Using Technology to Support Using Technology to Support Effective Preschool Literacy Effective Preschool Literacy

Instruction: The Individualizing Instruction: The Individualizing Student Instruction ProjectStudent Instruction Project

Carol McDonald ConnorCarol McDonald ConnorFlorida State University and the Florida Florida State University and the Florida

Center for Reading ResearchCenter for Reading Research

PBS 2005, Washington DC

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

ISI team – both FSU and UMISI team – both FSU and UM Fred Morrison, Barry Fishman, Lisa Fred Morrison, Barry Fishman, Lisa

Slominski and Claire CameronSlominski and Claire Cameron Pathways to Literacy Project students and Pathways to Literacy Project students and

staffstaff Parents, children and teachers who Parents, children and teachers who

participated in the studyparticipated in the study This work was supported by the US This work was supported by the US

Department of Education IES, National Department of Education IES, National Institute of Child Health and Human Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Science Development and the National Science Foundation under grant numbers Foundation under grant numbers R305H04014, R01 HD27176 and R305H04014, R01 HD27176 and 0111754, respectively.0111754, respectively.

What should children learn in What should children learn in preschool?preschool?

Among other important skills:Among other important skills: Phonological awarenessPhonological awareness

Rhyming, phonological segmentation, Rhyming, phonological segmentation, blendingblending

Letters and letter-sound Letters and letter-sound correspondencecorrespondence

Emergent readingEmergent reading Vocabulary and oral language skills Vocabulary and oral language skills

Dickenson et al (2003); Lonigan et al. Dickenson et al (2003); Lonigan et al. (1999); Nelson et al., (2003); NICHD-(1999); Nelson et al., (2003); NICHD-ECCRN (numerous)ECCRN (numerous)

OverviewOverview

Research on Child X Preschool Research on Child X Preschool Instruction InteractionsInstruction Interactions

Implications for effective instructionImplications for effective instruction Using Assessment to guide instruction Using Assessment to guide instruction PlanningPlanning

Present A2I softwarePresent A2I software Teacher planning tool that uses Teacher planning tool that uses

children’s test scores to provide children’s test scores to provide recommended types and amounts of recommended types and amounts of instructioninstruction

Conceptualizing Preschool Conceptualizing Preschool InstructionInstruction

Dimensions of InstructionDimensions of Instruction Teacher versus child Teacher versus child

managedmanaged Code focused versus meaning Code focused versus meaning

focusedfocused Explicit versus implicit (play)Explicit versus implicit (play)

Teacher ManagedTeacher Managed Child Managed Child Managed

Code Code focusedfocused

SpellingSpellingPhonological Phonological AwarenessAwarenessAlphabet ActivityAlphabet ActivityLetter-Sound Letter-Sound CorrespondenceCorrespondenceInitial Consonant Initial Consonant StrippingStripping

HandwritingHandwritingAlphabet ActivityAlphabet Activity

MeaninMeaning g focusedfocused

Teacher read-aloudTeacher read-aloudChoral reading aloudChoral reading aloudDiscussionDiscussionTeacher Teacher Read-aloud/Discussion Read-aloud/Discussion combinedcombinedConventions of PrintConventions of PrintVocabulary activitiesVocabulary activitiesSharingSharing

Sustained silent Sustained silent readingreading

Play (implicit)Play (implicit)

Participants Participants 156 student participants156 student participants

3-4 years of age in fall 20023-4 years of age in fall 2002 34 classrooms taught by 24 34 classrooms taught by 24

teachersteachers Lead teachers hold Early Childhood Lead teachers hold Early Childhood

CredentialCredential Head-Start, State supported and Head-Start, State supported and

Fee-for-service licensed Fee-for-service licensed preschools/daycarepreschools/daycare

Typically developing childrenTypically developing children Full and half day programsFull and half day programs

School District – Urban Fringe School District – Urban Fringe transitioningtransitioning

ResultsResults

Fall Mean (SD) Range

Spring Mean (SD) Range

Alphabet Naming

(# of letters)

11 (8) 0-26

16 (8) 0-26

Letter-Word Recognition

334.80 (25.08) 270-400

350.27 (31.98) 130-464

Vocabulary W 466.59 (15.79) 374-502

472.82 (13.36)

417-506

On average, children made age appropriate progress on all measures

Mean minutes PS Literacy Mean minutes PS Literacy InstructionInstruction

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Min

utes

per

day

TMCF TMMF CMCF CMMF CMMF-Play

StudentClass

TM-Code-focusedTM-Code-focused

-0.07 1.52 3.10 4.69 6.28337.3

348.7

360.1

371.5

382.9

TMCMEDCF

WJLWWSP

WJLWWF = -20.799

WJLWWF = 19.201

0 3 6 minutes

75th percentile fall LW

25th percentile fall LW

Spri

ng L

ett

er-

Word

Letter-word X InstructionLetter-word X Instruction

0 3.75 7.50 11.25 15.00335.2

341.8

348.3

354.8

361.4

TMLWMCL

WJLWWSP

WJLWWF = -20.797

WJLWWF = 22.203

Amount of TM Code Focused Classroom

0 7.67 15.34 23.01 30.68324.8

335.9

347.0

358.1

369.2

TMHOMSCL

WJLWWSP

WJLWWF = -20.797

WJLWWF = 22.203

Amount of TM Meaning Focused Classroom

75th percentile fall Letter-word score

25th percentile fall Letter-word scoreS

pri

ng L

ett

er-

Word

ImplicationsImplications

Both code- and meaning-focused Both code- and meaning-focused preschool literacy activities, including preschool literacy activities, including play, contribute to emergent literacy play, contribute to emergent literacy and language outcomesand language outcomes But their effect appears to depend on But their effect appears to depend on

children’s literacy and vocabulary skills at children’s literacy and vocabulary skills at the beginning of the yearthe beginning of the year

How do we design effective preschool How do we design effective preschool instruction that take into account these instruction that take into account these child X instruction interactions?child X instruction interactions? Use assessment to guide instructionUse assessment to guide instruction Encourage teacher planning for Encourage teacher planning for

individualized instructionindividualized instruction Individualizing Student Instruction Individualizing Student Instruction

ProjectProject

There once was a Boston Tea PartyThere once was a Boston Tea Party

They needed some men who were hardyThey needed some men who were hardy

They took up their axesThey took up their axes

Got rid of their taxesGot rid of their taxes

And laughed at the king, the old smarty!And laughed at the king, the old smarty!

http://hicedev.soe.umich.edu/A2I/