Hall2019 - Reading Instruction For English Learners With Learning Disabilities
Hall2019 - Reading Instruction For English Learners With Learning Disabilities
Hall2019 - Reading Instruction For English Learners With Learning Disabilities
6
Reading Instruction for English Learners
With Learning Disabilities: What Do We
Already Know, and What Do We Still Need
to Learn?
Colby Hall, Paul K. Steinle, Sharon Vaughn
Abstract
This paper reviews findings from four research syntheses that report the effects
of academic language and/or reading interventions on language and reading
outcomes for English learners who have or are at risk for learning difficulties.
Studies included in the syntheses varied in research design and addressed multi-
ple areas of reading and language. There was disagreement between syntheses as
to the extent of research evidence in favor of particular instructional practices.
For ELs with learning difficulties in kindergarten and first grade, however, there
was strong consensus that multiple-component reading instruction that includes
phonological awareness and phonics instruction is associated with improved
word reading outcomes. It may also be beneficial to provide oral language,
vocabulary, and reading comprehension instruction; nevertheless, there is a need
for future research on instructional interventions that aim to improve reading
comprehension outcomes for this population. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
NEW DIRECTIONS FOR CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT, no. 166, July 2019 © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). • DOI: 10.1002/cad.20302 145
146 READING AND LANGUAGE DISABILITIES IN SPANISH-SPEAKING EL STUDENTS
Methods
All syntheses of research published within the last 15 years that investigated
the effects of an academic language and/or reading instructional interven-
tion on a language or reading outcome for ELs with or at risk for LDs
were eligible for inclusion in this synthesis of syntheses. Four syntheses
met this criterion for inclusion. In discussing each synthesis, we described
all included studies (regardless of study design) that addressed the effect(s)
of an academic language and/or reading instructional intervention on at least
one language or reading outcome. In certain cases, this meant that we only
discussed a subset of the studies included in a synthesis. For example,
August and Siegel (2006) synthesized twelve qualitative, single case, sin-
gle group, and treatment-comparison group design studies addressing lit-
eracy instruction conducted with ELs in Grades K-12 who were receiving
instruction in special education settings. However, two included case stud-
ies did not investigate the effects of an intervention [i.e., Hughes, Schumm,
and Vaughn (1999) examined Latino parents’ perceptions and practice of
literacy-related activities at home; Ruiz (1995) identified opportunities for
student participation during business-as-usual classroom instruction]. One
included study investigated the impact of a writing intervention on writing
outcomes (i.e., Graves, Valles, & Rueda, 2000). For this reason, we only
discussed nine studies in our discussion of the synthesis reported by August
and Siegel.
In the synthesis reported by Klingner et al., authors included forty-
two studies on the topic of ELs with reading difficulties and/or with or at
risk for LDs. They sought not only to identify elements of instruction that
were effective in improving reading outcomes for this population, but also
to understand more about factors shown to impact reading development
for ELs, identification of LDs in this population, and the experiences of EL
Note. PA = phonological awareness; GORT-F = gray oral reading test—fluency; GORT-C = gray oral reading test—comprehension; WRMT = Woodcock reading mastery
test; LWID = letter word identification; PC = passage comprehension; WA = word attack; Y1: after year one of treatment; WJ III = Woodcock Johnson (3rd ed.); DIBELS
= dynamic indicators of basic early literacy (Story 1 or 2); ORF = oral reading fluency; Y2: after year two of treatment; TX = treatment; CTOPP = comprehensive test of
phonological processing; WRAT = wide range achievement test; PSF = phoneme segmentation fluency; GMRT = Gates MacGinitie reading test; CRAB = comprehensive
reading assessment battery; LC = listening comprehension; NR = information needed for calculating effect sizes according to the procedure described in the body of this paper
was not reported. TOPP-S = test of phonological processes (Spanish version); ID = identification; WLPB = Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery; WLPB-S = Woodcock
Language Proficiency Battery (Spanish version); IDEL = Indicadores Dinámicos del Éxito en la Lectura (Stories 1 and 2); PV = picture vocabulary; VA = verbal analogies;
TOWRE = test of word reading efficiency; RC = reading comprehension.
∗
Reported by Richards-Tutor et al. (2016), who obtained additional information from the What Works Clearinghouse. There was not enough information in the published
article to calculate effect sizes using the procedure described in the body of the article.
†
Researcher-developed measure.
‡
Follow-up effects reported in Gunn, Smolkowski, Biglan, Black, and Blair (2005).
