Teaching Students with Reading Difficulties and Disabilities: a Guide for Educators

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Teaching Students with Reading Difficulties and Disabilities: a Guide for Educators Saskatchewan Learning Introduction Understanding Learning Disabilities Teaching Reading Development and Instruction Students with Written Expression Instruction Reading Difficulties and Assessment and Intervention Disabilities General Teaching Considerations A Guide for Educators Transition Planning Self-Advocacy Appendices References 2004 ISBN 1-894743-79-2 Teaching Students with Reading Difficulties and Disabilities: A Guide for Educators TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................7 2. Understanding Learning Disabilities 2.1 National Definition ..........................................................................................................10 2.2 Types of Learning Disabilities ..........................................................................................12 2.3 Etiology ............................................................................................................................14 2.4 Diagnosis of Learning Disabilities ....................................................................................15 2.5 Student Strengths ..............................................................................................................18 2.6 Skill Areas Associated with Learning Disabilities ............................................................19 3. Reading Development and Instruction 3.1 Critical Elements in Reading Instruction ........................................................................35 Reading Comprehension ..................................................................................................36 Language Cues and Conventions ....................................................................................37 Phonological Awareness and the Graphophonic Cueing System ....................................38 Phonics ............................................................................................................................38 Vocabulary Development and the Semantic Cueing System ..........................................39 Sentence Patterns and the Syntactical Cueing System ....................................................40 Text Forms, Features, and the Textual Cueing System ....................................................40 Author’s Intent and the Pragmatic Cueing System ..........................................................40 Reading Fluency ..............................................................................................................42 4. Written Expression Instruction 4.1 Spelling ............................................................................................................................46 4.2 Handwriting ......................................................................................................................52 4.3 Composing Skills ..............................................................................................................53 5. Assessment and Intervention 5.1 Assessment and Program Planning ..................................................................................57 6. General Teaching Considerations 6.1 The Adaptive Dimension ..................................................................................................69 6.2 Strategies and Effective Practices ....................................................................................70 Contents 3 Teaching Students with Reading Difficulties and Disabilities: A Guide for Educators 7. Transition Planning 7.1 Key Principles of Effective Transitions ............................................................................84 7.2 Facilitating Effective Transitions ......................................................................................85 8. Self-Advocacy 8.1 Challenges to Self-Advocacy ............................................................................................88 8.2 Facilitating Self-Advocacy ................................................................................................89 8.3 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................91 9. Appendices Appendix A – Strategies and Resources for Assessing and Teaching Reading Comprehension ..95 Appendix B – Strategies and Resources for Assessing and Teaching Phonemic Awareness......105 Appendix C – Phonics ............................................................................................................127 Appendix D – Vocabulary Development ................................................................................139 Appendix E – Reading Fluency ..............................................................................................145 Appendix F – Spelling ............................................................................................................159 Appendix G – Written Expression ..........................................................................................163 Appendix H – Personal Program Planning..............................................................................177 Appendix I – Transition Planning............................................................................................207 Appendix J – Assistive Technology ........................................................................................215 10. References............................................................................................................................221 Internet Resources....................................................................................................................236 Suggestions de ressources pour l’immersion ..........................................................................237 4 Contents Teaching Students with Reading Difficulties and Disabilities: A Guide for Educators ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Saskatchewan Learning extends thanks to contributing writers of this document: Lynne Wawryk-Epp, Dr. Gina Harrison, and Dr. Bill Prentice. Appreciation is also extended to the members of the Reference Committee: Marilyn Allen Janie Généreux Coordinator of Student Services French Language Arts Coordinator St. Paul’s RCSSD #20 Official Minority Language Office Saskatchewan Learning Kristina Bakken-Chriest Secondary Classroom Teacher Dr. Gina Harrison Greenall School Assistant Professor Department of Educational Psychology Barb Elliott & Special Education Speech-Language Pathologist University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon School Division #13 Wanda Lyons Susan Engel Director Resource Teacher Special Education Unit St. Agnes School Saskatchewan Learning Moose Jaw RCSSD #22 Dr. John McNamara Tammy Ferguson Assistant Professor Senior Program Manager Department of Educational Psychology Special Education Unit & Special Education Saskatchewan Learning University of Saskatchewan Dorothy Finlayson (chair) Dr. Bill Prentice Senior Program Manager English Language Arts Consultant Special Education Unit Curriculum & Instruction Saskatchewan Learning Saskatchewan Learning Garnett Francis Dale Rempel Assistant Professor Executive Director Department of Educational Psychology Learning Disabilities & Special Education Association of Saskatchewan University of Saskatchewan Randeah Robertson Judy Froese Parent Advocate Special Education Coordinator President, Learning Disabilities Moose Jaw School Division #1 Association of Saskatchewan Laurie Garcea Jane Thurgood Sagal Financial Manager Executive Director Learning Disabilities Association Curriculum & Instruction of Saskatchewan Saskatchewan Learning Contents 5 Teaching Students with Reading Difficulties and Disabilities: A Guide for Educators 1 INTRODUCTION The purpose of this resource is to assist educators in teaching students who are experiencing significant difficulties, or who have a disability in reading and written expression. The document provides a general description of learning disabilities with a focus on the most common type of disability–reading disability (Kibby & Hynd, 2001). The terms reading disability, reading disorder, and dyslexia are used interchangeably in the literature. For the purposes of this document, the term reading disability will be used. “Teaching Proficient reading and writing skills are critical to success. If reading to students are not competent readers, they are at risk for academic, adolescents behavioural, social and emotional difficulties. Students with is both learning disabilities have the potential to be successful rewarding and academically and socially. Teachers can change the trajectory for frustrating; it’s a science children at risk for failure in reading by intervening early and and an art. providing explicit, intensive, and extensive instruction. The It’s making expectation is that students are taught listening, speaking, reading, mistakes and writing, viewing, and representing skills throughout their school growing from careers. When students continue to struggle with the acquisition of them. It’s the proficient literacy skills, appropriate adaptations need to be made to most important thing I do as a enable them to successfully meet the demands of the curriculum. teacher.” (Beers, Success is dependent on educational programming that is suited to 2003, p. 22) the student’s individual strengths, needs, and learning characteristics. This resource provides information on assessment, instruction, assistive technology, transition planning, and self- advocacy for
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