Developing curricula and tutoring strategies to meet grant guidelines
Abstract
The tutoring section of the 2003 AmeriCorps Grant Guidelines asks successful applicants to describe their tutoring curricula and tutoring strategies. These should be scientifically based and include the five components of reading instruction identified by the National Reading Panel. If the program is associated with a school receiving No Child Left Behind funding, applicants should demonstrate that their program activities are aligned with and provide instruction in the five components. This effective practice, excerpted from the LEARNS Tutoring Toolkit for AmeriCorps Program Applicants (2003), highlights how programs can begin to develop curricula and tutoring strategies within these guidelines. See the toolkit for more information.Issue
Developing curricula and tutoring strategies that are scientifically based and include the five components of reading instruction identified by the National Reading Panel, or that demonstrate that program activities are aligned with No Child Left Behind funding and provide instruction in the five components.Action
The Tutoring Toolkit for AmeriCorps Program Applicants (LEARNS, 2003), suggests the following effective practices for curriculum development.
Programs should incorporate scientifically-based research that meets the following criteria:
- Use of rigorous, systematic and empirical evidence that includes control groups.
- Presence of convincing documentation, with adequate data analysis, to establish outcomes.
- Reliance on measurements and methods that are validated through multiple investigations in numerous locations.
- Acceptance by a peer-reviewed journal or approval by a panel of independent experts.
Programs should incorporate the five components of literacy development as identified by The National Reading Panel.
These key skills are:
- phonemic awareness
- phonics
- fluency
- vocabulary
- text comprehension
Programs should incorporate a balanced and integrated approach to tutoring to support a wide range of student skills.
Based on the limited scientifically-based research that is available to validate specific tutoring strategies, programs should:
- Plan sessions that include a variety of strategies that support the five components of the National Reading Panel and consult school professionals for their recommendations.
- Use evidence-based practice and professional wisdom until more scientifically-based tutoring research is conducted on tutoring strategies. As new research findings become available, incorporate them into program design.
- Consider partnering with reputable researchers to establish scientifically-based evidence (using a control group) on the outcomes of a particular tutoring focus. Such an effort would be an important contribution to the field.
Programs should incorporate carefully selected books and materials.
There is no recommended list of scientifically-based tutoring curricula, books, or materials. Therefore, inform your choice of materials by considering the following:
- Alignment with the school's reading program.
- Advice from reading professional(s).
- Publications and Web sites. (See resources below)
Context
AmeriCorps grantees must demonstrate (when applicable) that tutoring curricula and strategies are scientifically-based in order to continue to receive federal funding.
Most federal programs and local and state education agencies receiving federal funding are working to meet expectations for scientifically-based programming. In order to aid this transition, the US Department of Education has established the What Works Clearinghouse, which is charged with (1) articulating standards for scientifically-based research, (2) compiling results of acceptable research, and (3) making this information available to education decision-makers.
In 1997, Congress asked the National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development and the US Department of Education to convene a panel of experts to systematically review existing reading research to determine what children need to know in order to be able to read. In 2002, the National Reading Panel (NRP) issued the results of their research review in the National Reading Panel Report: Teaching Children to Read.
Citation
How Effective Are One-to-One Tutoring Programs in Reading for Elementary Students at Risk for Reading Failure? A Meta Analysis of the Intervention Research Vaughn, Hughes and Moody (2000). Journal of Educational Psychology, 92(4), pp. 605-619.Outcome
In spite of the fact that the area of tutoring strategies is in research transition, existing studies and proven practice can offer direction. Some general design conclusions on tutoring strategies can be drawn from How Effective Are One-to-One Tutoring Programs in Reading for Elementary Students at Risk for Reading Failure? A Meta Analysis of the Intervention Research,. (Vaughn, Hughes and Moody, 2000)
These include conclusions on peer counseling:"Students who were tutored by their classmates or by older students made greater academic gains than did untutored students." (Cohen et al. 1982; Mathes and Fuchs, 1994)
And conclusions on college student and volunteer tutoring:"College students and trained, reliable volunteers were able to provide significant help to struggling readers." (Cohen et al. 1982; Mathes and Fuchs, 1994)
Posted On
March 13, 2003For More Information
Resources
What Works Clearinghouse - http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/. Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
To find out more about the components of reading and explore the implications of National Reading Panel findings for tutoring programs, see "Frequently Asked Questions about the National Reading Panel" www.nwrel.org/learns/resources/toolkit/NationalReadingPanel_FAQ.pdf (17 KB).
See also the US Department of Education Web site www.ed.gov.
Tutoring Our Youngest Readers: Focusing on the five major reading strategies www.nwrel.org/learns/tutor/win2002/win2002.html.
This article provides specific one-on-one activities tutors can engage in to support student learning around each of the five components.
View Sample Session Plans that incorporate the reading components www.nwrel.org/learns/resources/toolkit/SampleSession.pdf (5 KB).