The response to intervention (RTI) of English language learners identified as at risk for reading difficulties in the fall of first grade was examined at the end of first grade and at the end of second grade. Students at risk for reading problems were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. Intervention students received supplemental reading intervention daily for 50 minutes in small groups from October to April. Students in the comparison condition received the school's existing instructional program for struggling readers. Criteria were established to determine adequate RTI at the end of first grade and at the end of second grade. The results indicated that more students who participated in the first-grade intervention in either Spanish or English met the established RTI standards than students who did not, and this finding was maintained through the end of second grade.
In order to prepare all teachers for working with the increasing number of English-as-a-secondlanguage (ESL) students in the US, researchers have explored what teachers need to know and pointed out that 'just good teaching' is not enough. In this article, we described our effort to design and deliver professional development sessions based on key features of effective professional development to facilitate teachers to move beyond 'just good teaching'. In addition, we examined the impact of the professional development on teachers and the ESL students in the school district. The participants included 22 teachers from one school district in the US who participated in 46 hours of professional development sessions over the course of one year. Findings indicated that the research-based, needs-oriented professional development provided teachers with useful strategies and resources. ESL student performance data also demonstrated the effectiveness and impact of the professional development. Implications were drawn to further enhance the collaboration between university and school districts, and between ESL teachers and regular classroom teachers, for the achievement of all ESL students.
This study investigated former President Clinton's America Reads Challenge (1996), a political initiative aimed at improving reading achievement through nonprofessional tutoring. We examined two America Reads programs in light of components that researchers have highlighted as critical for effective tutoring programs. One program reflected Clinton's original proposal, in which he suggested that an “army of volunteer tutors” was the answer to improving children's reading achievement. The other program was tied to a national service organization, Americorps, in keeping with a revised proposal for America Reads (Clinton, 1998). The coordinators and supervisors of the two programs suggested that organizing and implementing a tutoring program using volunteers and work-study students is extremely difficult. Although America Reads provided the salaries of work study tutors, no funds were provided for supervision, materials, or tutor training. The volunteer program dissolved after its first year, while the Americorps program continues on a year-to-year basis, struggling to raise enough money to cover costs that go far beyond the funds provided by America Reads.
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