§
Follow-up effects reported in Cirino et al. (2009).
Follow-up effects reported in Vaughn et al. (2008).
#
Effect size calculated differed by more than 0.05 from the effect size reported by Richards-Tutor et al (2016).
∗∗
Effect size for this measure was not reported by Richards-Tutor et al. (2016).
Table 6.7. Outcome Effect Sizes by Measurement Domain for Quasi-Experimental Group Design Studies
Follow-Up Effect
Study PA Phonics Fluency Vocab Comp Sizes
Bos, Allen, and — — — Vocab MC∗ Comp MC∗ Vocab MC∗
Scanlon g = .63∗ g = .66 g = 1.18
(1989) Text recall∗ Comp MC∗
g = −.09 g = 1.01
Text recall∗
g = −.88
Gerber et al. Early PA∗ WJ III LWID — — — —
(2004) g = .44 g = −.12
Late PA∗ WJ III WA
g = .47 g = −.37
Kamps et al. — After Y1: After Y1: — After Y1: —
(2007) WRMT WA DIBELS-NWF WMRT PC
g = 1.78† g = .70† g = 1.04†
WRMT WID After Y2: After Y2:
g = 1.54† DIBELS-ORF WMRT PC
After Y2: g = .58† g = 1.35†
WRMT WID
g = 1.39†
‡
— — — — GMRT-RC —
g = −.17
WJ II PC
g = .35
Strategy
Interview∗
g = .31
Leafstedt, Early PA∗ WJ III LWID — — — —
Richards, and g = .95 g = 1.29
Gerber (2004) Late PA∗ WJ III WA
g = 2.07 g = 1.11
(Continued)
Table 6.7. Continued
Follow-Up Effect
Study PA Phonics Fluency Vocab Comp Sizes
Nag-Rulmani, PA Intervention: PA Intervention: PA Intervention: — PA Intervention: PA Intervention:
Reddy, and PA skills∗ WORD SWR TROG WORD RC WORD SWR
Buckley g = 1.35 g = 1.39 g = 1.10 g = .09 g = 1.34
(2003) Language WORD NWR Language Language WORD RC
Exposure: g = 1.10 Exposure: Exposure: g = .43
PA skills∗ WORD TROG WORD RC WORD
g = 0.79 Spelling g = .26 g = .43 Spelling
g = .51 g = .70
PA skills∗
g = 1.69
Language WORD NWR
Exposure: g = 1.84
WORD SWR TROG
g = .07 g = 1.20
WORD Language
spelling Exposure:
g = .28 WORD SWR
WORD NWR g = .30
g = −.16 WORD RC
g = .61
WORD
Spelling
g = .21
PA skills∗
g = 1.21
WORD NWR
g = .16
TROG
g = 1.47
(Continued)
Table 6.7. Continued
Note. Except when noted otherwise, we independently calculated the effect sizes cited in this table using an adjusted mean difference in the numerator and the
pooled unadjusted standard deviation in the denominator. If adjusted means were not reported, we calculated effect sizes using a difference-in-differences approach
to calculate the numerator (i.e., we computed a gain score for both experimental and control groups) and the pooled posttest standard deviation for the denominator.
PA = phonological awareness; Vocab = vocabulary; Comp = comprehension; MC = multiple choice; WJ III = Woodcock Johnson (3rd ed.); LWID = letter word
identification subtest; WA = word attack subtest; WRMT = Woodcock reading mastery test; WID = word identification subtest; DIBELS = dynamic indicators of
basic early literacy; NWF = nonsense word fluency subtest; ORF = oral reading fluency subtest; PC = passage comprehension subtest; GMRT = Gates MacGinitie
reading test; RC = reading comprehension subtest; WJ II = Woodcock Johnson (2nd ed.); WORD = Wechsler objective reading dimensions; SWR = single word
reading; NWR = nonsense word reading; TROG = test for the reception of grammar.
∗ Researcher-developed measure.
† Cohen’s d effect size reported by study authors; not enough information was provided in the article for us to calculate effect sizes using the procedures we describe
in the body of the paper.
‡ Study compared two treatment groups.
