PROJECT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE MASTER OF ARTS IN READING LANGUAGE AND LITERACY TITLE: Literacy Interventions and Strategies for Distance Leaming AUTHOR(S): Leslie Conley DATE OF SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE: 08/05/2021 THE PROJECT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE PROJECT COMMITTEE IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN READING LANGUAGE AND LITERACY Christiane Wood Aug 5, 2021 COMMITTEE CHAIR SIGNATURE DATE Erika Daniels Aug 5, 2021 COMMITTEE MEMBER SIGNATURE DATE COMMITTEE MEMBER SIGNATURE DATE COMMITTEE MEMBER SIGNATURE DATE LITERACY INTERVENTIONS AND DISTANCE LEARNING 1 Literacy Interventions and Strategies for Distance Learning Leslie Conley A Project Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Reading, Language, and Literacy California State University San Marcos Summer 2021 LITERACY INTERVENTIONS AND DISTANCE LEARNING 2 Abstract Fifty-three percent of the nation’s fourth-grade students are reading at basic and below basic levels. The below basic readers require specific interventions to improve their literacy. I provide intensive reading intervention at a school of only fourth and fifth-grade students in a rural California town, either in a small group or in a one-to-one setting. In March 2020, profound changes took place throughout the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When the stay- at-home order was issued, schools across the state closed, and my school district transitioned to distance learning. My struggling readers moved from the familiarity of sitting across from me at a small table obtaining support to gazing at a screen, with or without viewing my face, to learn from a distance. “It’s like a prison visitation window,” said a student. The rapport built with each student was diminished due to a piece of glass. My search to meet the needs of my struggling students in the new setting revealed minimal options. Therefore, I was forced to adapt the synchronous reading interventions that I normally used in the traditional classroom setting to better meet the learning challenges students face in the distance learning setting. Some teachers at my school began requesting strategies to work with their students during distance learning. I created a digital handbook containing evidence-based resources and my newly developed strategies for teaching struggling readers at my school. LITERACY INTERVENTIONS AND DISTANCE LEARNING 3 Acknowledgments I would like to begin by thanking all the professors within the Master of Arts Education in Literacy program for all of their expertise. I would like to especially thank Dr. Christiane Wood and Dr. Erika Daniels for their encouragement to complete this project. I would like to extend a special thanks to my sister, Karen, for all her prayers, encouragement, wisdom, and support during the writing of this project. Finally, I would like to thank my husband for his patience, understanding, and for doing my chores. LITERACY INTERVENTIONS AND DISTANCE LEARNING 4 Table of Contents Abstract ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgments....................................................................................................................... 3 Chapter 1: Definition of Problem ............................................................................................... 6 Problem Statement .................................................................................................................. 8 Significance of the Issue ......................................................................................................... 8 Preview Literature ................................................................................................................... 9 Preview Methodology ........................................................................................................... 10 Summary ............................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter 2: Literature Review .................................................................................................... 11 Learning to read .................................................................................................................... 11 Fear ....................................................................................................................................... 16 Teaching Strategies ............................................................................................................... 16 Chapter 3: Methodology ........................................................................................................... 21 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 21 Project Design ....................................................................................................................... 22 Intended Audience and Setting ............................................................................................. 23 Instruments ............................................................................................................................ 24 Procedures and Evaluation Process ...................................................................................... 24 Summary ............................................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 4: Product .................................................................................................................... 27 Forward ................................................................................................................................. 31 Part 1 Science of Reading ..................................................................................................... 33 Part 2 Trauma-Informed Teaching ........................................................................................ 39 Part 3 Strategies .................................................................................................................... 43 Part 4 Other Resources.......................................................................................................... 61 Part 5 Frequently Asked Questions....................................................................................... 67 Chapter 5: Discussion ............................................................................................................... 68 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 68 Lessons learned from the project .......................................................................................... 69 Recommendations for implementation ................................................................................. 70 LITERACY INTERVENTIONS AND DISTANCE LEARNING 5 Limitations ............................................................................................................................ 70 Future Directions .................................................................................................................. 71 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 71 References ................................................................................................................................. 73 Appendix ................................................................................................................................... 82 LITERACY INTERVENTIONS AND DISTANCE LEARNING 6 Literacy Interventions and Strategies for Distance Learning Chapter 1: Definition of Problem The 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress reveals that 53% of the nation’s fourth-grade students are reading at basic and below basic levels. According to the National Center of Intensive Interventions ([NCII], 2016-2021), the students in the below basic percentile are readers that are either learning disabled or readers who require intensive intervention because they did not respond well to Tier 1 and Tier 2 interventions. As a reading intervention teacher, I provide intensive intervention at a school of only fourth and fifth-grade students in a rural town in the San Joaquin Valley, where 85% of the student population are Hispanic, and all students receive free meals. Students meet with me in a small group or in a one-to-one setting to receive evidence-based instruction in writing and some or all five areas of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension as reported by the National Reading Panel ([NRP], 2000). Each student’s lesson “is a structure or series of activities based on the individual needs of a student” (Caldwell & Leslie, 2013, p.3). As recommended by NCII, I assess my students to monitor their progress and change my instruction as needed. Another role recently assigned to me is to assist the classroom teachers with reading intervention for Tier 1 and Tier 2 students. By providing suggestions and techniques to the classroom teachers, more students will receive the remediation they need to become successful readers. In March 2020, profound changes took place throughout