What was implemented?
A combination of code-based and meaning-based programs and strategies were implemented to increase reading achievement. The Words Their Way program was used as the meaning-based program and Reading Horizons was implemented as the code-based program. Words Their Way uses a whole-language approach based on meaning-based strategies (using the pictures or surrounding words to decode an unknown word) for decoding. Words Their Way included a word sort program to practice specific word features (short/long vowels, blends, digraphs, etc.). The purpose of word study instruction is to understand generalizations of sort words (rules/patterns of the sort). This allows students to transfer the generalizations to read and spell new words and to attach meaning to words in order to build vocabulary skills and knowledge. Reading Horizons taught a code for learning to read new words. The code included 5 phonetic skills, or common patterns in the English language, to help students decode, pronounce, and spell new words. It also taught two decoding skills to help students pronounce multisyllabic words.
With whom was it implemented?
Words Their Way and Reading Horizons programs were implemented with my whole class of seventeen students. Because of the highly mobile population in my school, only thirteen of those students were present throughout the whole implementation and fully received the intervention.
Why was it implemented?
The research showed that a combination of code-based and meaning-based approaches to teaching reading is most beneficial. I chose Words Their Way word study instruction as my meaning-based approach because it is widely used in schools across the U.S. Since I am teaching in a school on a military base, we have a highly mobile population and I wanted to use a system that all students would be familiar with, even students that move in in the middle of the school year. 50% of the students I had move in during this study had used Words Their Way in their previous school. This familiarity made the transition much easier for those students. I chose Reading Horizons as my code-based approach because it is research based, was available within my district, and came highly recommended by other teachers in the district. It is fast paced and has many mnemonic devices to help the phonics rules "stick" in students' brains so I thought it would be a good fit for my class.
When and how was it implemented?
Words Their Way was implemented every morning from 8-8:30. Students were assigned a word sort based on their developmental need and completed activities to practice the word feature of that sort every day for 5 days. On the first day of a new sort, I met with small groups of students to introduce the new feature they were studying. On the 5th day of a sort, I gave a feature test to my students to see if they had mastered the feature and were ready to move on to a new sort.
Reading Horizons was implemented every morning from 9-9:15. Each day I showed students 1-2 videos teaching about a specific phonics skill or rule. After each video, students used individual markers and marker boards to practice coding words that fit the skill they had just learned about. I gave reminders about what order to code the words in, monitored students' boards for understanding, and had students help me code the word on the front board once everyone had the word coded on their own board.
Reading Horizons was implemented every morning from 9-9:15. Each day I showed students 1-2 videos teaching about a specific phonics skill or rule. After each video, students used individual markers and marker boards to practice coding words that fit the skill they had just learned about. I gave reminders about what order to code the words in, monitored students' boards for understanding, and had students help me code the word on the front board once everyone had the word coded on their own board.