The Six Components of Reading

The science of reading has come a long way in the last 20+ years.  And in response, the ability to teach students that struggle with reading is no longer a mystery.  Students experiencing reading delays are much more likely to have access to appropriate instruction than they were years ago, and students with Dyslexia have a wealth of information at their fingertips to help them understand their unique style of learning and therefore become empowered to be their own advocates as they enter into higher learning. 

Reading is not a mystery.  The skills to good reading are clear, and the individual achievement of these skills easily measured.  To be a good reader, a student must be proficient in the following:  phonological processing, phonics, decoding, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.  A deficit in one or more of these areas may impact reading to the extent that it is not a usable skill.  However, a variance in strengths within these skills is common and some students manage quite well by having one area of strength compensate for a weaker area. It is also not uncommon for a deficit in one area to limit the development of another area.

The earliest skills developed through typical print and language rich homes are vocabulary, phonological awareness, and sometimes to a moderate extent, phonics.  Vocabulary development starts with direct language experiences- direct meaning face to face interactions, not screen time.  One major distinction between socio-economic classes (and predictive reading development outcomes) is the number of words a child is exposed to.  Some estimates cite the difference of word exposure from mothers to children to be 20 million words by the time a child is 3 years old.  

Phonological awareness skills are those skills that are developed through rhyme, activities that promote vowel sound recognition, alliteration, and sound substitution (like in the song Apples and Bananas).  These skills are developed in a completely auditory capacity through language play and interaction.

These early skills impact the later reading development that is directly taught once a child enters school.  Phonics instruction dovetails on phonological awareness development.  It provides the visual symbol that goes with the sound, as well as teaching the common patterns and structures of words.  (Example:  the first patterns often recognized are the short vowels followed by a consonant, like at, it, on, if).

As reading skills develop further, children are taught more than just phonics.  Decoding is the instruction in the syllabication and blending of words.  It teaches students how to read a word that has not previously been memorized by applying the phonics and syllabication rules.  This is a very critical skill for reading development and also furthers vocabulary development since good decoders are able to accurately read and be exposed to new words, thus facilitating further vocabulary development.

Fluency is the ability to read quickly and accurately, so that the process of reading is efficient.  Fluency is not just about the speed of reading.  Fluent readers are able to chunk words correctly into phrases, give the correct intonation while reading, and demonstrate the punctuation at the end of sentences (ex: questions usually end with a rising inflection, statements end with a lower intonation).  Pausing appropriately is also important.

Comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading.  The culmination of all the previously discussed reading skills lend to the ability to comprehend what is read. When comprehension lags, it is sometimes due to the fact that the previous skills require so much effort to implement, that the brain is too taxed to determine what the content is.  Other difficulties can impede comprehension as well and a direct instruction to comprehension is also needed.  Development of comprehension includes the ability to identify basic information such as who/what/when/where/why and summarize the content, but also builds to include inference skills and prediction.

Reading is a complex process that relies on strong individual skills that the student can easily integrate. Fortunately, we are now empowered with more knowledge than ever before in how to instruct students who struggle with reading and the outcomes for these students need not be restrictive.

The Importance of Summer Studying

Summer is  approaching and so is the quandry: should your student attend classes over the summer, or should they take the well-deserved break to rejuvenate? The best plan is to have a little of both, and the following breaks down the points to consider as the summer plans get penciled in.

The Summer Lag: Generally speaking, most students take the summer off of school. And with this time off comes a decline in skills. For a student struggling to catch up, this decline in skills could be more significant than their peers. For this reason, it is of extra importance for a student who is working on closing a gap in skills to utilize the summer to not only maintain any progress they've made, but to maximize the opportunity for further development. Summer is a unique time when they can focus on their own skill development without the added pressure of the regular classroom work, homework, after-school activities, etc.

