DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 098 495 CS 001 372

TITLE Reading Laboratory: Remedial Reading LaboratoryProject, Fender County, North Carolina; A ProgramUsing Reading Teachers and Teacher Assistants to HelpDisadvantaged Children Overcome Their ReadingDeficiencies.

INSTITUTION North Carolina State Dept. of Public Instruction,Raleigh. Div. of Compensatory Education.

PUB DATE Apr 74NOTE 17p.

EDRS PRICE Mr-$0.75 SC-$1.50 PLUS POSTAGEDESCRIPTORS Budgets; Educational Facilities; Inservice Education;

Instructional Materials; Parent Participation;Personnel; Preservice Education; ProgramDescriptions; Program Evaluation; *ReadingImprovement; *Reading Instruction; *Reading Programs;Remedial Reading

IDENTIFIERS Elementary Secondary Education Act Title I; ESEATitle I; North Carolina

ABSTRACTBased on one school district's project for the the

1973-74 school term, this report covers the activities of 10 ruralNorth Carolina schools involved in an Elementary and SecondaryEducation Act, Title I, reading laboratory program daring its fifthyear of operation. Contents of the report include an analysis of thedistrict's needs, a sketch of the context of the program,descriptions of the program's scope and personnel, and discussions ofpreservice-inservice education, facilities, materials and equipment,parental involvement, evaluation, and budget. (JR)

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READING LABORATORYRemedial Reading Laboratory Project

Pander County, North Carolina

A Program Using Reading Teachers and Teacher Asnistantsto Help Disadvantaged Children Overcome

Their Reading Deficiencies

A. Craig Phillips, Superintendent ofPublic instructionJerome H. Melton, Assistant Superin-tendent for Program ServicesGeorge A. Kandy, Deputy AssistantSuperintendent for Program ServicesHarold H. Webb, Special Assistant forCompensatory Education

April, 1974Raleigh, North Carolina

CONTENTS

Foreword 3

Analysis of Needs 4

Context of Program 5

Program Description (Scope)

Personnel 8

Preservice-Inservice Education 11

Facilities 11

Materials and Equipment 12

Parental involvement 13

Evaluation 13

Budget 15

Further Information 18

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FOREWORD

School districts in North Carolina i-oiveengaged in developing and implementingESEA Title I projects since 1965. Muchinformation has been gained from theseexperiences which has been helpful toindividuals at the LEA level in planningand increasing the effectiveness of theirprojects. However, requests for assis-tance in planning projects to meet themost pressing needs of educationallydeprived children are constantly receivedby the Division of Compensatory Educa-tion.

This report is based upon the project ofone school district for the current schoolterm. The evaluation reports for the pastyears show that this project significantlyimproved the educational attainment ofdisadvantaged children involved in thearea of reading. School administrativeunits, in reviewing the educational needsof the disadvantaged children they serve,may use this project as a guide when theyconsider their specific requirements andresources.

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ANALYSIS OF NEEDSEach school district is faced with the

responsibility of educating large numbersof children who have a variety of learningproblems. This project is an example of aschool district directing its Title I

resources toward meeting the greatestneed of educationally deprived children inone academic area - reading.

Available statistical data for the schoolyear 1971-72 show that children hadmean scores as follows in gradeequivalent reading skills as measured bythe appropriate level of the Gates-Mac-Ginitie Reading Tests :

Grade Mean Score2 1.33 1.74 2.5fi 2.8

7 3.98 4.39 4.910 5.311 6.112 7.1

Conferences withwith the Parent AdvisoryCouncil and discussions with classroomteachers, principals, students and otherstaff members also rated reading as thegreatest need of educationally deprivedchildren in Pander County. Also, theNorth Carolina assessment in educationshowed that improvement in reading isthe greatest need of students In publicschool.

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CONTEXT OF PROGRAMPander County is the seventh largest

county in the State in land area.containing 857 square miles. it has a totalpopulation of 18,149 (1970 census). Sincethis number of people reside over an 857square mile area, this is an averagedensity of population of 21 persons persquare mile.

The largest town in the county isBurgaw, the county seat, with apopulation of 1,744. Other villages andpopulations are: Atkinson - 325, Surf City- 166, Topsail Beach - 41, and Watha -181. Because of lack of municipalities,Pender County is classified as rural. itranks 88th among the 100 counties inNorth Carolina in per capita income, andis basically dependent upon agriculturefor its economic support. The 1970census revealed that 33.0 percent of allfamilies has an income below $3,000.Themedian family income figure of $5,390 iswell below the average of $7,774 for theState. Job opportunities are very limitedwithin the county. Of the 206 businessfirms in the county, 136 have 3employees or less, 40 have 4 to 7employees, and 30 have from 8 to 19employees. Job commuting across

county lines is the life style for many of itspeople. The population has remained justabout static for the past several decades.The majority of the children's parents areunskilled labearers.

