Aligns to IDEA, Part B
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. According to the website, IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. (Please see
http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home for access to regulations, legislation, and more information.) The following chart shows how Cathy Collins Block and John Mangieri Present Word
Forward™ can support children with disabilities under IDEA, based on some of the key
criteria and recommendations. The criteria include the Response to Intervention (RtI) framework for allocating instructional services and resources in response to students’ needs.
Key Criteria for
IDEA Funding Word Forward™
1. Provide research-based and scientifically validated interventions, to the extent possible
Word Forward is a scientifically research-based program for Grades 3-8 that builds vocabulary and reading
comprehension through high-interest, read-aloud books and direct instruction in word-learning strategies. The program exposes students to a rich array of fiction and nonfiction genres and allows teachers to model fluent reading. Word Forward is based on the teaching experience and research of two leading academics:
• Cathy Collins Block, Ph.D. has been on the Graduate Faculty of Texas Christian University since 1977. She serves on standing committees for the American Educational Research Association, the International Reading Association, the National Council for Excellence in Thinking Instruction, and the National Reading Conference. Cathy was the recipient of the prestigious Paul A. Witty Award for Meritorious Service from the International Reading Association (1998), among other honors. She has written numerous college textbooks, is an author of the Stanford Early School Achievement Test (The Psychological Corporation), and has written more than 80 research articles.
• John N. Mangieri, Ph.D., a Fulbright Scholar and coauthor of Powerful Vocabulary for Reading Success (Scholastic, 2005) and coeditor of The Vocabulary-Enriched Classroom (Scholastic, 2006), is the director of the Institute for Literary Enhancement. He is the
author/coauthor of 87 professional articles and books. (continued)
If you have any questions about
Word Forward
or would like to place an order, please call your sales representative
at 800-387-1437 or fax to
877-242-5865.
IDEA Funding Provide research-based and scientifically validated interventions, Continued
He is also a former member of the U.S. Office of Education National Task Force and has served as the Chairman of the Reading Department at the University of South Carolina and as Dean of the School of Education at the Texas Christian University. Research indicates that after 18 weeks of vocabulary instruction, students using the strategies taught in Word Forward grew 2.3 years in vocabulary development and made significant gains in comprehension, spelling, and positive attitudes toward reading. Building on the compelling findings of their vocabulary research, Dr. Block and Dr. Mangieri developed the read-aloud approach to the vocabulary and reading comprehension instruction used in Word Forward.
2. Provide access to the general core curriculum taught to regular-education students
and/or
Use supplemental instructional materials, where appropriate, to strengthen the efficacy of the comprehensive core curriculum
Research-based Word Forward is a reading/language arts supplemental program that provides explicit instruction and practice of essential vocabulary and comprehension strategies. The program also supports the development of fluency and oral language, as well as improves knowledge of literary elements.
Each Word Forward Classroom Library (for Grades 3-4, Grades 4-5, and Grades 6 and up) contains all the
components needed to successfully implement the program.
• 36 high-interest, paperback books (12 titles, 3 copies each) for read-aloud, small-group, and independent reading instruction
• Professional Guide that contains tools and strategies for implementing the program, including:
o Program Overview, which explains the program’s instructional design and how to use the components
o 12 Comprehensive Lesson Plans, one for each read-aloud title, with three lessons focused on each of the four key vocabulary acquisition strategies presented in the program
o Teacher Book Notes for each lesson that allow teachers to model comprehension, seamlessly integrate essential vocabulary and literacy skills, and spark a meaningful, interactive discussion of the book
o Six Comprehension Mini-Lessons to re-teach the six comprehension strategies on which the program focuses (see below)
o 12 Student ThinkMarks, reproducible
bookmarks that motivate students and prompt them to apply strategies as they revisit books
Provide access to the general core curriculum and/or use supplemental instructional materials, Continued
independently or with another student
o Vocabulary Graphic Organizers that help students to think visually as they apply the vocabulary strategies
o Word Lists of the most common prefixes and suffixes, easily confused words and
homophones, and idioms and expressions
• Effectiveness Report, The Effects of Powerful
Vocabulary Instruction on Students’ Reading Vocabulary and Comprehension Achievement by Dr. Cathy Collins Block and Dr. John Mangieri (2007)
• Classroom Poster to motivate students
The instructional content and design includes the following: Vocabulary
• The texts were personally selected by Drs. Block and Mangieri to reflect their research regarding exemplary vocabulary instruction, and each book is supported with an explicit lesson plan that focuses on one of their four key strategies for vocabulary acquisition:
o Context Clues: instruction in syntax clues and parts of speech to determine meaning
o Words and Their Parts: teaches common prefixes, suffixes, and roots
o Content Words: specific strategies to support vocabulary and comprehension in content areas such as math, science, and social studies
o Words and Their Histories: teaches strategic thinking about a word’s unusual spelling, infrequent sounds, or its history to deal with easily confused words such as idioms, words from other languages, and homophones
• The teacher introduces the text, with specific attention to vocabulary words and strategies.