Time Commitments: It can be tempting to just do a little bit of work over the summer and feel that it is sufficient- after all, it's summer. However, a little bit of work probably isn't enough. Remember, if a student is behind, they not only have to close the gap, but need to maintain this skill set and develop it further. This is never something that happens quickly or easily. Summer classes will have the most impact if they are frequent and intensive. For example, a schedule could have 3-4 weeks of intensive work, followed by a one week break. A more intensive schedule of remediation with short breaks will likely yield more progress than a once a week schedule with no breaks.

Breaks and Other Interests: It is extra work for a student to participate in tutoring and summer classes and this should be recognized and commended for the perseverance required. In addition, students who have other outlets and areas where they shine tend to be more resilient. Resilience is an important quality for success for those dealing with learning differences. So, with the added free time that summer offers, it is strongly encouraged that students be given the opportunity to participate in areas of personal interest, natural talent, and things that give them a sense of joy and accomplishment. And if these areas haven't been discovered yet, summer can be a time for exploring these options. 

Study Skills, Keyboarding, Assistive Software: The freedom of a regular course load over summer provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop the periphery skills that support success in school. Keyboarding is an excellent option for student's with handwriting difficulties. It's best to learn how to keyboard without having to use these emerging skills for an assignment with a due date.  Learning to keyboard correctly can be facilitated with programs such as Mavis Beacon, UltraKey www.bytesoflearning.com, or other but should include frequent feedback from an adult in regards to student's posture, finger position, accuracy, etc.  It can be difficult to monitor this on your own, especially when it is new.
Inspiration software is highly recommended for supporting written expression. A free trial is available:   www.inspiration.com  This software is very useful, but does require practice to become familiar enough to make it an efficient tool. 
Study skills programs such as Mangrum Strichart provide a structure for learning information from text, reviewing for a test, memorizing, and identifying key concepts. Summer is an ideal time to learn the habits and structure so that it can be mastered before it is needed for a specific class.

Programs at Wise Owl Learning

The teachers at Wise Owl are experienced in working with students who learn differently. We use methodologies and materials recommended by the most current research and constantly reflect on individual student progress to determine the best course of action.  See below for links to many of the programs we use for more information. 

Our reading programs are based on Orton-Gillingham and Slingerland, emphasizing  multisensory instruction that follows a logical scope and sequence that sets the student up for success.  Lindamood Bell programs and others are also used as supplemental materials when needed.

Math instruction utilizes a variety of programs to help students master math facts, conceptualize math processes, follow an organized work format, and apply systematic strategies for following complex, multi-step math procedures. Many of our math programs are based on Making Math Real by David Berg, and Touch Math. 

Handwriting instruction is offered following the Slingerland Multisensory Approach.

Organization, Study Skills, and Time Management strategies are incorporated as needed.  Intensive, short term study skills courses for small groups are offered periodically throughout the year.  Individual lessons covering this material are always available. Study Skills classes are an excellent way for students entering college to prepare for the increased independence demanded by college courses, and helps students develop the habits to plan and maximize the time spent studying outside of class.

Links for more information:
 www.slingerland.org
www.ortonacademy.org/approach.php 
www.lindamoodbell.co.uk/research-articles
www.makingmathreal.org/index.php

Controversial Therapies

There are many approaches that claim to 'cure' Dyslexia. Some have strong anecdotal support. The International Dyslexia Association published a review of several popular, yet controversial, therapies for students with Dyslexia. Included are the programs for Vision Therapy, Fast For Word, Brain-Gym and other movement-based programs. Here is a link for their review:

http://www.onlinedigeditions.com/allarticle/13959/59673/59673/allarticle.html

Additional medical review of Vision Therapy:

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Ophthalmology/GeneralOphthalmology/51750

UCSF Research Study- Participants Requested

Below is information on a research study to further understand the root cause of Dyslexia. A functional MRI (fMRI) is a fairly recent tool that allows researchers to look at the brain in a non-invasive way. If you fit the criteria, this would be an excellent opportunity to further the field of research and information on Dyslexia! See below, or go to http://dyslexia.ucsf.edu/  for more information.

