WRITING ACTIVITIES, READING INTERVENTIONS, AND WORD IDENTIFICATION

Some form of writing activity should be included in every reading intervention session for students whose deficit area is word identification. The reading-writing connection has been firmly established (Duke, Pearson, Strachan, & Billman,2011; Goodman, Fries, & Strauss, 2016; Goodman & Goodman, 2009; Kuder & Hasit, 2002; Lipson & Wixon, 2009; Parodi, 2013; Pressley, Wharton-McDonald, & Mistretta, 1998; Silliman, & Wilkinson, 1994; Strickland, 2002; Weaver, 2009). Writing helps strengthen letter sound relationships and is one of the most effective strategies to use in develop the syntactic cueing system. Below are descriptions of some of the writing activities used with a meaning-based intervention:

? Language experience activities (LEA). Here students dictate a minimum of five sentences to create a paragraph/story. The teacher writes the paragraph/story on a screen, board, poster, or paper. Students then re-read until fluency is achieved. Next, the paragraph/story is used for an analytic phonics mini-lesson. Here students are asked to identify words that have certain sounds, blends, or letter patterns in the middle, beginning, or end. 

? Sentence mix-up. Here students are given a sentence in which the words are out of order. Students create meaning by putting the words in correct order. With younger children, 3x5 cards can be used here to get them physically engaged in learning. With older students, words can appear on a screen, poster, or board. 

? Predictable writing. This works best for students at the emergent level. As an individual strategy, three sentences are written with one word missing (see Figure 1). The student fills in the blank.  In small group, create a large poster and have each student fill in one line. When done, students re-read the sentences until fluent.

Things I Like to Do

I like to _____.

I like to _____.

I like to _____.

I like to _____.

 Figure 1. Predictable writing.                   

? One sentence. With students who are struggling writers, start by asking them to write one sentence. This keeps them from being overwhelmed. To help students identify what they want to say, ask questions to solicit ideas (see Figure 2). 

1. What did you do that was fun yesterday?

2. What is something you saw on your way to school?

3. What’s something you like to do?

4. What are you going to do this weekend?

5. What are you going to do at recess?

 Figure 2. Questions to elicit one-sentence writing.

? Syntax sentences. Here one to three sentences are presented to students that contain grammar or word order errors. Students are called on to make the appropriate corrections. Create sentences to reinforce letter patterns, phonograms, sight words or to use as pre- and post-reading activities. 

? Sentence combing. Students are given two or three sentences. They must combine them while retaining the initial meaning of both (see Figure 3). 

Jill is strong.

Jill is a soccer player.

Andy is in the living room.

Andy spilled his milk.

Figure 3. Sentence combining.

? Sentence alteration. Students are given a sentence and asked to say the same thing using different words or a different word order (see Figure 4). 

Please fill my glass.

Fill my glass please.

Will you fill my glass?

Can you fill my glass?

Put more in my glass.

My glass needs filling.

You should fill my glass.

 Figure 4. Sentence alteration.

? Sentence elaboration. Students are given a sentence and asked to make it more interesting or different (see Figure 5). Encourage unique, creative, and humorous ideas here. Sentence elaboration, alteration, and combining can all be done orally or in writing. They can also be used as pre- or post-reading activities.

The man cooked burgers on the grill.

The old man cooked burgers on the huge grill.

The boy cooked delicious burgers on the rusty grill.

The young man cooked hotdogs on the stove.

 Figure 5. Sentence elaboration  

Again, since the focus is on grammar, sentence structure, and word order, all the activities above can be used to develop the syntactic cueing system. They can also be used to reinforce letter patterns, phonograms, or sight words. Writing activities should be kept simple and brief.

REFERENCES

Duke, N.K., Pearson, P.D., Strachan, S.L., & Billman, A.K. (2011). Essential elements of fostering and teaching reading comprehension. In S.J Samuels & A.E. Farstrup (Eds.), What research has to say about reading instruction (4th ed.) (pp 51-93). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Goodman, K.S., Fries, P.H., & Strauss, S.L. (2016). Reading the grand illusion: How and why people make sense of print. New York, NY: Routledge.

Goodman, K.S., & Goodman, Y.M. (2009). Helping readers make sense of print: Research that supports a whole language pedagogy. In S.E. Israel & G. Duffy (Eds.). Handbook of research on reading comprehension (pp. 91-114). New York, NY: Routledge.

Kuder, S.J., & Hasit, C. (2002). Enhancing literacy for all students. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall

Lipson, M.Y., & Wixson, K.K. (2009). Assessment and instruction of reading and writing difficulties: An interactive approach. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Parodi, G. (2013). Reading-writing connections: Discourse-oriented research. In D. Alverman, N. J. Unrau, & R. B. Ruddell (Eds.), Theoretical models and process of reading (pp. 957-977). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Silliman, E.R., & Wilkinson, L.C. (1994). Discourse scaffold for classroom intervention. In G.P. Wallach & K.G. Butler (Eds.), Language learning disabilities in school-age children and adolescents (pp. 27-52). New York, NY: Merril/Macmillan.

Strickland, D.S. (2002). The importance of effective early intervention. In A. Farstrup & S.J. Samuels (Eds.), What research has to say about reading instruction (3rd ed.) (pp. 69-86). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

Weaver, C. (2009). Reading process. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.