Table 6.8. Recommendations for Practice by Synthesis
K-1 2–5 6–12
Klinger, Klinger, Klinger,
Richards- Artiles, August Richards- Artiles, August Richards- Artiles, August
Tutor Rivera and and Tutor Rivera and and Tutor Rivera and and
et al. et al. Barletta Siegel et al. et al. Barletta Siegel et al. et al. Barletta Siegel
(2016) (2008) (2006) (2006) (2016) (2008) (2006) (2006) (2016) (2008) (2006) (2006)
Explicit and systematic X X X X X X X
phonological
awareness/phonics
instruction
Vocabulary and oral X X X X X X
language
development
instruction
Reading comprehension X X X X X X X X X
instruction
RTI/MTSS framework X X
for providing
instruction
PALS instruction X X
Cognitive strategy X X X X X
instruction
(summarizing,
clarifying, question
generating, clarifying
and predicting)
Note. RTI = Response to Intervention; MTSS = multi-tiered systems of support; PALS = peer-assisted learning strategies.
168 READING AND LANGUAGE DISABILITIES IN SPANISH-SPEAKING EL STUDENTS
Vaughn, Mathes, et al., 2006; Wanzek & Roberts, 2012). Only one study,
of a comprehensive early reading instruction treatment provided to first-
grader participants (Vaughn, Mathes, et al., 2006), reported a statistically
significant effect size in favor of treatment; the significant effect was for
the Verbal Analogies subtest of the Woodcock Language Proficiency Bat-
tery (Woodcock, 1991), but not for the Picture Vocabulary subtest. In this
study, participants in the treatment group received multiple-component
early reading instruction (i.e., phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, com-
prehension). During the vocabulary and oral language development com-
ponent of instruction, students were taught the meanings of two to three
key vocabulary words prior to listening to a passage from a book; teachers
then asked students questions about key ideas in the passage, as well as
discussing the meanings of pretaught vocabulary words in the context of
the passage. After reading the passage aloud, teachers used probes to guide
students in story retelling and intentionally provided opportunities for each
student to participate in dialogue with the teacher about the story using
complete sentences and new vocabulary words.
Reading cloze measures were used in nine studies (Denton, Anthony,
Parker, & Hasbrouck, 2004; Lovett et al., 2008; Vadasy & Sanders, 2010;
Vaughn et al., 2011; Vaughn, Cirino, et al., 2006, English study; Vaughn,
Cirino, et al., 2006, Spanish study; Vaughn, Linan-Thompson, et al., 2006;
Vaughn, Mathes, et al., 2006; Wanzek & Roberts, 2012), with only three
studies yielding statistically significant effects in favor of treatment (Vadasy
& Sanders, 2010; Vaughn, Linan-Thompson, et al., 2006; Vaughn, Mathes,
et al., 2006). Vadasy and Sanders (2010) determined that kindergarten-aged
students who were assigned to a treatment condition that included one-
on-one, systematic, explicit phonics instruction (including decodable text
reading instruction but no explicit instruction in reading comprehension)
performed better than peers who did not receive supplementary instruction
on a comprehension cloze measure. The latter two studies conducted by
Vaughn et al. investigated the impact of the Proactive Reading/Lectura Proac-
tiva multiple-component intervention described above; during the compre-
hension component of instruction, students were taught to activate knowl-
edge related to the topic of the text using a modified K-W-L procedure
(during the K-W-L procedure, students identified prior to reading what they
already knew about the topic of the text [“K”], what they wanted to learn
about the topic [“W”], and then, after reading, what they learned [“L”]).
They were also taught how to retell and sequence story events in narrative
texts, identify main ideas, and summarize the text (using story grammar
elements for narrative text or simple content webs for expository text).
Passage reading comprehension was measured in only two studies
(Begeny et al., 2012; Wanzek & Roberts, 2012). A significant effect size
in favor of treatment was found in one of these two studies, conducted with
students in Grades 1 and 2 (Begeny et al., 2012). In this study, treatment stu-
dents received a reading fluency-focused treatment that included repeated
had much lower initial levels of proficiency, which resulted in slower move-
ment through the curriculum (Pollard-Durodola et al., 2006). In the third
(Spanish-language) study, there were significant posttest differences in favor
of the treatment group on measures of Spanish-language letter–sound iden-
tification, PA, word attack, passage comprehension, and reading fluency. In
the Spanish-language replication study, there were significant posttest dif-
ferences in favor of treatment for Spanish outcomes in letter–sound iden-
tification, PA, and word reading fluency. Perhaps most important was the
fact that impacts of treatment were maintained at 1-year follow-up (Cirino
et al., 2009) and, though impact was reduced, that positive effects were still
consistently in favor of treatment participants even 3 years after the end of
the intervention (Vaughn et al., 2008).
