Running Head: FINAL CASE STUDY

Final Case Study

READ 6422, Spring 2015
Eric Grant
East Carolina University

Table of Contents

FINAL CASE STUDY

Roaming the Known ..3

Assessment Evaluation and Data..5
Initial Plan for Tutoring.8
Detailed Initial Plan.9
Photo Journal Narrative10
Lesson Plans and Reflections11
Home School Partnership Part A.25
Final Assessments and Results..26
Assessment Findings and Discussion27
Home School Partnership Part B..30
Final Reflection33
References.37

Roaming the Known

FINAL CASE STUDY

Ellen, a 9th grade student at our countys STEM school, is a diligent student who loves
soccer and does fairly well in school. When asked what she likes to read, she looked down, then
away, and then replied that she read this one series, Ink Ink Inkheart. Her ninth grade
teacher does diagnostic reading assessments on all of her students, and Ellens fluency score
rated at 110, which puts her about 4 grades below grade-level. Further, she responded correctly
to only 7 of 15 questions on our county English I reading comprehension pretest, and she scored
a D on her social studies North Carolina Final Exam, which is largely a reading comprehension
test. When her teacher and I approached her about participating in this case study with the goal
of helping her improve as a reader, she was surprisingly responsive, especially since she had
never met me before. I serve as the ELA and Social Studies Curriculum Specialist for our district
and am currently working on my MA Ed. with a focus on Literacy. While I have worked with
Ellens teachers before, I seldom work with students in her school.
Ellen is not an enthusiastic reader. On her preliminary reading surveys she indicated that
she seldom chooses to read on her own and rated her enjoyment of reading at a 2 on a scale of 1
to 5. She does not seek books to read, either at home or at the library. Certainly, this is potentially
one of the issues that has contributed to her being a struggling reader. Research supports the
notion that reading proficiency is dependent on significant amounts of independent reading
(Berger et.al., 2014, Kindle Location 1288). Additionally, her interest in reading expository nonfiction materials is particularly low, as she finds it boring. In one of our first sessions she
mentioned that often when she is asked to read a nonfiction text she will remember very little
from the text.
Through a closer examination of Ellens English I pretest, the results were even more
telling than the score of 7 out of 15. For the fiction text she answered 5 of 8 correct or 63%. For

FINAL CASE STUDY

the informational text on the pretest she answered 2 of 5 correct or 40%. Although she did not
demonstrate proficiency in either type, her non-fiction competence was significantly lower. This
matches the assertion of Leslie and Caldwell (2010) that students may attain higher
instructional levels in narrative text than in expository (p. 9). Considering Ellens lack of
interest and her lack of proficiency, this is clearly an area of concern. This is particularly critical
since so much of the reading she will be expected to do in high school and college is expository
in nature.
Beyond soccer, Ellens interests are in music and in baking - she hopes to be a baker.
When I sent a camera with her for the weekend, she returned with several photos of a concert she
had attended at a downtown music venue, The Orange Peel. It was her first concert! She was
thrilled to have managed to get photos with the band members. Recognizing these interests will
provide plenty of fodder for our reading as I can collect expository and narrative pieces related to
these themes. Exposure to both is critical in developing a balanced reader and, in Ellens case, in
using her relative interest in fiction as a counterbalance to her self-acknowledged distaste for
expository texts.
Ellens mother and I spoke for about twenty minutes on the phone. I provided an
overview of the project, including its goals, methods, and timeframe. After providing this
information, Ellens mother confided in me that while Ellen works really hard, her test scores
often do not reflect her effort. She suspected that this reflected retention difficulties. We
discussed her social studies test and she seemed relieved that our work might help. She is clearly
invested in Ellens success.
I had twice scheduled a conference with Ellen and her mother, but those were snowed
out. We rescheduled for March 12, which was her next available date. I shared with her Ellens

FINAL CASE STUDY

photo journal and her diagnostic test results. I also shared our plan going forward and enlisted
her support with this. Specifically, I shared with her our new strategies and asked her to check in
with Ellen to see if she is continuing to work with that strategy with her schoolwork.
Additionally, I discussed the importance of reading in volume and finding selections for Ellen to
read in her free time. I have continued to update her regularly through email as we work, and I
have scheduled a conference at the culmination of our work together to share our success and
next steps.
I am working with Ellens English teacher. I update her on our work, including what
strategies we are working with as well. The more each of us is working together, the better
chances are for Ellens success as a reader and a student.
Assessment Evaluation and Data
The diagnostic sequence we followed began with an interest survey related to reading. I
then provided the Upper Middle School Examiner Word List and the High School Examiner
Word List. These were followed by the Level 5 narrative and expository passages and the Level
4 expository passages list.
Ellens reading interests survey indicates a mostly confident reader though a few specific
areas stand out in terms areas for growth, including her lack of interest in reading non- fiction
and her lacking knowledge of strategies. The results of her reading interest survey are in the table
below.
Descriptor

