Peterson, D.S., and Rodriguez, M. (2003), Reading Growth in HighPoverty Classrooms: The Influence of Teacher Practices That Encourage Cognitive Engagement in Literacy
Learning, The Elementary School Journal, 104.
teachers who emphasized higher-order thinking, either through the questions they asked or the tasks they
assigned, promoted greater reading growth among the 9 target students in their classrooms
Wasik, B.A., & Bond, M.A. (2001), Beyond the pages of a book: Interactive book reading and language
development in preschool classrooms, Journal of Educational Psychology, 93, 243-250.
Ndoro, V. Hanley, G. , Tiger,T . and Heal, N. (2006), A descriptive assessment of instruction-based
Interactions in the preschool classroom, Journal Of Applied Behavior Analysis 39, 79–90.
positive prompts help increase length and complexity
McIntosh, B., Crosbie, C., Holm, A., Dodd, B. and Thomas, S. (2007), Enhancing the phonological
awareness and language skills of socially disadvantaged preschoolers: An interdisciplinary programme,
Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 23, 267.
Directed pa and language programs improve lses children’s speech…can be designed by slp and
implemented in class by teacher
Nation, K. (2004) Hidden language impairments in children: parallels between poor reading
comprehension and specific language impairment?, Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 47 •
199–211.
Poor oral language processing skills associated with poor reading comprehension
Savage, R. (2006), Reading Comprehension Is Not Always the Product of Nonsense Word Decoding and
Linguistic Comprehension: Evidence From Teenagers Who Are Extremely Poor Readers, Scientific Studies
Of Reading, 10(2), 143–164.
With decoding skills controlled reading comprehension linked with poor listening comprehension
Boulware-Gooden, R., Carreker, S., Thornhill, A., & Joshi, R. (2007), Instruction of Metacognitive
Strategies Enhances Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Achievement of Third-Grade Students. The
Reading Teacher, 61(1), 70–77.
The use of metacognitive strategies helps students to “think about their thinking” before, during, and after
they read.
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
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Rasinski, T. V. (2003). The fluent reader: Oral reading strategies for building word recognition, fluency, and
comprehension, New York: Scholastic.
Background knowledge
McIntosh, B., Crosbie, C., Holm, A., Dodd, B. and Thomas, S. (2007), Enhancing the phonological
awareness and language skills of socially disadvantaged preschoolers: An interdisciplinary programme,
Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 23, 267.
Directed pa and language programs improve lses children’s speech…can be designed by slp and
implemented in class by teacher
Cain, K. and Jane Oakhill, J. (2006), Profiles of children with specific reading
comprehension difficulties, British Journal of Educational Psychology, (2006), 76, 683–696.
There is a general verbal comprehension deficit in poor readers (fluent and accurate readers)
Nation,K. and Snowling, J. (1998) Semantic processing and the development of word-recognition skills:
evidence from children with reading comprehension difficulties, Journal Of Memory And Language, 39, 85–
101.
Building contextual cues helps reading comprehension, more so in good readers
Boulware-Gooden, R., Carreker, S., Thornhill, A., & Joshi, R. (2007). Instruction of Metacognitive
Strategies Enhances Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Achievement of Third-Grade Students, The
Reading Teacher, 61(1), 70–77.
The use of metacognitive strategies helps students to “think about their thinking” before, during, and after
they read.
Taylor, B.M., , Pearson, P.D., , Peterson, D.S., and Rodriguez, M. (2003), Reading Growth in HighPoverty Classrooms: The Influence of Teacher Practices That Encourage Cognitive Engagement in Literacy
Learning, The Elementary School Journal, 104.
teachers who emphasized higher-order thinking, either through the questions they asked or the tasks they
assigned, promoted greater reading growth among the 9 target students in their classrooms.
Vocabulary
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
Taylor, B.M., , Pearson, P.D., , Peterson, D.S., and Rodriguez, M. (2003), Reading Growth in HighPoverty Classrooms: The Influence of Teacher Practices That Encourage Cognitive Engagement in Literacy
Learning, The Elementary School Journal, 104.
teachers who emphasized higher-order thinking, either through the questions they asked or the tasks they
assigned, promoted greater reading growth among the 9 target students in their classrooms
Robbins, C., & Ehri, L. (1994). Reading storybooks to kindergartners helps them learn new vocabulary
words. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86(1), 54-64.
Listening to repeated readings increases vocabulary knj.; discussing and embedding vocabulary in
meaningful contexts may increase growth
McIntosh, B., Crosbie, C., Holm, A., Dodd, B. and Thomas, S. (2007), Enhancing the phonological
awareness and language skills of socially disadvantaged preschoolers: An interdisciplinary programme,
Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 23, 267.
Directed pa and language programs improve lses children’s speech…can be designed by slp and
implemented in class by teacher
Cain, K. and Jane Oakhill, J. (2006), Profiles of children with specific reading
comprehension difficulties, British Journal of Educational Psychology, (2006), 76, 683–696.
There is a general verbal comprehension deficit in poor readers (fluent and accurate readers)
Nation,K. and Snowling, J. (1998) Semantic processing and the development of word-recognition skills:
evidence from children with reading comprehension difficulties, Journal Of Memory And Language, 39, 85–
101.
