Running head: ORTON-GILLINGHAM READING INTERVENTION VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator Small Group Reading Intervention by Morag Kelpin BSN, BEd A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION IN SPECIAL EDUCATION FaCulty of Education © Morag Kelpin, 2019 Vancouver Island University ORTON - GILLINGHAM READING INTERVENTION ii All rights reserved. This projeCt may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. We aCCept this thesis as conforming to the required standard. Ana Vieira, Thesis FaCulty Supervisor Date: April 17, 2019 FaCulty of Education, Vancouver Island University __________________________________________________ Dr. David Paterson, Dean, Date: April 17, 2019 FaCulty of Education Vancouver Island University ORTON - GILLINGHAM READING INTERVENTION iii AbstraCt Research indiCates that weak phonologiCal skills will result in diffiCulty in deCoding words in text, thus making reading a very frustrating process. Through aCtion research, the researcher examined the implementation of Tier 2 small group reading intervention using the Orton- Gillingham approaCh. The Orton-Gillingham approaCh is a multisensory method of teaChing phonologiCal and phonemiC awareness, syllabiCation, sight words, along with spelling rules and Concepts. The instruction is expliCit, systematiC, cumulative, direCt, and sequential. Five grade two students met with an Orton-Gillingham praCtitioner twiCe a week over the nine-week period. Results indiCated that all of the students increased in fluency, aCCuraCy and number of sight words that they could read. As well, statements from the students suggested that they enjoyed the process. ImpliCations of the study along with considerations for the improvement of the group size and setting are provided in the conclusions. Keywords: Orton-Gillingham approaCh, reading intervention, multisensory, learning disabilities ORTON - GILLINGHAM READING INTERVENTION iv Acknowledgements As a teaCher, I know that goals are aChieved through the support of a community. I would like to thank my community for helping me get to where I am today. Thank you, Bryce, for your ongoing motivation and support. To Callum, my eldest son, thank you for your IT support as well as your patience when listening to me rant. Thank you Kalayna for the endless supply of Bridgemix and for the reassurance that in choosing SpeCial Education over ACCounting, I made a good call. And Tavish, thank you for your entertaining stories about the film industry. Of course, I would also like to thank Dr. Ana Vieira for your feedbaCk and editing support. “Seriously, I made another error in APA formatting!” Finally, I would like to thank the students who allowed me the opportunity to work with them. They inspired me and fed my passion and drive for working in speCial education. ORTON - GILLINGHAM READING INTERVENTION v TABLE OF CONTENTS AbstraCt…………………………………………………………………………………..…..…...iii ACknowledgements………………………………………………….…………………...…...…. iv Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………………...…. v List of Tables …………...………………………………...…………………………………….. ix List of Figures ……………………………………………………………………...………......... x Chapter 1- Introduction …………………………………………………………………….….… 1 Personal Context as an Orton-Gillingham Tutor ……………………………….…….…. 3 Response to Intervention Model ...………………………………………………...…….. 4 Early IdentifiCation …………………………………………………………………...…. 6 Evidence-based Intervention …………………………………………………………….. 7 PhoniCs for Reading Compared to the Orton-Gillingham ApproaCh ……….……..…. 8 Retention of Students …………………………………………………………………....10 Statement of Problem ……………………………………………………………...…… 11 Overview of the Study ………………………………………..……………………...… 12 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………... 12 Chapter 2- Literature Review ……………………………………………………………..……. 14 HistoriCal Theories of Reading Development ………………………………………..… 14 Learning Disabilities, Dyslexia and SpeCifiC Learning Disabilities …………...………. 18 Learning Disabilities ……………………………………………………………….. 18 Dyslexia ……………………………………………………………………………. 19 SpeCifiC Learning Disability ……………………………………………………….. 19 Five Pillars of Reading …………………………………………………...…………...... 22 ORTON - GILLINGHAM READING INTERVENTION vi The Orton-Gillingham ApproaCh ……………………………...……………...………... 23 Current Research …………………………………………………...…………...……… 26 Gaps in the research ………………………………………………………………….… 30 Chapter 3- Method ………………….……………………………………...…………...........… 33 Research Design …………………………………………………...……….…...........… 33 PartiCipants …………………………………………………...…………….…….......… 35 Setting and Time Frame ………………………………………………....…………...… 36 Intervention …………………………………………………...….……………...…...… 38 Assessment Tools …………………………………………………...…………..….. 39 Procedure …………………………………………………...