At present there are eleven schools inthe county with the following plans oforganization : 1-3, K-8, 1-8, 1-b, 1-6, 8-12,7-12, and 9-12. Enrollment in each schoolvaries from 157 to 909 pupils, and thestaff assigned to each school varies from8 to 31. The average class in the schooldistrict consists of one teacher and 29pupils. The schools have been totallyintegrated since the fall of 1968.

Black students constitute a slightmajority over whites in the county. In1973-74, there are 4,617 students inmembership in the schools, of which2,525 or 54.7 percent are black and 2,092or 45.3 percent are white.

There is a very high drop-out rate in theschools. There were 260 studentsgraduating in May, 1973. In lees-se,when these students were in the fifthgrade, the class membership was 455.

Due to the variety of organizationalpattern F it the school district, theadmi, a staff is in the process ofcon auct 9 two new high schoolswhich wit take the place of the fourexisting high schools, and the originalhigh school buildings will be utilized asmiddle schools.

The Ponder County Board of Educationis committed to the Title I program. Anexample of their genuine interest in theproject was demonstrated by the chair-man and other members of the Boardparticipating in the recent Title I monitor-ing team visitation. On a number ofoccasions the Board has publicly ex-pressed its pride in the program. To quotethe chairman, "Title I has helped manyPender County children learn how toread."

The lea& rship and support of the Title Iprogram, b the Board of Education,contribute to the positive image Title I hasin the schools and in the community.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION [SCOPE";

The 10 rural schools itr eluded in vileprogram were selected or, the basis ofthe number of children from low l-irsornefamilies as determined by census datesupplied by Applied 1../rbanetics (firstcount). Data used to select participantsfor the program came from the readingtest scores which pupils made on theappropriate level of the Gates-MacGinitieReading Test. Criteria used to selectparticipants were as follows:

Grade 2 - Pupils scoring 4 months ormore below grade level

Grade 3 - Pupils scoring a minimumof 6 months or more below gradelevel

Grade 4 or above - Pupils scoring ayear or more below grade level

Approximately 75 percent of the chil-dren in the program are black, and 25percent are white. All the children arefrom schools which have a highenrollment of disadvantaged children,and all schools qualify for Title I 0ml:retiesand/or services. The follovvinG per-formance objective was established inrelation to identified pi lority needs ofeducationally deprived children: To in-crease reading comprehension skills ofparticipating students by a minimum of1.5 grade equivalent during the ninemonth school term of 1973-74 asmeasured by the appropriate form of theGates-MacGinitie Reading Test.

The Title I reading laboratory program

is now in its fifth year of operation. Thisyear's program includes 688 eligiblechildren in grades 2 through 12. Eachlaboratory is staffed with a teacher and ateacher assistant. Class size varies from 8to 12 pupils so that as much individualinstruction in reading as possible can begiven each pupil. The average dailyteaching load is 62 pupils and eachinstructional period le 46 minutes.Classroom instruction in reading issupplemented for each child daily in thereading laboratories. Reading teachersand regular classroom teachers closelycoordinate reading instruction for partici-pants.

The standard 45 minute reeding labclass is divided into three parts. The firstpart is usually a group lesson in teachingphonics in context. After a skill has beenpresented and worked with, the group isassessed to determine if certain studentsare still deficient. If so, these students aregiven individual help in phonics while theothers work in some areas of deficiencyunder the supervision of the teacher orthe teacher assistant. The number andtype of lessons needed for a particularskill is determined by the degree ofdeficiency of the student(ss) being taught.Each teacher selects muterials which willfit the technique and methods that arebest suited to the needs of children.

The second fifteen minutes of classtime is used for reading from somespecific material as Hated on the student's

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card or folder. This might be a workbook,short story, teacher-made material, or abook to reinforce a certain skill orincrease the student's reading compre-hension. During this period small groupinstruction and small group work isconducted.

The third part of the class period is allindividual work to meet individual needsof students. It is during this period thatneeded equipment is used by pupilsunder the direction of teachers and aides.