Dyslexic children have difficulty naming pictures w. long names, and made phonological errors. Poor
comprehenders more difficulty with low frequency words.
Carbo, M. 2007 Best Practices for Achieving High, Rapid Reading Gains, Principal, 87, 42-45.
Talkalongs
Taylor, B.M., , Pearson, P.D., , Peterson, D.S., and Rodriguez, M. (2003), Reading Growth in HighPoverty Classrooms: The Influence of Teacher Practices That Encourage Cognitive Engagement in Literacy
Learning, The Elementary School Journal, 104.
teachers who emphasized higher-order thinking, either through the questions they asked or the tasks they
assigned, promoted greater reading growth among the 9 target students in their classrooms
Locasale-Crouch, J., Konold, T., Pianta, R., Howes, C., Burchinal, M., Bryant, D., et al. (2007), Profiles of
observed classroom quality in state-funded pre-kindergarten programs and associations with teacher,
program, and classroom characteristics, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 22, 3–17.
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
Smothergill, N. Olson, F., Moore, S. (1971), The effects of manipulation of teacher Communication style in
the preschool, Child Development, 42, 1229-1239.
Elaborating teachers increased variety and complexity of children’s speech and verbal problem solving
Boulware-Gooden, R., Carreker, S., Thornhill, A., & Joshi, R. (2007, September). Instruction of
Metacognitive Strategies Enhances Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Achievement of Third-Grade
Students, The Reading Teacher, 61(1), 70–77.
The use of metacognitive strategies helps students to “think about their thinking” before, during, and after
they read.
Gold,J. and Gibson,A. (2001) Reading Aloud to Build Comprehension Reading Aloud to Build
Comprehension. National Services Organization.
Talk alongs work for 0-5 and primary grades
Phonological awareness
Whatworks clearinghouse http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/topic.aspx?tid=01
Troia, G. (1999), Phonological awareness intervention research: A critical
review of experimental methodology, Reading Research Quarterly, 34,
28–52.
Snow, C., Burns, M. S., & Griffin, P. (1998). Preventing reading difficulties
in young children. Washington, DC: National Research Council.
McIntosh, B., Crosbie, C., Holm, A., Dodd, B. and Thomas, S. (2007), Enhancing the phonological
awareness and language skills of socially disadvantaged preschoolers: An interdisciplinary programme,
Child Language Teaching and Therapy, 23, 267.
Directed pa and language programs improve lses children’s speech…can be designed by slp and
implemented in class by teacher
Stothard. S. and Hulmet, C., (1995 ). A comparison of phonological skills in children with reading
comprehension difficulties and children with decoding, J Child Psychiatry and Psychology, 86, 399-408.
Difficulties Even with decoding issues a companion language difficulty accompanies skills improvement
Cain, K. and Jane Oakhill, J. (2006), Profiles of children with specific reading
comprehension difficulties, British Journal of Educational Psychology, (2006), 76, 683–696.
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
Differentiation of decoding and comprehension difficulties doable and crucial
Bowyer-Crane, C., Snowling, M., Duff, F., Fieldsend, E. , Carroll,J., Miles,J., Go¨tz, K. and Hulme, C.
(2008) Improving early language and literacy skills: differential effects of an oral language versus a
phonology with reading intervention. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 49 , 422–432
Phonology and fluency training increases fluency but not comprehension. Comprehjension training
improved reading comp
C.
References for Dialogic Reading
Laura Justice, Anita McGinty, Angela Beckman, Carolyn Kilday (2009) Read It Again! Language and
Literacy Supplement for Preschool Programs. Preschool Language & Literacy Lab: Center for Advanced
Study of Teaching and Learning, University of Virginia
Bus, A.G., van IJzendoorn, M.H., & Pelligrini, A.D. (1995) Jointbook reading makes for success in learning
to read: A metaanalysis on intergenerational transmission of literacy. Reviewof Educational Research, 65(1),
1–21.
Joint book reading improves later reading skills
Hargrave, A.C., & Sénéchal, M. (2000). A book reading intervention with preschool children who have
limited vocabularies: The benefits of regular reading and dialogic reading. Early Childhood Research Quarterly,
15(1), 75–90.
Dialogic reading increases literacy success for children with low vocabularies
Whitehurst, G.J., Arnold, D.S., Epstein, J.N., Angell, A.L., Smith,
M., & Fischel, J. (1994). A picture book reading intervention in day care and home for children from lowincome families. Developmental Psychology 30, 679-689.
Short term oral book reading with dialogue improved children’s vocabularies
Reutzel, D. R., & Smith, J. A. (2004). Accelerating struggling readers’ progress: A comparative analysis of
expert opinion and current research recommendations. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 20, 63-89. Shared,
paired reading improves reading
Carbo, M. 2007 Best Practices for Achieving High, Rapid Reading Gains Principal, 87, 42-45.
Best practices for teachers that include techniques similar to Leap Language Techniques
Camilli, G., Vargas, S., and Yurecko, M. (2003). Teaching Children to Read: The fragile link between science and federal education policy. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 11(15). rich vocabulary, language and phonics are additive—i.e. better than phonics and phonemic awareness
training alone.
