Project MOREProject Mentoring in Ohio for

Reading Excellence

What is Project MORE?

• Scientifically research-based reading intervention program

• Designed for students with disabilities

• Volunteer mentors

Reading Tutors Resources• Focuses on skills identified by the

National Reading Panel • Provides repeated practice of

developmentally appropriate materials• Provides instruction: Alphabet

Awareness, Phonological Awareness, Phonics, High Frequency Words, Fluency, and Comprehension

• Reading materials are leveled

Lesson Design• One-on-one • Teacher selects level and prepares

notebook• Mentors follow lesson plans• Lesson plans include: activities for

before, during, and after reading• Research based • Includes guidelines for time• Suggestions for follow-up and

extension• Criteria for success

Lesson Design

• Cold-Warm-Hot Read–Students are timed for 1 minute

• Cold - first reading• Warm - student practices with

the mentor• Hot - more practice and reading

aloud just prior to timing –Students chart progress

Fluency Chart

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Build

ing

Build

ing

Birds

Hippo

s

Hippo

s

Fam

ilies

Goose

Goose

Anim

als

Let's

Mak

e

Let's

Mak

eFir

e

Geese

Geese Building Birds Hippos Families Glooskap Animals Make Fire Geese

Start at Level I - Current Level K

Year 1 Results• 16 students on IEPs with a reading

goal in grades 2 through 4– 3 to 4 times per week

• Additional 15 students in grades 2 through 5– 1 to 4 times per week

• Approximately 65 high school students participated

Year 1 ResultsGRADE NUMBER OF

STUDENTSOAT 2009 RESULTS

2 1 NA

3 8 13% Limited25% Basic25% Proficient38 % Accelerated 0% Advanced

Year 1 Results

GRADE NUMBER OF STUDENTS

OAT 2009 RESULTS

4 11 0% Limited 0% Basic36% Proficient55% Accelerated 9% Advanced

Year 1 ResultsGRADE NUMBER OF

STUDENTSOAT 2009 RESULTS

5 10 10% Limited40% Basic40% Proficient10% Accelerated 0% Advanced

Year 1 ResultsGRADE NUMBER OF

STUDENTSDIBELS ORF

2 1 38 words / min.gain

3 8 2 - 140 words / min.gain

4 11 10 - 63 words / min.gain

5 10 5 - 42 words / min.gain

Year 1 Results

• 4th grade most consistent schedule• 5th grade seen 2 times or less per

week

Year 1 Results• Teachers Report

– Improved grades–Gains in reading levels–Positive change in attitude toward

reading– Improved confidence–Willingness to practice reading

Year 1 Results• Elementary students report

– I like reading more often.– I like doing the hot read because we get stickers for

reading words correctly. Then we get candy for filling up our chart.

– Practicing reading helps you become a better reader.– I like the quick check. If I get the questions all right I

feel good because I know the story very well.– I like to be around my high school reader because they

are nice and helpful. They like reading with us.

Year 1 Results• High school mentors report

– I like to read myself and like helping the little kids learn to read.

– They like us coming to help them.– Knowing they are getting something

out of it.– I like seeing their progress.– It is rewarding for me to watch them

learn.– It makes me feel good to help them.

Year 1 Results• Parents report

–Positive high school role models–Helped motivate elementary students– Improved reading - “My son read his

birthday cards out loud to the family during his party.”

– Improved reading– Improved attitude

Current Implementation

• All teachers reading teachers K - 5 have a subscription

• All special education teachers have a subscription

• Kindergarten teachers are sending packets home with students

• First grade teachers are notifying parents and sending packets

Current Implementation

• Teachers using resources for intervention and differentiation

• High school using Cold-Warm-Hot reading

Current Implementation

• Second grade - 9 IEP students• Third grade - 11 IEP students• Fourth grade - 6 students• Fifth grade - 6 students• Approximately 41 active high school

volunteers

Recommendations

• Service Learning high school credit– 3 or 4 times per week for 1/2 credit– 5 times per week for 1 credit

Recommendations

• Meeting with board of education• Prepared information for board• Identified high school teacher of

record• Course of Studies description• Letters for permission to participate

High School Implementation Student Attitudes:• At first, students were not excited at all

about reading these fluency passages. I implemented an incentive system and continually praised them for their increases in fluency, which gradually raised their confidence.

High School Implementation Student Attitudes:• Their attitudes changed from not wanting to read the

passages during intervention to wanting to be the first one out of their group to read during their class period. I attribute this attitude change to their increased self-confidence and just a small portion to the incentive system implemented (given a piece of candy if they had less decoding errors from the previous day or more words read during the one minute time frame).

High School Implementation Self Confidence:• In a matter of the first few weeks I have seen

students’ self-confidence rise tremendously. Seeing from where they began reading and how they progress from week to week, it has been instant feedback for them. They are more comfortable reading in front of me and while other students are in their intervention period with them.

High School Implementation Self Confidence:• Even though others are engaged in their own work

during this period, some students were self-conscious at the beginning of reading slower while others were in the classroom. Now, students are asking me at the beginning of the period, “Are we doing minute reads today?”

High School Implementation Impact on comprehension: • This reading fluency system has helped student

comprehension throughout all of their classes. Not only have their comprehension scores risen in English class with regards to stories they are reading, but other core classes as well, such as history. I think this is because they are reading faster, but more importantly, they are more confident in what they are reading.