It’s Not REALLY Magic…
Differentiating Phonics Instruction the UDL Way
By Carol Seibert
This article will explore the “magic of phonics” using techniques recommended in the National Reading Panel Report along with two proven word study programs—Simon S.I.O™. and WordMaker®.
We’ll take a peek at some action research projects in which these
programs were used to successfully address the diverse learning needs
present in real classrooms… no sleight of hand required!
We hope you will use these techniques to deliver phonics instruction more effectively to your students.
FROM THE EXPERTS
Report of the National Reading Panel:
Teaching Children to Read
Phonics instruction has often been portrayed as involving “dull drill” and “meaningless worksheets.” Such characterizations may accurately describe aspects of some phonics programs, even “effective” ones.
It seems self-evident that the specific techniques and activities…should be as relevant and motivating as possible to engage children’s interest and attention to promote optimal learning. Moreover, it seems obvious that… (when using these techniques) …teachers will be more successful in their ability to deliver phonics instruction effectively.
National Reading Panel, 2000, p 2-137
Current research indicates that “systematic phonics instruction is significantly more effective than non-phonics instruction in helping to prevent reading difficulties among at-risk students and in helping to remediate reading difficulties in disabled readers.” (NRP, 2000) As well, assessing the needs of individual learners and then selecting the types and amounts of phonics that are suited to meet those needs is “clearly preferable” but “requires phonics programs that provide guidance in how to place students into flexible instructional groups and how to pace instruction.” (NRP, 2000)
I’m clearly not clairvoyant, but…
I’m pretty sure I can hear your thoughts at this moment. “That’s the way I would teach in a perfect world, but I’m only one person trying to meet the needs of 30+ learners. I'm not a MAGICIAN!”
Well… I’m here to tell you that, through the use of universally-designed learning technology, YOU CAN make "learning magic" happen to engage and meet the needs of diverse learners.
As a result of a six-week trial using Simon S.I.O. with kindergarten, first and second grade general education classes in Pensacola, Florida in 2007, 98% of the students in the experimental group had an increase in scores on the DIBELS Nonsense Word Fluency measure. Of a total of 26 students in the experimental group who were identified as being in the High or Moderate Risk level, 25 increased their scores, including 13 (50%) who increased their level to the Low Risk category or higher!
In Janesville, Wisconsin, 700 students (grades K-3 regular and special education) participated in a WordMaker pilot study by teacher Kathy White. Her whole face lights up as she shares stories about the success these learners experienced as they used WordMaker hand-in-hand with Janesville’s district-wide word study curriculum based on Dr. Patricia Cunningham’s Systematic Sequential Phonics They Use.
“As the pilot study progressed, the children were the ones that became fun to watch. Each student was demonstrating progress. They wanted to tell anyone who would listen what their scores were and what level of the program they were on. Observation of students revealed competitiveness, self affirmation, and use of classroom-learned skills to assist with sounding out words. Teachers began to see generalization of skills into their classroom journal writing activities.”
What’s the trick to successful differentiated phonics instruction?
It ISN'T a trick—it's the media.
How can Simon S.I.O. (Sounds It Out) and WordMaker result in such exciting outcomes when students used them just an average of 10-20 minutes 1-3 times each week?
Because these powerful word study programs, based on Universal Design for Learning principles, are easily set up to automatically meet the needs of a wide range of individual learners. Regardless of the number of computers you have, your students are supported and instructed based on their individual needs and progress…just as YOU would do if you could be in 30 places at one time!
Simon S.I.O. and WordMaker engage, motivate and support students as they move at their own pace to systematically learn letter sounds and word families (Simon S.I.O.) and learn phonics patterns in the most commonly-accepted sequence to develop word decoding skills (WordMaker).
You won't need a crystal ball to know what's next
WordMaker and Simon S.I.O. monitor learner progress and adjust tasks and practice levels “on the spot” to ensure maximum learning success and provide you with the detailed data reports YOU need. Provide the most appropriate (and effective!) learning interventions possible using:
- Built-in data collection
- Quick Screening Tools to place learners at appropriate learning levels
- Individual student preference settings
- Automatic instructional pacing
- Access to word study instruction, practice and intervention for students with physical disabilities
- Research-based on/off-computer Teacher Materials for learners at any age, including:
- Printable student practice sheets and progress awards
- Quick Activity ideas
- Product-Integrated Lesson plans
- Word Cards, sentence strips and Word Walls
- Letter tiles (WordMaker only)
- Suggested Reading Lists for Grades 3 through 12
- Assessment and portfolio support materials
These Teacher Materials and more are included on the product CD and are also available online (PDF format):
View other WordMaker and Simon S.I.O. product documentation available to you.
Get Into the Zone...
The Zone of Proximal Development, that is, to optimize learning for your students. Whether you have an entire lab full of computers or a single computer sitting in your classroom, it’s as easy as 1-2-3--use Simon S.I.O. and/or WordMaker. You will provide your diverse learners with the opportunity to learn and practice word study skills at their optimal learning level.
- To begin, use the Quick Start Screening tools (Teacher Materials) to determine the optimal level at which each learner should begin working and allow you to customize and optimize each student’s program preferences.
- *Set up computers and schedule computer time for each student. Allow 15-30 minutes for learners to work at their own pace
- Use the Self-Assessment, Portfolio and other learner self-tracking tools to engage students in tracking—and celebrating!—their own progress.
*Suggested computer set-up
In a Computer Lab |
In a Classroom |
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Assign each learner to a computer that they will use each time they work in Simon S.I.O. and/or WordMaker
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Schedule the lab at least one or two times each week for your class to
work on Simon S.I.O. and/or WordMaker
|
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If you have more than one
computer, assign each learner to a computer that they will work on each
time they use Simon S.I.O. and/or WordMaker
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Create a schedule that allows learners to “rotate” through using the computer(s) at least once or twice each week.
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Even Harry Potter needs to PRACTICE his "spell-ing"
No matter how often the theoretical pendulum swings between researcher’s pet theories on reading instruction, one thing remains sure: reading requires that readers have some key knowledge and skills to not only decode new words as they encounter them, but to apply and practice this knowledge in their reading and writing. And to be effective, these application and practice activities need to be engaging and personally relevant to both students and teachers!
Brain-based learning research continues to indicate that practice really DOES make perfect! Don’t forget to help learners apply and practice their new decoding skills in engaging, meaningful ways with resources and tools you can customize to support a wider range of learners, including:
Interested in Boosting the Effectiveness of YOUR Word Study instruction?
Take advantage of one of these opportunities to check out Simon S.I.O. and/or WordMaker for yourself.
See WordMaker in action via Flash presentation