Reading and the Brain Study at UCSF brainLENS

Posted: May 08, 2015

We are pleased to share this information from EdRev speaker Dr. Fumiko Hoeft of the Dyslexia Center @ UCSF

At UCSF brainLENS (Laboratory for Educational Neuroscience, Director: Fumiko Hoeft MD PhD), we are now conducting a one of a kind neuroscience research study. Our hope is to further our understanding of the cause of dyslexia and other related disorders. It is the most comprehensive study using the latest and the largest number of different brain imaging technologies. UCSF (University of California, San Francisco) is a clinical and biomedical research institution that consistently ranks amongst the top 5 in world rankings.

Eligibility:

• 19-45 years with family or personal reading or phonological problems
• Right-handed
• Native English Speaker
• Normal hearing
• Not claustrophobic
• No history of seizures or other neurological problems
• Not currently taking medication for a psychiatric condition

Participation involves:

• Cognitive and behavioral evaluation
• Brain imaging using safe, non-invasive MRI and MEG scans that do not use X-rays or radiation
• Travel to UCSF and Stanford (travel expenses reimbursed)
• At least three visits

You will receive:

• Results of testing including an MRI image of your brain
• Have access to ongoing updates about the outcomes of the study
• An honorarium

For more information, or to enroll:

• Roeland.Hancock@ucsf.edu
• http://brainlens.org/involve

Reading Fluency Norms

A lot of attention is given to fluency, but the measures are not always provided to parents regarding the expected rates of reading at different points. Fluency is the ability to read smoothly, accurately, with correct intonation and phrasing, and speed. I mention speed last because it is too often the only thing people think of when they hear 'fluency'. Speed is important because students need to be able to get through passages with enough mental energy left to think about the information they've read. However, it is not a good idea to encourage students to read as fast as they can. Speed comes naturally when decoding skills are strong, a large sight-word inventory is in place, and when correct phrasing for longer sentences is understood. If a student needs to build their speed of reading, these are the skills to address that will naturally build smoother reading.

Below is a chart from Reading Rockets (http://www.readingrockets.org/article/fluency-norms-chart)
It shows grade level expectations for reading rates broken up into Fall, Winter, Spring and by percentile achievement levels. When fluency is tested, it should be with grade level material that has never been read before (sometimes called a cold read). If errors are made during the reading, a deduction for each error is applied so that the score reflects the number of correct words read per minute.

2006 Hasbrouck & Tindal Oral Reading Fluency Data

Grade	Percentile	Fall WCPM*	Winter WCPM*	Spring WCPM*	Avg. Weekly Improvement**
1	90 75		81 47	111 82	1.9 2.2
	50		23	53	1.9
	25 10		12 6	28 15	1.0 0.6
2	90 75	106 79	125 100	142 117	1.1 1.2
	50	51	72	89	1.2
	25 10	25 11	42 18	61 31	1.1 0.6
3	90 75	128 99	146 120	162 137	1.1 1.2
	50	71	92	107	1.1
	25 10	44 21	62 36	78 48	1.1 0.8
4	90 75	145 119	166 139	180 152	1.1 1.0
	50	94	112	123	0.9
	25 10	68 45	87 61	98 72	0.9 0.8
5	90 75	166 139	182 156	194 168	0.9 0.9
	50	110	127	139	0.9
	25 10	85 61	99 74	109 83	0.8 0.7
6	90 75	177 153	195 167	204 177	0.8 0.8
	50	127	140	150	0.7
	25 10	98 68	111 82	122 93	0.8 0.8
7	90 75	180 156	195 165	202 177	0.7 0.7
	50	128	136	150	0.7
	25 10	102 79	109 88	123 98	0.7 0.6
8	90 75	185 161	199 177	199 177	0.4 0.5
	50	133	151	151	0.6
	25 10	106 77	124 97	124 97	0.6 0.6

