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| Translating Reading Research to Practice in Three Urban Schools: An Account of Successful School-Wide Change |
| Saturday, May 28, 2005 |
| 3:30 PM–4:20 PM |
| Williford C (3rd floor) |
| Area: EDC/OBM; Domain: Service Delivery |
| Chair: William Bursuck (University of North Carolina, Greensboro) |
| WILLIAM BURSUCK (University of North Carolina, Greensboro) |
| MARY DAMER (The Ohio State University) |
| SHIRLEY DICKSON (Educational Consultant for "Reading First") |
| Abstract: Despite the current epidemic of literacy problems in high poverty schools, the process of translating research to practice remains elusive. Even though The Report of the National Reading Panel (2000) provides a clear guide for the use of systematic and explicit instruction to teach the largest number of students to read, instruction in urban schools is often based on more naturalistic reading methods. Project PRIDE is a multi-tiered, prevention-based model of early reading instruction for grades K-3 that offers extra support for children who are at-risk at the first sign of reading difficulty. In this evidenced-based approach student support is offered along a continuum of intensities that maximize access to general education programs. The authors will describe how Project PRIDE was implemented successfully in three urban schools with high rates of reading failure by employing the following principles of organizational change articulated by Sugai & Horner (2004): (1) focus on outcomes that have high social value; (2) expand the unit of analysis to the school; (3) employ measurement tools and data collection systems with iterative improvement cycles; (4) make thelanguage of research and behavioral procedures more accessible; and (5) build a local capacity for continuous regeneration. Horner, R. H., & Sugai, G. (2004). Establishing and sustaining behavior support systems in school, district, and state levels. Presentation at the 30th Annual convention of the Association for Behavior Analysis. Boston. |
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