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Increasing Praise and Student Response Opportunities with Fluency Training for Paraprofessionals

Breda O’Keeffe, Ph.D., University of Utah

National Resource Center for Paraeducators National Conference, April 2013

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Background

The Issue:District implementing Response to Intervention

Paraprofessionals conducting Tier II reading interventions, pullout

How do we provide adequate training to Paras to achieve adequate fidelity?

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Background

What is at stake?TimeResourcesResponse to Intervention

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Training in Teaching ReadingResearch on training teachers in reading interventions: “An eclectic mix of methods was

found that ranged from macro to micro in their focus” (p. 5-13, NICHD, 2000).

Research on training paraprofessionals:Similarly focused on student

interventions

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Training Staff

Performance feedback Typical way coaching is done Time/resource intensive

Intensive training prior to implementation Intense, usually many skills, 40

hours, 1 week e.g., Lerman, Tetreault, Hovanetz, Strobel, & Garro,

2008; Lerman, Vorndran, Addison, & Kuhn, 2004; Moore & Fisher, 2007; Slider, Noell, & Williams, 2006

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Fluency Training

Providing paced practice (i.e., increasing rate with high accuracy) beyond mastery

Generalization across settings Bucklin, Dickinson, & Brethower, 2000; Evans &

Evans, 1985; Johnson & Layng, 1992

Maintenance over time Binder, 1996; Driskell, Willis, & Cooper, 1992;

Ivarie, 1986; Peladeau, Forget, & Gagne, 2003

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Content of Training

Opportunities to Respond (OTR)PraisePositive/Negative RatioError Corrections (academic)Direct Instruction Reading (Corrective Reading: Decoding)

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Importance of OTR

Carnine (1976)1st graders struggling in reading“Slow”: 5 s pause between end of student response and presentation of next item

“Fast”: teacher moved quickly between items

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≈11.5/min

≈3.75/min

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Importance of Praise

Thomas, Becker & Armstrong (1968)

“Middle elementary” general education classroom

No behavior difficultiesPercent of intervals with disruptive behavior

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+-

++

-- -

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Direct Instruction

Development:Prerequisite skillsGeneralized respondingField tested/revisedScripted

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Direct Instruction

Content:Highly structured, explicitFamiliar routinesExamples carefully chosenStrategies

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Direct Instruction

Teaching: High rate of respondingFlexible ability groupingExplicit error correctionsFrequent reviewMastery focus

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Direct Instruction: Corrective Reading Decoding For 3rd graders – Adult readers Previous reading instruction Catch up! Specifically designed for struggling

readers: “can / cane” “beat / boat” Irregular words Fluency

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Summary

Keep students engaged.Catch ‘em being good.Correct errors immediately and explicitly.

Stick to the script.

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Method

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Context and Setting

District using RTI (response to intervention)

3 tiersTier II: Supplemental instruction in reading by paraprofessionals; standard protocol; pullout

Reading coordinators

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Participants

Paraprofessionals (n = 5)6 months to 5 years teaching

Corrective Students (n = 5)

1 student from each groupDIBELS ORF: “some risk” or “at

risk”Each has an “individualized

literacy plan”

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Dependent Variables: ParaprofessionalsClassroom

Presentation RatePraise RateError CorrectionsPositive to Negative Ratio

Training ProbesPresentation RatePraise RateError Corrections

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Teaching Behavior Classroom Target Rate Fluency Goal

Presentation rate 15 or more per minute 20 or more per minute

Praise rate 4 or more per minute 6 or more per minute

Error corrections 95% accurate steps 95% accurate steps with

target presentation rate

Positive to Negative 4:1; 80% positive

comments

n/a

Table 3. Teaching Behavior Criteria.

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Social Validity Measures

Paraprofessionals’ Teaching SkillsDI experts rated videos

Feasibility of TrainingSurvey for district reading

coordinatorsAcceptability of Training

Survey for paraprofessionals

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Dependent Variables: Students

On-task: Percent 10s intervals

Word reading accuracy: Percent first-time correct

responses

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Independent Variable

ParaprofessionalsFluency Training (5 days, 1hr/day)

Accuracy practice, simpler scripts, one skill;

Add fluency practice;Add another skill:

Day 1: Presentation rateDay 2: Praise rateDay 3: Error Corrections;

Training probe

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Independent Variable

Procedure for each skill:RationaleStepsModelAccuracy Practice

Peer, trainer feedbackFluency Practice

Timed, graphed

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Example Activities

Praise SAVES:SpecificAppropriateVariedEnthusiasticSincere

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Example Activities2 Parts of a praise statement

A praise word A description of what was praiseworthy

Vary the praise words Think of a praise word for each letter of

the alphabet. Vary the description

Praise different academic & non-academic behaviors.

Praise different aspects of behavior. Target things that are challenging for the

student(s).

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Alphabet of praise words…

a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i.

j. k. l. m. n. o. p. q. r.

s. t. u. v. w. x. y. z.

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Error Corrections

Word reading errors:ModelReadSpellRead

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Study Design

Multiple baseline across participants

Baseline Observation of paraprofessionals

and students in classroom settingFluency trainingMaintenance observations (Performance Feedback)

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Results

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BaselineWhat did it look like?

Answering with students EVERY TIME Speeding through instruction or

going slowly Few error corrections Individual turns for words EVERY

WORD Confusing explanations Little praise

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Results

Paraprofessionals’ Presentation Rate (Opportunities to Respond)

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Ms. Allen

Ms. Dean

Ms. Jones

Ms. Lewis

Ms. Tate

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Results

Paraprofessionals’ Praise Rate

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Ms. Allen

Ms. Tate

Ms. Dean

Ms. Jones

Ms. Lewis

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Results

Paraprofessionals’ Positive to Negative Comments Ratio

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v

v

v

v

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Results

Students’ On-Task Behavior

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Results

Students’ Word Reading Accuracy: Percent First-Time Corrects

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Discussion

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Limitations and Future Research

Maintenance limited for some skills Required PFB for 7 of 20 individuals’

skills One participant with higher baseline

skills did not require PFB RTI for professional development?

Focus on fluencyEffects on student behavior limited

Generalization and maintenance

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Limitations and Future Research

Rule-governed behavior Anecdotally, paraprofessionals

reported different rules that competed with intervention fidelity.

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Contact Information

Breda O’Keeffe, PhD Assistant Professor

Special EducationUniversity of Utah1705 E. Campus Ctr. Dr., Rm. 112Salt Lake City, UT 84112801-581-8121 (Special Education Office)

breda.okeeffe@utah.edu