ADHD and Exercise

There is more and more evidence that exercise and learning are necessary links.  In addition, there are many conditions that can be improved by incorporating a rigorous exercise program into one's daily life.  The following article specifically looks at the impacts of exercise on student's diagnosed with ADHD.  For more reading, visit Sparking Life, a movement instigated by the research by Dr. John Ratey of Harvard Medical School,  http://sparkinglife.org/page/home

Dr. John Ratey, co-author of the ground-breaking ADD/ADHD book, Driven to Distraction, presents evidence in SPARK that exercise tempers these disorders

Regular exercise can raise levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, and improve functioning of brain systems that regulate impulse, memory and attention

It’s easy to get distracted in today’s world. It’s become so full of information, noise, and interruptions that all of us feel overwhelmed and unfocused at times. The amount of data in the world is doubling every few years, but, according to Dr. John Ratey, our attention system, like the rest of the brain, was built to make sense of the surrounding environment as it existed ten thousand years ago.
The attention system doesn’t claim a central address in the brain. Rather, it’s a diffuse web of reciprocal pathways that begins at the locus coeruleus, the arousal center, a part of the brain stem, and sends signals throughout the brain to wake it up and cue our attention. The network engages such areas as the reward center, the limbic system, and the cortex; more recently scientists have included the cerebellum, which governs balance and fluidity. It turns out that there’s a lot of overlap between attention, consciousness, and movement.

Exercise raises the baseline levels of dopamine and norepinephrine

The attention circuits are jointly regulated by the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine, which are so similar on a molecular level that they can plug into each others’ receptors. These are the chemicals targeted by ADHD medications. And of the many genes correlated with the disorder, scientists focus on the ones that regulate these two neurotransmitters. Broadly speaking, the problem for people with ADHD is that their attention system is patchy; they describe it as discontinuous, fragmented, and
uncoordinated — problems that can stem from a dysfunction with either of these neurotransmitters or in any one of the brain areas in the system.
The good news is that with regular exercise we can raise the baseline levels of dopamine and norepinephrine by spurring the growth of new receptors in certain brain areas, notes Dr. Ratey in his book SPARK. In the brain stem, balancing norepinephrine in the arousal center also helps.
The prefrontal cortex also bears responsibility for ADHD and again, studies have shown that exercise has a positive influence on the functioning of this area as well. The prefrontal cortex is the home of working memory, which sustains attention during a delay for a reward, and holds multiple issues in the mind at once. If working memory is impaired, we can’t stay on task or work toward a long- term goal because we can’t keep an idea in mind long enough to operate on it or to ponder, process, sequence, plan, rehearse, and evaluate consequences.

The relationship between movement and attention

It’s not simply a matter of whether the signals get through to capture our attention, but how fluidly that information travels. This is where the attention systems ties in with movement and thus exercise: the areas of the brain that control physical movement also coordinate the flow of information.
The cerebellum is a primitive part of the brain that for decades was assumed to be involved only with governing and refining movement. When we learn how to do something physical, whether it’s a karate kick or snapping our fingers, the cerebellum is hard at work. The cerebellum takes up just 10 percent of the brain’s volume, but it contains half of our neurons, which means it’s a densely packed area constantly buzzing with activity. But it keeps rhythm for more than just motor movements: it regulates certain brain systems so they run smoothly, updating and managing the flow of information to keep it moving seamlessly. In patients with ADHD, parts of the cerebellum are smaller in volume and don’t function properly, so it makes sense that this could cause disjointed attention.

Exercise tempers ADHD is by immediately increasing the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. When we exercise, particularly if the exercise requires complex motor movement, we’re also exercising the areas of the brain involved in the full suite of cognitive functions. We’re causing the brain to fire signals along the same network of cells, which solidifies their connections.