Rasinski, T. V. (2003). The fluent reader: Oral reading strategies for building word recognition, fluency,
and comprehension. New York: Scholastic.
Cunningham, A., Perry, K., Stanovich, K., and Stanovich, P. (2004) Disciplinary Knowledge of K-3
and their Knowledge Calibration in the Domain of Early Literacy. 139-167 Annals of Dyslexia 54.
Awareness of knj and actual knj in children’s lit, phonics and P.A. reduced in teachers- implications for
need for P.D.
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
Bus, A. G., van Ijzendoorn, M. H., & Pellegrini, A. D. (1995). Joint book reading makes for success in
learning to read: A meta-analysis on intergenerational transmission of literacy. Review of Educational
Research, 65, 1–21.
Repeated reading
Kemp, S., & Chiappe, P. (2006). Teaching to read naturally: Examination of a fluency training program for third grade students. Paper presented at the meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Reading, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Repeated reading helps to increase fluency
Robbins, C., & Ehri, L. (1994). Reading storybooks to kindergartners helps them learn new vocabulary
words. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86(1), 54-64.
Listening to repeated readings increases vocabulary knj.; discussing and embedding vocabulary in
meaningful contexts may increase growth
Vadasy, P., Sanders, E., Peyton, J. (2005) Relative Effectiveness of Reading Practics on Word-level
instruction on Supplemental Reading (2005) J Learn Disabil 38 364-380. Sound Partners (Vadasy et
al., 2004)
repeated reading increases effectiveness of phonics based reading program
Landry, S.H., Swank, P.R., Smith, K.E., Assel, M.A., & Gunnewig, S.B. (2006). Enhancing early literacy skills
for preschool children: Bringing a professional development model to scale. Journal of Learning Disabilities,
39(4), 306–324.
Building teacher skills transferred to children’s classroom performance
Whitehurst, G.J., Arnold, D.S., Epstein, J.N., Angell, A.L., Smith,M., & Fischel, J. (1994). A picture book
reading intervention in day care and home for children from low-income families. Developmental Psychology
30, 679-689.
Short term oral book reading with dialogue improved children’s vocabularies
Whitehurst, G. J., Epstein, J. N., Angell, A. L., Payne, A. C., Crone, D. A., & Fischel, J. E. (1994). Outcomes
of an emergent literacy intervention in head start. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86, 542–555.
School plus home and school shared reading improved language skills
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
Skibbe, L., Justice, L. M., Zucker, T., & McGinty, A. (2008). Relations among maternal literacy beliefs, home
literacy practices, and the emergent literacy skills of preschoolers with specific language impairment.
Early Education and Development, 19, 68–88.
Parents with greater literature experiences ---greater facility in their children’s academic success
Roberts, J., Jergens, J., & Burchinal, M. (2005). The role of home literacy practices in preschool children’s
language and emergent literacy development skills. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 48(2),
345–359.
Justice, L., Kaderavek, J., Fan, X., Sofka, A., Hunt, A. (2009) Accelerating Preschoolers’ Early Literacy
Development Through Calssroom-Based Teacher-Child Storybook Reading and Explicit Print Referencing.
Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools. 40 67‐85.
Carbo, M. 2007 Best Practices for Achieving High, Rapid Reading Gains Principal, 87, 42-45
Reutzel, D. R., & Smith, J. A. (2004). Accelerating struggling readers’ progress: A comparative analysis of
expert opinion and current research recommendations. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 20, 63-89.
Rasinski, T. V. (2003). The fluent reader: Oral reading strategies for building word recognition, fluency,
and comprehension. New York: Scholastic.
Kuhn, M. (2004, December). Helping Students Become Accurate, Expressive Readers: Fluency Instruction
for Small Groups. The Reading Teacher, 58(4), 338–344.
Repeated and interactive reading did better than listening and individual reading
D. References for Reading with Engaging Voice and Language (including u tube url for example of Leap
Language Dialogic Reading)
E.. Best Practices from (Flippo, 1998; Reutzel & Smith, 2004)
Best Practices
Reutzel, D., & Cooter, R. (2004). Teaching children to read: Putting the pieces
together. (4th ed.). NJ: Merill Prentice Hall.
Reading practices that make learning to read difficult include:
Focusing on skills instead of comprehension;
n Drill and mastery of skills;
n Using worksheets for each skill;
n Providing students with few choices;
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
n Limiting reading for pleasure;
n Following teacher editions without variation;
n Encouraging reading as a contest with points; and
n Exhibiting low teacher expectations.
Reading practices that facilitate learning to read include:
n Modeling of stories;
n Providing access to high-interest materials;
n Student choice of reading materials;
n Encouraging reading for pleasure;
n Supplementing reading lessons with dialogue and discussion;
n Presenting increasingly difficult stories; and
n Providing a print-rich classroom.
(Flippo, 1998; Reutzel & Smith, 2004)
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org
8 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 812 • Chicago, Illinois 60603
Phone 312.578.1255 • Fax 312.578.1280 • Web www.leaplearningsystems.org