Reading teachers do not hold strictly tothe fifteen minute periods, but they doplan for the three-part variety In classwork to maintain the interest, motivation,and participation of students and to givechildren a sequential, developmental,balanced instructional program in read-ing. The division of the class period alsoprovides opportunities for children topractice skills learned, as well as to learnnew skills. Each student's work isassessed continually and a completerecord of his achievements and needs iskept in order to keep the student movingahead when reading or to give reinforce-ment when necessary. The diagnos-tic-prescriptive approach and the lan-guage experience approach are employedto a great extent in the lab along withother approaches including creative ap-proaches of individual teachers. Pupil-teacher planning and evaluation are majorcomponents of the program.

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PERSONNEL

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The following personnel are used inthe reading laboratory program : IDirector, 1 Supervisor / Evaluator, 13Teachers (one of the 13 teachers is paidfrom State funds), 13 Teacher Assistants.

The Director has the overall responsi-bility of operating the Title i program inthe county. He directs the program in

fence with existing Title I laws andregulations. Some of his duties are tovisit and supervise the Title I program ineach school to see that it is beingproperly implemented, see that allfinancial records and reports are properlyprepared and maintained, direct andsupervise overall planning of the Title I

program with the assistance of otherstaff members and parent advisorycouncil members, submit the projectapplication, and give overall leadership inthe evaluation of all project activities.

The supervisor/ evaluator is required tohave a graduate degree in supervisionand administration with a background inelementary education. Her major respon-sibilities are to coordinate planning ;recommend changes or modifications inthe program ; plan in service education forTitle 1 teachers and aides ; coordinate andsupervise the various reading laboratoriesto see that the program is implementedas planned ; plan devices, techniques.and instructional materials; instructteachers aides; conduct conferenceswith parents; and see that the propertesting iti done to diagnose specificweaknesses of children in reading skillsfor the evaluation of the program.

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Two teachers are certified in readingand alp other teachers hold class "A" orclass "3" certificates in primary orelementary education and are in aprogram to become certified in reading.Their major responsibilities are to diag-nose specific weaknesses and to in-struct, direct and supervise the work ofthe reading aides in reinforcing skills withsmall groups and individual pupils.Twelve of the 13 reading teachers havebeen in the program three or more years.

Teacher assistants or aides are at leasthigh school graduates. Some of themhave had one or two years of college. ToQualify as a teacher assistant, an aiderr.. have worked in the program twoyear ., be a high school graduate, andhave taken at least two courses on thecollege level in her area of assignment.Their major responsibilities in the pro-gram are to provide individual and smallgroup instruction to meet the specificneeds of children in reading skills underthe direction of the reading lab teachers.Some of their major activities toaccomplish this goal are: listening to astudent read or tell a story, readingstories aloud to an individual child or asmall group of children, preparingpersonal language charts and instruc-tional charts, helping a slow fawnerfollow directions as he does a workassignment, playing games with pupilswhich reinforce skills presented by theteacher, assisting pupils in locatinginformation, assisting pupils in usingaudiovisual equipment and materiels,supervising seatwork, and assistingteachers in maintaining records on eachchild.

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BEST COPY AVAILABLEPRESERVICE INSERVICE EDUCATION

Regularly scheduled inservice groupmeetings are held for Title I readingteachers and aides under the leadershipof the Title I reading supervisor. At thesemeetings, creative ideas and materialsrelative to the teaching of reading arsshared. Inservice is also provided bycollege credit courses (teachers andteacher assistants in same courses).University consultants conducting work-shops for teachers and aides in variousareas of reading, visitations to readinglabs in the local administrative unit.visitations to reading laboratory programsin other units in the State, and attendanceat reading conferences such as theInternational Reading Association andarea reading meetings sponsored by theState Department of Education.

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FACILITIESNo major alteration of existing facilities

was required for the program for the1973-74 school term. Facilities currentlyused for the program include 9 regularclassrooms (750 sq. feet each) and 4mobile units (600 sq. feet each). Childrenleave their regular classrooms and go tothese facilities which are set up asreading laboratories for reading sessions.

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MATERIALS ANDEQUIPMENT

Some of the materials and equip-ment used in the reading laboratoryprogram are the following:

Materials :

Sullivan Programmed Reading Series(workbook, readers, filmstrips, andtests)New Phonics We Use series (work-books)SRA (absS and libraries)Readers Digest materials (books, kits,and cassettes)Merrill Linguistic ReadersMerrill Reading Skills testsMerrill New Diagnostic Reading Work-booksRadio Reading Series 'I and 2Weekly ReaderReading Success SeriesYou and Your WorldPhono-Visual Method and MaterialsLeCrone Learning to Read (records anddrills)A wide variety of Doich readingmaterialsPAL Paperback SocksFountain Valley Teacher Support Sys-tem, in readingThe Sound Way to Easy ReadingClue Magazine and cassettesA variety of teacher-made materialsA wide variety of high-interest/low-Vocabulary books

