Flynn, L. J., Zheng, X., & Lee, S. H. (2012). Instructing struggling older readers: A selective meta-analysis of intervention research. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 27, 21-32. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5826.2011.00347.x32
Kamil, M. L., Borman, G. D., Dole, J., Kral, C. C., Salinger, T., & Torgesen, J. (2008). Improving adolescent literacy: Effective classroom and intervention practices: A practice guide (NCEE 2008-4027). National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/pdf/practice_guides/adlit_pg_082608.pdf1
Vaughn, S., Cirino, P. T., Wanzek, J., Wexler, J., Fletcher, J. M., Denton, C. A., . . . Francis, D. J. (2010). Response to intervention for middle school students with reading difficulties: Effects of a primary and secondary intervention. School Psychology Review, 39 (1), 3-21.
Vaughn, S., Wexler, J., Leroux, A .J., Roberts, G., Denton, C. A., Barth, A. E., & Fletcher, J. M. (2012). Effects of intensive reading intervention for eighth-grade students with persistently inadequate response to intervention. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 45 (6), 515-525. doi:10.1177/0022219411402692 Middle School Matters Field Guide, Second Edition, March 2016 PAGE A-30
Wanzek, J., Vaughn, S., Roberts, G., & Fletcher, J. M. (2011). Efficacy of a reading intervention for middle school students identified with learning disabilities. Exceptional Children, 78(1), 73-87. Children, 78(1), 73-87.
Wanzek, J., Vaughn, S., Scammacca, N. K., Metz, K., Murray, C. S., Roberts, G., & Danielson, L. (2013). Extensive reading interventions for students with reading difficulties after grade 3. Review of Educational Research, 83 (2), 163-195. doi:10.3102/003465431347721235
Do you use the instructional language of explicit instruction in all of your lessons? Check out this list of sentence stems for each phase of instruction (introduction, modeling, guided practice and independent practice). Incorporating this language into your daily lessons will maximize your students’ ability to learn content! This resource was created by the Utah Center for Reading Literacy.
Middle School Matters Field Guide Alignment
Cognitive Science and Advanced Reasoning Principle 4: Provide timely, qualitative feedback on students’ learning activities Principle 5: Select challenging tasks that require explanations, reasoning, and problem solving. Principle 7: Promote self-regulated learning
Agarwal, P. K., Bain, P. M., & Chamberlain, R. W. (2012). The value of applied research: Retrieval practice improves classroom learning and recommendations from a teacher, a principal, and a scientist. Educational Psychology Review, 24(3), 437-448.
Blunt, J. R., & Karpicke, J. D. (2014). Learning with retrieval-based concept mapping. Journal of Educational Psychology, 106(3), 849.
Brick, J., & McDaniel, D. M. A. (2012). Test-Enhanced Learning. In Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning (pp. 3304-3307). Springer US.
Butler, A. C. (2010). Repeated testing produces superior transfer of learning relative to repeated studying. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 36(5), 1118-1133.
Butler, A. C., Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). Correcting a metacognitive error: Feedback increases retention of low-confidence correct responses. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 34, 918-928.
Carpenter, S. K. (2012). Testing enhances the transfer of learning. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 21(5), 279-283.
Carpenter, S. K., Cepeda, N. J., Rohrer, D., Kang, S. H. K., & Pashler, H. (2012). Using spacing to enhance diverse forms of learning: Review of recent research and implications for instruction. Educational Psychology Review, 24(3), 369-378.
Carpenter, S. K., Pashler, H., & Cepeda, N. J. (2009). Using tests to enhance 8th grade students’ retention of US history facts. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 23(6), 760-771.
Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132, 354–380.
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4-58.
Karpicke, J. D., & Blunt, J. R. (2011). Retrieval practice produces more learning than elaborative studying with concept mapping. Science, 331(6018), 772-775.
Karpicke, J. D. (2009). Metacognitive control and strategy selection: Deciding to practice retrieval during learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 138(4), 469-486.
Little, J. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2015). Metamemory monitoring and control following retrieval practice for text. Memory & Cognition, 43(1), 85-98.
Littrell‐Baez, M. K., Friend, A., Caccamise, D., & Okochi, C. (2015). Using Retrieval Practice and Metacognitive Skills to Improve Content Learning. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 58(8), 682-689.
McDaniel, M. A., Agarwal, P. K., Huelser, B. J., McDermott, K. B., & Roediger, H. L. (2011). Test-enhanced learning in a middle school science classroom: The effects of quiz frequency and placement. Journal of Educational Psychology, 103, 399-414.
McDaniel, M. A., Anderson, J. L., Derbish, M. H., & Morrisette, N. (2007). Testing the testing effect in the classroom. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 19, 494–513.
McDaniel, M. A., Roediger, H. L., & McDermott, K. B. (2007). Generalizing test-enhanced learning from the laboratory to the classroom. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 14(2), 200-206.
McDaniel, M. A., Thomas, R. C., Agarwal, P. K., McDermott, K. B., & Roediger, H. L. (2013). Quizzing in middle‐school science: Successful transfer performance on classroom exams. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 27, 360-372.
McDermott, K. B., Agarwal, P. K., D’Antonio, L., Roediger, H. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Both multiple-choice and short-answer quizzes enhance later exam performance in middle and high-school classes. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 20, 3-21.
