Research Grounding
Here is the research that supports the implementation of foundational reading interventions for striving readers. There are also references to support multisensory instructional approaches for interventions.
The Reading Fluency and Comprehension of Fifth- and Sixth Grade Struggling Readers Across Brief Tests of Various Intervention Approaches
Wagner & Espin (2015) conducted a quantitative study to investigate the effects of four different intervention methods on fluency and comprehension for 29 fifth- and sixth- grade striving readers. The four independent variables tested included word-oriented, fluency-oriented, comprehension-oriented, and multi-component methods of interventions over a period of five sessions. The authors collected fluency and comprehension data at the end of the intervention sessions by administering a fluency assessment with a passage and then answering comprehension questions at the end. In addition, transfer passages were incorporated to determine if the students learning transferred to passages. One important finding was that students receiving word-oriented, fluency oriented, and multi-component interventions read more fluently that students receiving comprehension-oriented interventions, and were able to transfer that fluency to different passages immediately and after a week's time. The authors concluded that more research is needed for this type of study that uses more students, provides more intervention sessions, and includes standardized test data for a more comprehensive measure of the effects of the interventions.
Wagner, D.L., & Espin, C.A. (2015). The reading fluency and comprehension of fifth- and sixth-grade
struggling readers across brief tests of various intervention approaches. Reading Psychology,
36(7),
545-578. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2014.927812
Intensive Intervention for Upper Elementary Students with Severe Reading Comprehension Difficulties
This study examined the effectiveness of the intensive implementation of a multicomponent reading intervention ("Voyager Passport") with 306 fourth-grade students with severe reading difficulties. Students with reading comprehension achievement below the 15th percentile in the fall of fourth grade were randomly assigned to the intensive intervention or to typical school services. Students assigned to the intensive intervention were placed in instructional groups of two to three students and received daily, 45-minute sessions of supplemental, multicomponent reading intervention throughout the school year. Students in the intensive intervention significantly outperformed their peers receiving typical school services in word reading (effect size [ES] = 0.25) and word-reading fluency (ES = 0.19). Study groups performed similarly on measures of reading fluency and comprehension. Ultimately, students with severe reading difficulties accelerated their word reading and word-reading efficiency achievement, but the acceleration was not enough to also accelerate their reading fluency or reading comprehension.
Wanzek, J., Al Otaiba, S., Schatschneider, C., Donegan, R. E., Rivas, B., Jones, F., & Petscher, Y.
(2020). Intensive intervention for upper elementary students with severe reading comprehension
difficulties. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 13(3), 408-429.
https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2019.1710886
Using Multisensory Phonics to Foster Reading Skills of Adolescent Delinquents
Warnick & Caldarella (2016) conducted a quantitative study with a pre-test/post-test design to investigate the impact of a multisensory phonics intervention on reading growth for adolescents in a juvenile treatment center. The authors collected pre-test and post-test reading battery data with 20 participants (10 intervention group, 10 control group) ranging from 13 to 17 years of age. One important finding was that the participants in the multisensory intervention group outperformed the control group in the areas of word attack and passage comprehension. Additionally, the control group saw a decrease in word attack skills and stagnant passage comprehension skills. The authors concluded that additional studies should be conducted that include authentic texts to determine if the skills transfer to future texts read by the participants.
Warnick, K., & Caldarella, P. (2016). Using multisensory phonics to foster reading skills of adolescent
delinquents. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 32(4), 317-335.
Integrating Morphological Awareness in a Multilinguistic Structured Literacy Approach to Improve Literacy in Adolescents with Reading and/or Language Disorders
Collins, et al. (2020) conducted a mixed methods case study to investigate the effects of a multilinguistic structured literacy intervention with a focus on morphology on adolescents moving from 5th to 6th grade. The authors collected pre-test and post-test data daily by having participants complete a narrative from a picture prompt and a 20-word spelling test before and after each lesson. One important finding was that three students who participated in the case study saw gains in spelling accuracy and oral reading rate by the end of the two week program. Additionally, literacy self-efficacy increased as determined by results from The Reader Perception Scale at the beginning and end of the two-week period. The authors concluded that multilinguistic structured literacy interventions with a focus on morphology are effective for older striving readers because of their high levels of engagement and their comprehensive approach to spelling, decoding, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
Collins, G., Wolter, J. A., Meaux, A. B., & Alonzo, C. N. (2020). Integrating morphological awareness in
a multilinguistic structured literacy approach to improve literacy in adolescents with reading and/or
language disorders. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools 51, 531-543.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2014.962199
Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills
This book gives detailed history, background, and practices for implementing multisensory practices for the purpose of teaching foundational reading and writing skills. There are conceptual explanations and examples of activities for teaching the five components of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Moreover, the book provides a conceptual understanding and best practices for teaching spelling and composition. All strategies tap into all of the learning modes that children use, especially kinesthetic. While these strategies are used for teaching students with dyslexia, these practices can be used with all students who are striving to increase basic language skills in reading and writing.
Birsh, J. R., & Carreker, S. (2018). Multisensory teaching of Basic language skills. Paul H. Brookes
Publishing Company.
Helpful Hints: Multisensory Teaching and Orton-Gillingham
This video discusses the benefits of using multi-sensory instruction in the classroom. It discusses how multi-sensory learning affects the brain and provides a couple of examples of how they are used for teaching reading and spelling.
Brainspring. (2019, July 29). Helpful hints: multisensory teaching and Orton-Gillingham. [Video].