……………….…...… 39 Data ColleCtion and Analysis …………………………………………………..........…. 43 Benefits and Limitations……………………………………...………………….…...….44 Benefits …………………………………………………………………………….. 44 Limitations …………………………………………………………………………. 46 SignifiCance …………………………………………………...……………………...… 46 Chapter 4- Findings and Results …………………………………………………...…………....48 Overview of Findings …………………………………………………...…………...… 48 SpeCifiC Themes and Issues …………………………………………………...….….… 48 Individual Findings …………………………………………………...…………...…… 54 Context and Related Findings …………………………………………………...…..…. 61 Findings from Unstructured Conversations ……………………………………………. 62 Chapter 5- DisCussion and Conclusion ……………………...……………….………………… 67 Eight stages of aCtion research ……………….…………………...…...…….…………..69 ORTON - GILLINGHAM READING INTERVENTION vii Stage 1: Problem identifiCation …………………………………...……………….. 69 Stage 2: Possible intervention …………………………………………………...….70 Stage 3: DeCision on partiCular intervention ………………………………………. 71 Stage 4: Plan intervention with sucCess criteria ………………………………….…71 Stage 5: Implement the intervention……………………………………………..….72 Stage 6: Monitor and reCord implementation /effeCts ………………………………75 Stage 7: Review and evaluate intervention.………………………….…………….. 76 Stage 8: How well intervention solved the problem ………………………………..79 ImpliCations for my teaChing ……………………………………………………………80 Further Research …………………………………………………………..………..….. 82 Conclusion …………………………………………………………..………….…..….. 82 References ………………………………………………………………………….………..…. 85 Appendix A DynamiC IndiCator for BasiC Early Literature Skills Oral Reading Fluency …….. 94 Appendix B ReCruitment Letter ………………………………………………….……….....…. 96 Appendix C Parent Consent ……………………………………..……………….……….....…. 98 Appendix D Student Assent ………………………………………………….……….............. 101 Appendix E Letter to DireCtor of Instruction ……………………………………….……....… 103 Appendix F Informal PhonologiCal Awareness Assessment …….………………………….....105 Appendix G PhonetiC Words for DiagnostiC Reading ………………………………………....112 Appendix H PhonetiC Words for DiagnostiC Spelling …………………………………………113 Appendix I Easy CBM: Student Copy …………………………………………….……….......114 Appendix J Easy CBM: Assessor Copy …………………………………………….…..…......115 Appendix K OG: BasiC Remedial Lesson Plan …………………………………….…….........116 ORTON - GILLINGHAM READING INTERVENTION viii Appendix L PhonologiCal Awareness: SCope and Sequence ……………………………...….. 117 Appendix M Sight Word: SCope and Sequence ………………………………………………. 118 ORTON - GILLINGHAM READING INTERVENTION ix List of Tables Table 1. PhonologiCal Awareness Skills …………………………………………………...…... 49 Table 2. PhoniCs, SyllabiCation, and Spelling Rules ………………………………………....... 50 Table 3. Sight Words Read and Spelled …………………………………………………...…... 52 Table 4. DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency (2011) ……………………………………..…….….. 54 ORTON - GILLINGHAM READING INTERVENTION x List of Figures Figure 1. Stages of ACtion Research …………………………………………………………… 35 Figure 2. Student A, results from the DORF reading assessments …………….………..….….. 55 Figure 3. Student B, results from the DORF reading assessments …..……….…………………56 Figure 4. Student C, results from the DORF reading assessments………………….….……..... 56 Figure 5. Student D, results from the DORF reading assessments ……………….….…..…..… 57 Figure 6. Student E, results from the DORF reading assessments ………..……..………...…... 58 Figure 7. Student A, CWPM and aCCuraCy compared to benchmark ………………………...... 59 Figure 8. Student B, CWPM and aCCuraCy compared to benchmark ………………………...…59 Figure 9. Student C, CWPM and aCCuraCy compared to benchmark.………………………...…59 Figure 10. Student D, CWPM and aCCuraCy compared to benchmark ………………………….60 Figure 11. Student E, CWPM and aCCuraCy compared to benchmark ……………………...…..60 Running head: ORTON-GILLINGHAM READING INTERVENTION Chapter 1 Introduction The phrase “learn to read to read to learn” (Loveless, 2019, p.1) is often used in the educational system to desCribe the two milestones in reading development. Learning to read ocCurs in the primary grades whereby the focus is on phonologiCal awareness, the ability to reCognize, understand and manipulate sounds in spoken language, as well as phoniCs, the process of matChing sound to symbol. The emphasis is on learning to deCode and memorize basiC words to aChieve fluency. Reading to learn beComes the focus in the intermediate grades. Once fluency in deCoding has been reaChed, the students can now read more diffiCult text with the emphasis on information and comprehension (Armistead &Armistead, 2006; Berg & Stegelman, (2003); Chall, 1983; Loveless, 2019; Torgesen, 2004; Wanzek, Wexler, Vaugh, & Ciullo, 2010). Unfortunately, many students reaCh the intermediate grades without having aChieved the ability