Peer-Assisted Learning. Rivera et al. (2008) reviewed limited evi-
dence in favor of PALS (Fuchs, Fuchs, Mathes & Simmons, 1997) for ELs
with learning difficulties. In one study they cited, classrooms with ELs with
LD in Grades 3 through 6 who were assigned to PALS instruction demon-
strated more growth than no-PALs comparison classrooms on measures
of nonsense word fluency, oral reading fluency, and letter-naming fluency
skills in English (Saenz, Fuchs, & Fuchs, 2005). In a study conducted by
Calhoon et al. (2007) with seventy-six first-grade ELs with and without LD
(ELs with LD were not in the majority, and scores were not disaggregated;
for this reason, results are not reported in tables here), PALS was effective
in improving students’ reading comprehension skills in English. In both
studies, pairs of students, one high- and one low-performing reader, took
turns in the tutor and tutee roles. The pairs worked on a variety of reading
tasks, building PA, knowledge of letter-sound correspondence, fluency, and
comprehension. The stronger reader served as tutor first, listening for errors
and asking the tutee to correct his or her own errors, then praising the cor-
rect response. Finally, McMaster et al. (2008; cited above as evidence for the
effectiveness of instruction conducted within a Response to Intervention
format), determined the effectiveness of Tier I K–PALS, for kindergarten-
aged ELs (again, no participants were identified as being at risk for reading
difficulties).
Vocabulary and Language Development. Rivera et al. (2008) recom-
mended that instruction for ELs with or at risk for LDs enhance background
and vocabulary knowledge and promote oral language development. In sup-
port of this recommendation, they cited six studies (four of which were
included in their tables and thus were not included in our count of inter-
vention studies synthesized by Rivera et al.) that investigated the effects
of a vocabulary or language intervention for ELs with or at risk of LD
or language delays. Rousseau and Tam (1991) and Rousseau, Tam, and
Ramnarain (1993) used multiple baseline, single case designs to determine
that prereading activities including listening to the teacher read the pas-
sage aloud while the student reads silently and prereading discussion of
key vocabulary words had a positive impact on the word reading accuracy
and fluency of ELs in Grades 2–6 with speech and language impairments. A
combined listening previewing and discussion of key words approach was
more effective than either approach alone. Tam, Heward, and Heng (2006)
used a multiple baseline design with five primary-grade EL students who
were at risk for reading problems to show that (a) explaining the mean-
ings of new vocabulary words, using each vocabulary word in a sentence,
and asking the learner to use each word in a sentence, (b) correcting oral
reading errors during the learner’s initial oral reading of the passage, and
(c) asking the learner to read the passage as fast as possible for three con-
secutive trials was associated with a higher mean number of literal compre-
hension questions answered correctly per session. In a quasi-experimental
group design study, Bos, Allen and Scanlon (1989) determined that upper
elementary-aged ELs with LD who developed semantic maps showing the
relationships between words and also completed cloze sentences did sta-
tistically significantly better on multiple choice vocabulary tests and on a
text recall measure than did a comparison group who received instruction
in pronunciation and memorization of the vocabulary words. Echevarria
(1996) used a parallel treatments design to investigate the effects of Spanish-
language Instructional Conversations (IC), which included elicitation of
extended student contributions to discussions about text “through invita-
tions to expand, questions, restatements, and pauses; probes for the basis
of students’ statements; use of few known-answer questions; responsiveness
to students’ contributions; encouragement of general participation and self-
selected turns; and creation of a challenging, nonthreatening environment”
(pp. 342–343). IC instruction was more effective than baseline Spanish-
language basal reader instruction in improving elementary-aged students’
academic discourse.
Cognitive Strategies. Finally, Rivera et al. (2008) recommended using
cognitive strategies with older ELLs who have LD. To support their recom-
mendation, they cited only Klingner and Vaughn (1996), who employed a
quasi-experimental design to investigate the differential effects of coopera-
tive groupings and cross-age peer tutoring, both using an expanded form
of reciprocal teaching (subsequently developed into Collaborative Strategic
Reading, or CSR) on the reading comprehension of ELs in the 7th and 8th
grades. During CSR instruction, students learned to predict what the pas-
sage would be about, brainstorm what they already knew about the topic,
clarify words and phrases, summarize the main idea and the most important
details, and ask and answer questions. There were no significant differences
between groups at posttest, but both treatment groups made significant pre-
to posttest gains.
