Author: Watauga County Schools

Results

Early Steps students are evaluated at the end of the first grade year on a curriculum-based assessment consisting of subtests on word recognition, passage reading, and spelling.
The Watauga County Title I program set a goal of having at least 50% of these initially at-risk children reading at the primer (or mid-first grade) level by the end of the school year. In May 1992, 76% of the 30 Early Steps students could read at least at the primer level; furthermore, 30% of these students read at the end of the first grade level. In May 1993, of the 83 Early Steps students in the county, 71% read at least at the primer level and 43% read at the end of first grade level. Teachers responding to a survey rated the program highly effective for their students and most reported using techniques learned in their training with other groups of students.

Early Steps
Early Reading Intervention

Outgrowths

The success and excitement generated by Early Steps, has lead directly or indirectly to a number of innovations in Watauga County schools. A follow-up program for second and third graders involving volunteer and paid tutors supervised by Title I teachers is in place in all of our elementary schools. In 1993-94, teacher assistants in a number of our schools were trained to tutor first grade students not reached by the Early Steps program. Exceptional Children’s program teachers have also received training in Early Steps techniques. Positive effects have been reported in kindergarten through third grade classrooms in our schools. At present, a committee of administrators and teachers work as a team to monitor each “at risk” primary student to assure appropriate services and successful learning for all.

Watauga County Schools

For further information on Early Steps contact

Dr. Darrell Morris
Department of Language, Reading, and Exceptionalities
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28608
(828)262-6054

Amanda Burleson
Cove Creek School
(828)297-2781 Email: xyz@microsoft.com

A Project of:
Watauga County Schools
Boone, North Carolina

Transition

Early Steps is an early reading intervention program designed to provide a successful beginning in reading for at-risk first graders. Early in the first grade year students in need of help in the beginning reading process are identified and given intensive, one-to-one instruction daily by specially trained, certified teachers. The program was developed by Dr. Darrell Morris of Appalachian State University.
In Watauga County, Early Steps began in 1991 as a collaborative project involving first grade teachers and Title I reading teachers. The program has helped numerous first graders succeed who might otherwise have failed in first grade reading. The program has also spawned other innovations in kindergarten through third grade aimed at assuring successful reading development for all children
After the third week of school, first grade teachers identify 1/3 to 1/2 of their students to be tested for possible inclusion in the Early Steps program. These students are then screened individually for their ability in four areas of emergent reader knowledge. The following areas are included in the Early Reading Screening Instrument (ERSI):
ALPHABET KNOWLEDGE CONCEPT OF WORD PHONEMIC AWARENESS WORD RECOGNITION
Students in greatest need of help in beginning reading are then selected for intensive individual instruction. Selection is based upon ERSI scores and teacher judgment.

Identifying At-Risk Readers

The Lessons

Certified teachers provide 30 minutes per day of one-to-one instruction to those students who are selected. The lessons follow a consistent structure but are specially tailored and individually paced for each child. Each day the lesson includes the following components:
Rereading familiar books-Natural-language, quality children’s literature is used beginning with simple predictable books in the earliest stages. The child begins the lesson by rereading books previously studied to build confidence, skill, and fluency.
Word Study-Children practice making the connection between letters and sounds by sorting pictures, sorting words, and playing various simple games with words.
Sentence writing-Each day the child composes a sentence about his/her experiences or interests. The teacher accepts developmental or “invented” spelling while attempting to gradually increase the child’s control over the writing process, eventually leading to writing paragraphs and stories about related experiences.
New book-A new book is read each day on a level that provides some challenge to the student while also allowing students some measure of success.

Children who show rapid progress during the first semester may “transition out” of the program at mid-year. A student transitions only if his Early Steps teacher and the classroom teacher agree that the child is able to perform in reading at the median level of the class. Students who transition out are replaced in the program by other children in need of tutoring.
Title I teachers and first grade teachers serve as tutors. Each student has a 30 minute daily one-to-one session with a teacher. Each Title I teacher tutors four first graders one-to-one during each day. Each first grade teacher takes one half hour per day to tutor one “at risk” reader from her classroom. In addition classroom assistants and paid tutors who have been trained in the Early Steps reading process also tutor one student thirty minutes each day.
Dr. Darrell Morris provided training to Watauga County first grade and Title I teachers. Teachers from four of our eight schools were trained in sessions spread throughout the 1991-92 school year. Training included lecture/discussion sessions and regular visits to teachers in their schools by Dr. Morris and a Title I lead teacher. Sessions on applying Early Steps techniques in classrooms were included in the training.
The following years teachers, teacher assistants, and tutors from the remaining schools were trained. Presently, Title I teachers provide ongoing consultation to teachers, teacher assistants, and tutors in addition to training of new personnel.

Personnel

Training