Scale Score
(1 = Lowest;
5 = Highest):
1.2.3.4.5

I enjoy reading

I feel confident about my reading ability

FINAL CASE STUDY

I feel confident about my ability to read out loud

I choose to read when I have free time

I usually understand what I read

I like to read fiction

I like to read non- fiction

I feel confident when I read fiction

I feel confident when I read non- fiction

I know several strategies to help me as a reader

Ellens Examiner Word List results indicate a student who is at Independent Level for
High School. The first word list administration was done with the upper Middle School List and
the second was completed using the High School List. Results are indicated on the table below:
Word List

Total
Total
Correct
Correct
Automatic Identified

Incorrect

Total
Number
Correct

Level

1
Infrared

Upper Middle 19
School

19/20: 95%

Independent

High School

3
2
18/20: 90%
armaments, immunodeficiency
convoy,
chauffeur
armistice

Independent

15

These results indicate a high level of fluency for Ellen. She is clearly capable of reading
the words as they appear on the paper. Certainly, the remaining question is related to how well
she comprehends what she reads.
Based on these results, I opted not to provide the Words Their Way Spelling Inventories.
Ellens evident comfort with word recognition led me to believe that fluency and spelling were
not a priority. Because of the reading data provided by Ellens teacher, I began with Level 5

FINAL CASE STUDY

Reading Passages. Ellens results on these indicated a difference in her comprehension of

narrative versus expository texts. This jibes with her reading interest inventory, as well as the
data provided by her teacher. Results of the passage assessments are in the table below:
Level/
Type

Type Title

No Look- No Look- LookLookTotal:

back
back
Back
Back
Explicit
Implicit
Explicit Implicit

Level

Narr. P.
McKissack

Indep.

Upper
Middle
School

Narr. Malcolm X

Instruc

Exp.

How does
your body
take O2

Frust.

Exp.

Plant Struct... 1

Instruct.

Ellens scores indicate a significant delay in reading overall, with a particular delay in
reading expository text. Again, this supports the data provided by her teacher and reflects an area
for urgent remediation.
Analysis
Ellens confidence in reading and interest in reading fiction, as indicated on her interest
survey, are both strengths of hers as a reader. However, corroborating her self -reported lack of
interest in expository literature with her lower scores on her English I pretest, the social studies
NCFE, and the expository passages from the QRI 5 leads to the conclusion that this is an area for
immediate concern. Additionally, her recognition that she does not know several strategies to
help as a reader provides a window for our work. Hopefully through thoughtful instruction in

FINAL CASE STUDY

the use of reading strategies, she will feel better equipped and more interested in reading in
general, as well as in reading non-fiction, specifically.
Initial Plan for Tutoring
Ellens relative area for strength is in narrative reading. She enjoys it and she has
demonstrated higher proficiency with it. As with word work from Words Their Way, it is
important to build from this strength while working in areas for growth (Bear, Invernizzi,
Templeton, & Johnson, 2012), specifically, her interest and relative proficiency with reading
expository texts. Research also suggests that pairing fiction with nonfiction has a mutually
beneficial effect (Berger et. al., 2014, Kindle Location 727) and that reading texts where there is
familiarity increases the likelihood for success (Leslie and Caldwell, 2010, p. 24).
The model for instruction with Ellen that will be most effective is the Explicit
Explanation Sequence (Duffy, 2005). My observations of her while reading the QRI Passage
Assessments as well as my review of her work on the English I pre-test indicate that she does not
annotate while reading. This is a basic strategy for reading comprehension for high school
material and for expository texts. Considering this and that she has self-reported a lack of
knowledge regarding reading strategies, the Explicit Explanation Sequence will provide a
template for our lessons together. This sequence, which corresponds well with Harvey and
Goudviss (2007) Gradual Release of Responsibility (p. 32 - 33) as well as one proposed by
McCormick and Zutell (2015, p. 414), will enable her to learn, through modeling and through
practice, strategies that she can apply. Certainly as Harvey and Goudvis (2007) make clear, ... it
isnt enough for students to simply understand a given strategy. They must know when, why, and
how to use it (p. 26). This will be one of the primary goals of our work together - to develop