Reading Instruction and ELs With LDs (Klingner, Artiles, and
Barletta, 2006)
Klingner et al. (2006) reviewed seven studies conducted after 1997 that
investigated the impact of reading instruction on reading outcomes for ELs
who had LDs or were identified as struggling readers. Two of the seven
included studies employed qualitative methods (Haager & Windmueller,
2001; Jiménez, 1997). Of the five experimental-design studies included
in the synthesis, one had a multiple baseline single case design (De La
Colina et al., 2001), one study measured participants’ gains from pre-
to posttest (Linan-Thompson, Vaughn, Hickman-Davis, & Kouzekanani,
2003), and three studies (Denton et al., 2004; Klingner & Vaughn, 1996;
Nag-Arulmani, Reddy, & Buckley, 2003) used treatment-control group
experimental or quasi-experimental designs: one of these studies was con-
ducted in India (Nag-Arulmani et al., 2003); another (Klingner & Vaughn,
1996) was quasi-experimental in design but it compared the effects of two
treatment groups rather than comparing the effects of treatment to a no-
treatment or business as usual comparison group (authors also measured
pre- to posttest gains).
Reading in the Primary Grades. Haager and Windmueller (2001)
documented the implementation of an intensive professional development
program designed to improve early English language reading instruction
for first- and second-grade ELs with LDs or at risk for reading difficulties.
They reported that ELs with and at risk for LDs made steady progress when
they received supplemental small-group instruction in PA, alphabetic prin-
ciple, and reading comprehension strategies. Linan-Thompson et al. (2003)
measured pre- to posttest gains when they provided intensive instruction
to small groups of EL second-grade students at risk for reading problems.
The intervention consisted of fluency instruction (e.g., repeated reading,
paired reading, echo reading, tape recorder-assisted reading with attention
to vocabulary and meaning), PA instruction (e.g., explicit instruction in
blending, segmenting, deleting, and substituting phonemes, with atten-
tion to letter-sound relationships similar in English and Spanish as well
as to letter-sound relationships that are different in each language, and
sounds that are not present in Spanish), phonics/word study instruction
(e.g., explicit instruction related to regular vowel patterns and word fam-
ilies, open and closed word sorts, play with onset-rime strips and wheels,
and word building), and guided reading with a focus on activating back-
ground knowledge, vocabulary acquisition, and comprehension. Students
made significant gains from pre- to posttest on word attack, passage com-
prehension, phoneme segmentation fluency, and oral reading fluency mea-
sures.
Nag-Arulmani et al. (2003) used a quasi-experimental treatment-
control group design to compare the effects of explicit PA instruction and
implicit oral language exposure instruction. They reported that a group of
7- to 9-year-old EL students with reading difficulties who received explicit
PA instruction showed significantly greater gains on word reading and PA
outcomes than did a group who received open-ended language exposure
instruction and also a control group who received craft and calligraphy
instruction. There were no differences between groups on reading compre-
Synthesis of Syntheses
Altogether, the preceding reviews included a total of thirty-two studies that
had as participants ELs with or at risk for LDs and assessed a literacy-related
outcome. Three of the thirty-two employed primarily qualitative meth-
ods; seven had single case designs; two were single group pre- to posttest
designs; twenty employed experimental or quasi-experimental treatment-
comparison group designs. A summary of findings across syntheses is as
follows.
Acknowledgments
The research reported here was supported by the Institute of Education
Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, through Grant R305F100013 to
The University of Texas at Austin as part of the Reading for Understanding
Research Initiative. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do
not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education.
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Note
1. In addition to analyzing the effects of reading instruction on reading outcomes,
Klingner et al. analyzed (a) population characteristics and subgroups among ELs iden-
tified as needing special education services (n = 6), (b) qualitative aspects of learning
for ELs receiving special education services (n = 5), (c) data related to pre-referral and
referral issues (n = 2), (d) factors impacting assessment practices and results for students
who were ELs with LDs (n = 6), (e) component reading skills and cognitive processing
variables that predict reading achievement for ELs (n = 4), and (f) data related to the
process of becoming literate in a first and second language that may inform special edu-
cation eligibility decisions (e.g., data measuring the relationships among L1 and L2 oral
proficiency and reading; n = 12).
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SHARON VAUGHN, PhD, is the Manuel J. Justiz Endowed Chair in Math, Sci-
ence, and Technology in Teacher Education at the University of Texas at Austin.
Vaughn is an internationally renowned expert whose research is focused on
instruction and intervention for students with disabilities and students who are
English language learners throughout K-12.