Pashler, H., Bain, P., Bottge, B., Graesser, A., Koedinger, K., McDaniel, M., & Metcalfe, J. (2007). Organizing instruction and study to improve student learning (NCER 2007–2004). Washington, DC: National Center for Educational Research, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved from http://ncer.ed.gov
Pyc, M. A., & Rawson, K. A. (2009). Testing the retrieval effort hypothesis: Does greater difficulty correctly recalling information lead to higher levels of memory?. Journal of Memory and Language, 60(4), 437-447.
Roediger, H. L., Agarwal, P. K., McDaniel, M. A., & McDermott, K. B. (2011). Test-enhanced learning in the classroom: Long-term improvements from quizzing. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 17(4), 382-395.
Roediger, H.L., & Butler, A.C. (2013). Retrieval practice (testing) effect. In H.L. Pashler (Ed.), Encyclopedia of the mind. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publishing Co.
Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). The power of testing memory: Basic research and implications for educational practice. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1, 181–210.
Roediger, H.L., & Pyc, M.A. (2012). Inexpensive techniques to improve education: Applying Cognitive Psychology to enhance educational practice. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 1, 242–248.
The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk & George W. Bush Institute. (2016). Middle School Matters field guide: Research-based principles, practices, and tools (2nd ed.). Austin, TX: Authors.
Prepare problems and use them in whole-class instruction.
In math, instruction in problem solving is an integral part of each unit of study. Due to time or other constraints, sometimes these problems have been left for students to complete during independent seatwork or homework. To help math teachers provide instruction in this area, the What Works Clearinghouse has a set of five recommendations for problem solving in middle school that align with the MSM Field Guide’s research-based practices. This week we’ll be showcasing Recommendation 1 of the Improving Mathematical Problem Solving in Grades 4-8, which provides tips on how to prepare word problems and provide explicit instruction in solving them.
Middle School Matters Field Guide Alignment
Mathematics and Mathematics Interventions Math Principle 4: Develop students’ conceptual understanding of mathematics and provide ample opportunities to improve procedural fluency. Math Principle 6: Instructions should include strategies for solving word and algebra problems that are based on common underlying structures.
More Tools for Improving Problem Solving
Mathematics: Sample Lessons & Activities
This collection of sample lessons and activities, developed by the National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII) are intended to assist special education teachers, interventionists, and others working with students with intensive math needs. The materials include considerations for instruction, sample activities and companion materials necessary to complete the activities. The mathematics materials are aligned with the Common Core State Standards and cover a range of skill areas. The materials below are not intended to be used as an intervention, but can provide support for developing and customizing lessons to meet student needs.
Identifying Professional Development Needs in Mathematics: A Planning Tool for Grades 3-7, Second Edition
This resource from the Center on Instruction identifies professional development needs specific to mathematics. It includes a series of guiding questions that help SEAs evaluate their existing programs and identify professional development activities that meet their needs. It is designed to be used by Regional Comprehensive Centers in their work with State Departments of Education by may also be used by SEAs and districts independently.
Berkeley, S., Mastropieri, M. A., & Scruggs, T. E. (2011). Reading Comprehension Strategy Instruction and Attribution Retraining for Secondary Students with Learning and Other Mild Disabilities. Journal Of Learning Disabilities, 44(1), 18-32.
Faggella-Luby, M., Schumaker, J. S., & Deshler, D. D. (2007). Embedded Learning Strategy Instruction: Story-Structure Pedagogy in Heterogeneous Secondary Literature Classes. Learning Disability Quarterly, 30(2), 131-147.
Honnert, A. M., & Bozan, S. E. (2005). Summary Frames: Language Acquisition for Special Education and English Language Learner Students. Science Activities: Classroom Projects And Curriculum Ideas, 42(2), 19.
Klingner, J. K., Vaughn, S., & Boardman, A. G. (2015). Teaching reading comprehension to students with learning difficulties. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Massey, D. D., & Heafner, T. L. (2004). Promoting Reading Comprehension in Social Studies. Journal Of Adolescent And Adult Literacy, 48(1), 26-40
McCulley, L. V., & Osman, D. J. (2015). Effects of reading instruction on learning outcomes in social studies: A synthesis of quantitative research. The Journal of Social Studies Research. Advance online publication. doi:10.1016/j.jssr.2015.06.002.
Swanson, E., Edmonds, M. S., Hairrell, A., Vaughn, S., & Simmons, D. C. (2011). Applying a Cohesive Set of Comprehension Strategies to Content-Area Instruction. Intervention In School And Clinic, 46(5), 266-272.
Swanson, E., Wanzek, J., Vaughn, S., Roberts, G., & Fall, A. (2015). Improving reading comprehension and social studies knowledge among middle school students with disabilities. Exceptional Children. Advance online publication. doi:10.1177/0014402914563704
In math, instruction in problem solving is an integral part of each unit of study. Due to time or other constraints, sometimes these problems have been left for students to complete during independent seatwork or homework. To help math teachers provide instruction in this area, the What Works Clearinghouse has a set of five recommendations for problem solving in middle school that align with the MSM Field Guide’s research-based practices. This week we’ll be showcasing Recommendation 1 of the Improving Mathematical Problem Solving in Grades 4-8, which provides tips on how to prepare word problems and provide explicit instruction in solving them.