Effective schools and accomplished teachers: Lessons about primary-grade reading instruction in low-income schools

We investigated school and classroom factors related to primary-grade readi ng achievement in schools with moderate to high numbers of students on subs idized lunch. 14 schools across the United States and 2 teachers in each of grades K-3 participated. 2 low and 2 average readers per class were tested individually in the fall and spring on measures of reading accuracy, fluen cy, and comprehension. The teachers were observed 5 times by trained observ ers between December and April during an hour of reading instruction, compl eted a written survey, completed a weekly log of reading/language arts acti vities in February and again in April, and were interviewed in May. Each sc hool was identified as most, moderately, or least effective based on severa l measures of reading achievement in the primary grades. A combination of s chool and teacher factors, many of which were intertwined, was found to be important in the most effective schools. Statistically significant school f actors included strong links to parents', systematic assessment of pupil pr ogress, and strong building communication and collaboration. A collaborativ e model for the delivery of reading instruction, including early reading in terventions, was a hallmark of the most effective schools. Statistically si gnificant teacher factors included time spent in small-group instruction, t ime spent in independent reading high levels of student on-task behavior, a nd strong home communication. More of the most accomplished teachers and te achers in the most effective schools supplemented explicit phonics instruct ion with coaching in which they taught students strategies for applying pho nics to their everyday reading. Additionally, more of the most accomplished teachers and teachers in the most effective schools employed higher-level questions in discussions of text, and the most accomplished teachers were m ore likely to ask students to write in response to reading. In all of the m ost effective schools, reading was clearly a priority at both the school an d classroom levels.