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Equipment :

Language mastersCassette recordersFilmstrip projectorsT-matic projectorsShadowscope reader pacersMobile listening centersCassette tape playersCraig Readers16mm projectorsOpaque projectorsTachistoscopesRecord playersSkill-master systems

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PARENTAL INVOLVEMENTThe school district has u Title I Parent

Advisory Council composed of 29members who are parents of participantsin the program. The council meets at leastfour times per school term. Each Title Ischool has representatives on theAdvisory Council. The Parent AdvisoryCouncil end other parents of Title Ichildren participate in the planning,implementation, and evaluation of theTitle I program. Parents visst the readinglabs and work with the children; haveconferences with teachers, especially onpatent- teacher conference days; assistreading lab teachers in making instruc-tional materials; and use materials athome with their children after beinghelped by reading lab teachers to usethem effectively. The reading supervisorworks closely with the Parent AdvisoryCouncil. This enhances school-com-munity relations.

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EVALUATIONEvacuation of the FY-73 Remedial

Reading Laboratory Project was con-ducted by the Reading Supervisor/Eval-uator, reading teachers and the Title IDirector. In the 1972-73 school year, 779students participated in the remedialreading laboratory program the entireyear. Participants were administered theappropriate levels of the Gates-MacGini-tie Reeding Teat Immediately after thebeginning of the school term (September15, 1972). April 16, 1973, they wereadministered the appropriate form of thesame test. Ti e time between pre testingand post testing was seven months.Average gain in reading comprehensionfor all participants by grade varied from1.2 years to 3.4 years. Average gain permonth's instruction by grade varied from1.7 months to 5.9 months. See chart onpage 14APENDER COUNTY SCHOOLSSPECIAL READING PROGRAM, ESEA,TITLE I, FY-73 - PROGRESS IN READINGAS MEASURED SY GATES-MACGINITIEREADING TESTS).

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RENDER COUNTY SCHOOLS

SPECIAL READING PROGRAM

ESEA. TITLE I

FY-73

PROGRESS IN READING COMPREHENSION AS MEASURED BY GATES-MACGINtTIE READING TESTS

GRADE STUDENTS

PRE-TEST - 9-15-72 POST TEST - 4-16-73 AVER. GRADE:

EQUIVALENT

GAINS

TIME BETWEEN

TESTS

AVERAGE GAINPER MONTH'S

INSTRUCTIONFORM

AVER. GRADE

EQUIVALENT FORM

AVER. GRADE

EQUIVALENT

2 103 8-1 1.4 B-2 2.6 1.2 7 Months 1.7 Months

3 104 C-1 1.7 C-2 3.2 1.5 7 Months 2.1 Months

4 69 D-1 2A D-2 3.9 1.5 7 Months 2.1 Months

5 85 D-1 2.9 0-2 4.3 1.4 7 Months 2.0 Months

6 96

0.

D-1 3.5 D-2 4.8 1.3 7 Months 1.9 Months

7 91 E-1 3.6 E-2 5.5 1.9 7 Months 2.7 Months

8 80 E-1

_.4.0 E-2 5.8 1.8 7 Months 2.6 Months

9 88 E-1 3.9 E-2 5.8 1.9 7 Months 2.7 Months

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E-2 6.9 2.9 7 Months 4.1 Months

11 11 E-1 5.7 E-2 7.8 2.1 7 Months 3.0 Months

12 9 E-1 5.4 E-2 9.5 4,1 7 Months 5.9 Months

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The activity which is the subject of this report was supported in whole or in part bythe U. S. Office of Education, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. However,the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U. S.Office of Education, and no official endorsement by the U. S. Office of Education shouldbe inferred.

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FURTHER INFORMATIONAdditional information about the re-

medial laboratory program can be ob-tained from any of the following people:

Mr. M. D. James, SuperintendentPander County SchoolsP. 0. Box 578Burgaw, N. C. 28425Mr. William C. Blackmon)Director, ESEA Title IPonder County Et.t...lhoolsP. 0. Box 578Burgaw, N. C. 23425

Mrs. Lucy D. Rivenbark, ReadingSupervisor/ Evaluator

ESEA Title IPonder County SchoolsP. 0. Box 578Burgaw, N. C. 28425Mr. Lonnie LockamyArea SupervisorDivision of Compensatory EducationDepartment of Public InstructionRaleigh, N. C. 27811