FINAL CASE STUDY

Ellens capacity with strategies as well as her understanding of when and how to use these such
that her comprehension increases.
Detailed Preliminary Initial Plan
Session 6. Goal: Complete Narrative Assessment to determine Instructional Level. Due to
a misunderstanding with the Qualitative Reading Inventory 5 text lay-out, I neglected to
complete this assessment. While I am anxious to begin our instructional work, I realize I cannot
proceed without accurate data.
Sessions 7 8. Goal: Ellen will voice her inner conversation through the use Interactive
Read Aloud (Harvey & Goudvis, 2007, p. 78) with an instructional level narrative text. I will
select a short narrative text about music, since this is one of her interests. I will introduce the
interactive read aloud strategy and model it. I will scaffold through the use of Say Something
Strategy. Lastly, she will practice this aloud while I observe to make sure that she has mastered
the strategy. We will discuss this to help her process this at a metacognitive level (p. 25).
Sessions 9 11. Goal: Ellen will continue to voice her inner conversation through the use
of sticky notes (p. 79). We will pay particular attention to areas where her comprehension breaks
down. She will do this with a 4th grade level expository text (also related to music - I will use
Newsela to find an appropriate article). Again, I will explain the strategy. I will model the
strategy. I will scaffold with the use of this by providing starters for her notes. I will also ask her
to write huh? at any point when she loses understanding (p. 81). We will then consider why she
did not understand and what we can do about that. Lastly, she will practice this aloud while I
observe to make sure that she has mastered the strategy. We will discuss this to help her process
this at a metacognitive level (Harvey & Goudvis, 2007, p. 25).

FINAL CASE STUDY

10

Sessions 11 14. Goal: Ellen will be able to determine when her comprehension breaks
down and employ a strategy for overcoming that. In these sessions, we will look at 2 - 3 texts.
We will continue to work with the sticky notes from the previous sessions. However, each day I
will introduce a new fix-it strategy to help Ellen move through comprehension challenges. With
each new strategy we will follow the Explicit Explanation Sequence and the metacognitive
reflection process such that she is gaining capacity with the strategy and clarity about when and
how to use each strategy for improved comprehension, as is characteristic of reflective learners/
readers (Harvey & Goudvis, 2007, p. 26).
Session 15. Goal: Re-assessment. I will provide Ellen with the same QRI 5 passage from
her initial evaluation, beginning first with the level 4 then with the level 5 passages. I will
encourage her to use her new repertoire of strategies when necessary. I expect to see increased
proficiency through this.
Session 16. I will meet with Ellen, her mother, and her teacher to review her progress and
discuss further steps.
Photo Journal Narrative
Ellens photo journal, and more specifically, the process of creating it and discussing the
photos, provided an opportunity for the two of us to better understand each other. To begin with,
I became alarmed when I noticed her little brother wearing a NY Yankees cap. As a life-long NY
Mets fan, I was unsure if we would be compatible enough to continue this. Ellen was quick to
understand my humor and this quickly broke the ice for the two of us.
The images of her at a concert provided a chance for us to discuss music. Not only were
we able to discuss her dreams of being a singer and her participation on the school a cappella
group, but we also spent a several minutes reviewing her music list on her iPod. We were able to

FINAL CASE STUDY

11

discuss shared musical interests. Lastly, the image of her in her soccer uniform provided a
chance to discuss another mutual passion. I plan to attend one of her games this season with my
son and daughter who also play soccer.
These images not only provided us with a chance to get to know one another, but they
also provided me with insight in terms of the types of texts to seek while planning our lessons.
Lesson Plans and Reflections
The first six lessons were focused on Roaming the Known. During these, we developed a
relationship through discussion about hobbies and interest surveys. We also determined reading
proficiency levels, using the Qualitative Reading Inventory 5. Descriptions of those lessons are
in narrative format. Beginning with the Lesson 7, more formalized lesson plans illustrating the
Explicit Explanation Sequence are used.
Lesson 1: 1/29/15 Roaming the Known. During our first session the primary goal was
to get to know Emily. Unfortunately, due to a miscommunication with her teacher, we had a brief
first session. However, I was able to go over the camera instructions, we worked together to set
meeting dates, and we briefly discussed what books she likes to read Inkheart. Emily seems to
enjoy the prospect of working together and was very accommodating with dates and times. She
confided in me some struggles that she has had at her school with peers and teachers and I
assured her I would keep her confidence.
Lesson 2: 2/3/15 Roaming the Known. Emily and I worked together today for about 40
minutes, which was nice as our first session was short. She shared her pictures and we discussed
those. She told me of her interests - primarily soccer (an interest of mine as well) and singing/
music. She had attended her first concert over the weekend at The Orange Peel and had pictures
with members of one of the bands. I gave her a very informal reading survey. She admitted to