• After reading, students and teacher discuss the meaning of the text with further discussion of word meanings, if needed.
• Children practice vocabulary strategies as they revisit books independently.
• Graphic organizers and bookmarks with student prompts reinforce vocabulary words and strategies.
Comprehension
• The program provides direct reading comprehension skills instruction, modeling, and practice through the read-aloud lessons, small-group lessons,
comprehension mini-lessons and their related books; Book Notes; and ThinkMarks.
• Students also practice comprehension strategies while independently reading books in the program. The six highlighted comprehension strategies are:
IDEA Funding
Provide access to the general core curriculum and/or use supplemental instructional materials, Continued
o Make Predictions
o Compare and Contrast
o Visualize
o Summarize
o Make Inferences
o Ask Questions Fluency
• Teachers model fluent reading as they read aloud books provided within the program.
• The teacher introduces the text to support comprehension and connections to language.
• Teachers draw students’ attention to elements of words that will help them recognize or solve them rapidly. Oral Language
Students build listening and speaking skills during class or small-group discussions. Teachers can use the prompts from the title-related lesson plans, BookNotes, and ThinkMarks to spark discussion:
• When the vocabulary and comprehension strategies are introduced
• During the read-aloud sessions Writing
• Each lesson contains a writing exercise that gives students the opportunity to apply strategies independently.
• Students write in different genres, such as poetry, interview questions, speech, and descriptive. Literary Elements
• Students read a variety of genres, such as realistic fiction, biography, humor, mystery, fantasy, poetry, mythology, and historical fiction and nonfiction.
• Each lesson plan provides prompts to introduce specific literary elements.
Cross-Curricular Topics
Word Forward provides books in a wide variety of topics that support the academic program, such as:
o Math o Science o Social Studies o History o The Arts June 2009 4
3. Educate students in the least restrictive environment consistent with their educational needs
Word Forward is designed to benefit all students, including special education inclusion students at many levels within a regular classroom or in a pull-out program. Word Forward contains the following resources to educate students in the least restrictive environment:
• Leveled books that are generally read aloud to students, but can also be used for independent reading or small- group instruction
o Library A for Grades 3-4 includes: Lexile Level: 530-980 Guided Reading Level: L-R DRA Level: 24-44/50
o Library B for Grades 5-6 includes: Lexile Level: 190-1050 Guided Reading Level: L-T DRA Level: 24-44/50
o Library C for Grades 6 and up includes: Lexile Level: 650-1270
Guided Reading Level: P-Z DRA Level: 34-80
• Strong vocabulary and comprehension research-based strategies taught through multiple modalities, such as:
o Small-group lessons that provide scaffolding through a sequence of modeling, mentoring, and monitoring comprehension strategies to guide students to become independent readers
o Flexible grouping and books in a range of reading levels, which allow teachers to differentiate instruction
o ThinkMarks, a smart version of a bookmark, which encourage students to develop
metacognitive skills, able to monitor their use of strategies, and evaluate their effectiveness
o Writing, speaking, and drawing extension opportunities
• Continual informal assessment, which allows teachers to differentiate instruction whenever it is needed
• Gradual release model of instruction that moves students toward becoming successful, independent readers
• High-interest, grade-appropriate titles representing a wide variety of topics and genres that engage students at all interest levels
IDEA Funding
4. Implement a multitiered strategy designed to provide increasingly intensive interventions to those students who are not making adequate progress in the core curriculum (RtI)
In order to comprehend, students must understand the words they read. Limited vocabularies leave many students struggling. However, with Word Forward’s research-based, word-learning strategies, students can successfully unlock the meanings of words they encounter in books, on tests, and in their everyday lives. The program can be flexibly implemented as part of a multitiered strategy, whether used in Tier I as a complement to the core program or in Tier 2 as a supplemental curriculum.
As a stand-alone supplemental curriculum, Word Forward provides detailed lesson plans and Teacher Book Notes for each book, as well as comprehension mini-lessons, which model word-learning strategies, teach and reinforce comprehension and literacy strategies, and draw students into meaningful, interactive discussions. Students also become actively engaged in their learning and empowered during the read-aloud sessions, because they can listen to high-interest books and to the teacher explain effective reading strategies and skills. Independent reading and writing opportunities allow students to apply what they’ve learned.
