Incorportating Word Boxes in Structured Literacy to Support Students With Dyslexia
Grade Level at Time of Presentation
Junior
Major
Special Education and Elementary Education
Institution
Western Kentucky University
KY House District #
20
KY Senate District #
32
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
Susan Keesey
Department
School of Teacher Education, Special Education
Abstract
As educators, we have the charge to help all students learn. However, students with dyslexia often present a challenge for teachers. This population, students with average or above intelligence that struggle with language-based tasks, have great potential if provided with specialized instruction designed to meet their learning needs. Fortunately, recent legislation has brought increased focus on supporting students with dyslexia. However, the challenge still lies in providing current and future teachers with the research-based practices needed to effectively teach students with dyslexia. These students often struggle with slow or inaccurate reading, poor writing and spelling skills, and low phonological processing ability. High-leverage practices (HLP), the skills all teachers should incorporate in their teaching, are supported by research and can be used to support students with dyslexia. Specifically, using student assessment data, analyzing instructional practices, and making necessary adjustments that improve student outcomes (HLP6) along with systematically designing instruction toward a specific learning goal (HLP12) encourage the use of effective reading strategies to support students with dyslexia. The International Dyslexia Association promotes structured literacy teaching as the most effective reading approach for students with dyslexia. Word boxes is an intervention that falls under structured literacy and incorporates the high-leverages practices. This poster explains how structured literacy improves reading skills for students with dyslexia and also presents initial data from a single-subject, multiple probe research study using words boxes to improve phonemic awareness, letter-sound correspondences, and spelling skills in elementary students with dyslexia.
Incorportating Word Boxes in Structured Literacy to Support Students With Dyslexia
As educators, we have the charge to help all students learn. However, students with dyslexia often present a challenge for teachers. This population, students with average or above intelligence that struggle with language-based tasks, have great potential if provided with specialized instruction designed to meet their learning needs. Fortunately, recent legislation has brought increased focus on supporting students with dyslexia. However, the challenge still lies in providing current and future teachers with the research-based practices needed to effectively teach students with dyslexia. These students often struggle with slow or inaccurate reading, poor writing and spelling skills, and low phonological processing ability. High-leverage practices (HLP), the skills all teachers should incorporate in their teaching, are supported by research and can be used to support students with dyslexia. Specifically, using student assessment data, analyzing instructional practices, and making necessary adjustments that improve student outcomes (HLP6) along with systematically designing instruction toward a specific learning goal (HLP12) encourage the use of effective reading strategies to support students with dyslexia. The International Dyslexia Association promotes structured literacy teaching as the most effective reading approach for students with dyslexia. Word boxes is an intervention that falls under structured literacy and incorporates the high-leverages practices. This poster explains how structured literacy improves reading skills for students with dyslexia and also presents initial data from a single-subject, multiple probe research study using words boxes to improve phonemic awareness, letter-sound correspondences, and spelling skills in elementary students with dyslexia.