Evaluating the effectiveness of response to intervention : comparing the reading achievement of ELLs and native English speakers.

Abstract

EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RESPONSE TO INTERVENTION: COMPARING THE READING ACHIEVEMENT OF ELLS AND NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS Philip Kiersten Sapienza July 27,2012 Teaching reading in the mainstream classroom is a challenge. This challenge is compounded when trying to meet the needs of English language learners. Recently, Response to Intervention (R TI) has been suggested as a framework for classroom teachers to use in order to meet the wide range of needs of their students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an RTI reading instructional model when used with English language learners (ELLs) in mainstream classrooms. A mixed-method, quasi-experimental, pre/post design was implemented. A purposive sample was drawn from third grade students in schools that integrated ELLs and native English speakers. Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) and the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) were used to assess Reading achievement. Student reading assessment scores from the end of second grade were used as a covariate. Data were analyzed using MANCOV A. Further analysis of the ELLs included in the study was conducted using MANCOV A with Assessing