As an adjunct to an existing core program, Word Forward’s fast-paced lessons can be completed within 15-20 minutes, providing additional support and instruction for overcoming vocabulary and comprehension problems that may be the source of students’ general reading difficulties. Research has shown that instruction in four word-learning strategies can dramatically improve literacy achievement
5. Provide ongoing progress monitoring of students’ response to high-quality, research-based intervention and use it to guide the Individualized Education Program (IEP)
Word Forward teaching materials offer the following direction and resources to monitor student progress:
• Observation – Questions provided throughout the lesson plans and Teacher Book Notes offer teachers
opportunities to check students’ understanding of skills and strategies taught and discussed.
• Comprehension Mini-Lessons – Each mini-lesson includes practice for the strategy taught. Teachers are directed to review each student’s work and provide additional support as needed.
• Vocabulary Graphic Organizers – These reproducibles can not only be used to help student think visually as they apply the vocabulary strategies, as well as to allow teachers to monitor each student’s progress.
(continued)
Provide ongoing progress monitoring, Continued
• Conferences – Students and teachers may conference after students have independently read books and applied their newly learned strategies. ThinkMarks can be used as additional support during these conferences. Feedback from these informal assessment opportunities can provide formative data that can be used to modify instruction and intervention, as well as guide the development of IEPs.
6. Include literacy instruction that targets English language learners who have not yet been identified as needing special education services (RtI)
Word Forward supports English-Language Learners (ELLs) through these strategies:
• Specific ELL teaching tips and suggestions with each lesson plan, such as using the idioms in a book to explore figurative language in general, using illustrations from a book to help students recall details, and
conducting a hands-on experiment to help students better comprehend the book’s science topic. Suggestions support:
o Basic Interpersonal Communications Skills – the ability of students to communicate socially in English
o Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency – the ability of ELLs to meet the demands of grade-level curriculum
• English Language Learner section in the Professional Guide, which presents techniques for further
customizing instruction in the areas of:
o Building background knowledge
o Adapting content
o Encouraging a dialogue
o Tailoring instruction
o Tailoring interactions
• Read-aloud sessions – Students develop oral vocabulary as they listen to quality literature and informational text read aloud
• Small-group instruction – Teachers can build skills and differentiate instruction by:
o Grouping students with similar needs and interests
o Reviewing key vocabulary in greater depth
o Adjusting the pace of instruction
o Building background knowledge by linking story concepts to students’ backgrounds and
experiences
• Independent reading support – Teachers can scaffold independent reading by:
o Pairing native English speakers with ELLs for buddy reading and book discussions
IDEA Funding
o Allowing ELLs to make models, dramatize, or use visual aids to demonstrate their knowledge and comprehension of what they read
7. Inform parents of general education services that would be provided and strategies to support their child’s rate of learning
The Professional Guide for Word Forward contains a scope and sequence of skills taught with each book, the literary element, and options for student activities, as well as a two-page program overview. These can be used to help inform parents about how the program will teach skills and support their child’s rate of learning.
Parents can play an important roll in raising their children’s achievement by encouraging them to independently read the books in the Word Forward program and praising them for finishing a book.
The reproducible elements of the program, such as the Vocabulary Graphic Organizers and ThinkMarks, can be taken home for parents to share in students’ progress and provide reinforcement and encouragement.
Parents can also learn about the Word Forward program by visiting www.scholastic.com/wordforward.
8. Provide a high-quality
professional development plan to support teachers providing special education services and those implementing RtI
Word Forward provides teachers with support to help them effectively implement the program to raise student
achievement. This includes:
• Comprehensive Professional Guide for each level including guidance on how to:
o Implement each of the 12 lesson plans
o Model and monitor vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension strategies
o Transfer and expand the lesson to help students apply what they’ve learned
o Create a motivating classroom reading environment
o Make the most of independent reading time
o Use assessment to differentiate instruction
o Support English Language Learners
o Incorporate new teaching strategies with point-of-use professional development tips
• Teacher Book Notes that accompany each read-aloud title, provide think-aloud prompts to model vocabulary and comprehension strategies, make personal connections, and identify text and literary elements
• 22-page Effectiveness Report: The Effects of Powerful Vocabulary Instruction on Students’ Reading Vocabulary
and Comprehension Achievement by Dr. Cathy Collins Block and Dr. John Mangieri (2007)
9. May coordinate with activities funded by, and carried out under, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
Word Forward can be effectively integrated with school activities that are being funded by, and carried out under, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) including, but not limited to:
• Title I, Part A – Improving Basic Programs
• Title I, Part A, Section 1116(e) – Supplemental Educational Services
• Title III – English Language Acquisition st
• Title IV , Part B – 21 Century Community Learning Centers
• Title V, Part A – Innovative Programs