FINAL CASE STUDY

12

resorting to reading only when assigned and had read few things by choice. She also mentioned
that when she reads non-fiction, she cannot remember anything of that she reads. Considering
this, her love of music, and the hope to pique her interest in reading, I asked her about her
favorite bands/ musicians. She pulled out her iPod and we scrolled through, discussing what we
liked in common. Her taste was eclectic, from Sam Smith to Eminem to some classic rock. I was
relieved that there wasnt much Country.
Lesson 3: 2/6/15 - Roaming the Known Diagnostic Assessments. We met today for
about 20 minutes. It was awkward as she was heading to singing club and I had to ask her to
come with me. She acted reluctant, but once we looked at our schedule and discussed the
commitment, she seemed quite fine with working with me.
I provided a more formal reading inventory. Her responses were interesting. In terms of
attitude about reading, she marked 2s out of 5 (except for her attitude about reading fiction,
where she indicated a 5 - which was different from what our conversations had led me to
believe). In terms of confidence with fiction and nonfiction, both when asked about reading
aloud and comprehension she rated herself at a 4 of 5. When asked if she usually understands
what she reads, she rated herself a 5 of 5.
Next, I provided the Word List Diagnostic, beginning first with Upper Middle School,
where she scored a 95% Identified Automatically. When I moved to the High School list, she
scored a 90%, with 75% Automatic.
While I am glad for her, I am a bit concerned for the Case Study. Is she appropriate for a
Case Study on reading disabilities?

FINAL CASE STUDY

13

Lesson 4: 2/13/15 Roaming the Known Diagnostic Assessments. Today we began the
reading passage diagnostic testing. Following the procedures outlined by the QRI- 5, I worked to
set Ellen at ease asking her about her weekend, school and soccer (Leslie & Caldwell, 2010, p.
37). I then explained to her the procedures of the assessment and asked is she had any questions;
she did not. I set up my recording device (p.37) and then began by checking for background
knowledge on the topic. She scored over 75%. I provided Ellen with a pencil and the reading
passage, provided a pencil, and asked her to begin reading.
I noticed that Ellen read quickly, without using the pencil to mark her thinking. She was
able to re-tell the story with good detail. She then proceeded to demonstrate proficiency on this
assessment.
We followed the same procedure for her second diagnostic assessment. Although she read
as quickly and exuded confidence in her responses, several of them were just off the mark. For
example, when asked about main idea, she would provide a general summary without accurately
identifying the authors main idea. She scored 4/8, indicating Frustration Level.
Lesson 5 - 2/23/15 Roaming the Known Diagnostic Assessments. During todays
meeting, I continued with diagnostic testing. Because on the Level 5 Expository assessment she
scored at Frustration Level, I provided Ellen with a Level 4 Expository assessment. She once
again read without using her pencil and continued to exude confidence in both re-telling and
answer questions. This time, however, her score resulted in a 7/8 Instructional Level.
We also completed the Photo Journal. This was enjoyable as we were able to discuss in
more detail the experience in each picture and her relationship with her mother and brother.
Since we used a digital camera, she could type the captions right onto the document I had

FINAL CASE STUDY

14

created. Once again, she was a confident writer, managing to efficiently type in complete
sentences, with strong spelling and syntax.
Lesson 6 - 3/3/15 Roaming the Known Diagnostic Assessments. Today was a brief
meeting, as Ellen was late because of her Singing group. This was not an enormous problem as
the goal was straightforward finish the diagnostic assessments. Previously, I had indicated we
were finished with these, so I was relieved that she was so willing to do more.
Ellens rapid reading without a use of provided pencil continued. Like with her previous
assessments, her look-back habits were cursory. I am not sure she was truly seeking an answer or
just looking back to appease me. However, on one question, to test this theory, I directed her to a
particular section. She studied this section and claimed it supported her inaccurate answer. This
provided more insight for my diagnostic work, as it indicated a comprehension rather than recall
issue (p. 78).
Lesson 7.
Goal:

Ellen will voice her inner conversation through the use Interactive Read Aloud
(Harvey & Goudvis, 2007, p. 78) using both oral and written annotations

Learning
Target

I will track my thinking while reading by identifying: Questions,

Clarifications, Connections, Reactions, Important Information both orally and
written

Instructional
Plan:

Formative
Assessment

Introduce Upper Middle School Narrative Text: Icing on the Cake, by

Nikki Giovanni
o Build background: Read short, simple Giovanni poem from
textbook and briefly discuss who she is.
Discuss my theory and observations about Ellen as a reader
Explain and model Interactive Read Aloud Strategy while reading first
paragraph
Continue reading using Say Something

I will evaluate how well she does as she practices during Say Something.

FINAL CASE STUDY

Reflection Progress:

15

I immediately faced a challenge with Ellen as she told me flat-out that she is
familiar with annotating (making her thinking visible) but hates to do it, as it is
a waste of time. I discussed the purposes of annotating and showed her how
I annotate from a textbook I read on my Kindle. She asked if she could just put
a # in the margin. This led me to introduce a text coding system (p. 56) (? =
questions; ! = Important idea; X = disagree with; C = Connection). She was
agreeable to this method.
I modeled the coding and think aloud for the first 2 paragraphs, we did it
together for the next 2 paragraphs, then she did it by herself for the last 2
paragraphs. For the first 2 paragraphs, I stopped with each note and discussed
my thinking. After that we read and coded a section and went back to discuss
our thinking so as not to disrupt the flow if the narrative too much. Image of
text Coded Document. As we discussed the codes, I recorded some of that
discussion, initially out of habit, but then I realized this also served to model
the thinking.
When we discussed main idea using !, she provided a very general moral for
the narrative. When I probed a bit further she managed to get a bit more
specific, but did not quite get to the actual main idea of the story. She did well
as we discussed 2 explicit questions.
Ellen admitted to liking the coding and felt that it was something she could use
on her own. She took the post-it note on which I had written the code.

Reflection Next Step

Goal
and Plan

We will continue with this method on a narrative text. We will work more
closely on main idea. I may ask her to go back through and make a short note
about each explanation point after we have read. If we line those up, she can
stay closer to the text when coming up with main idea.

Lesson 8.
Goal:
Learning
Target

Ellen will voice her inner conversation through the use Interactive Read Aloud
(Harvey & Goudvis, 2007, p. 78) using both oral and written annotations

I will track my thinking while reading by identifying: Questions,

Clarifications, Connections, Reactions, Important Information both
orally and written
I will be able to identify main idea based on my note-taking

FINAL CASE STUDY

Instructional
Plan:

Reflection Progress:

16

Introduce Upper Middle School Narrative Text: East of the Dawn: The
Life of Amelia Earhart
o Build background: Discuss Amelia Earhart - Using Building
Background Knowledge to Teach Specific Content, I will use
images of Amelia Earhart to help activate Ellens background
knowledge (99 - 100)
Review our coding and method from last time we read - discuss
purpose of finding main idea (explain area for clarification)
Again model Interactive Read Aloud Strategy through first paragraph
Continue reading using Say Something
Note on post-it as she explains !s
Use post-its to determine main idea.

Ellen was very open to beginning with coding the text. She felt like it was easy
enough for her to work with and that it helped her. I gently explained to her
that when we did that last time her Main Idea answer was a bit general. I
explained that I hoped through using the ! code and looking closely at those
spots, we could get to a clearer picture of the Main Idea. She was up for the
challenge.
After our first draft read and summary, we re-read with text coding,
summarized again, and recorded her main idea. We compared her initial
summary to the post close-read summary and she acknowledged that the closeread brought together details more accurately and that she had added her prior
knowledge to her initial summary. I saw this as progress as I had previously
noticed that she was very quick to answer questions without careful reading
and analysis. Further, after we captured her thinking attached to the !
annotations and lined them up, she was able to come to a more accurate, textbased main idea. (Link to work: Amelia Earhart) Again this demonstrated
progress, as she was moving more closely with the text.

Reflection Next Step

Goal
and Plan

Thus far, she has stumbled over several words, but has not acknowledged
where her comprehension breaks down in reading. I feel that the next step for
us would be to help her recognize when her comprehension breaks down and
then help her with some fix-it strategies. I may experiment with another
narrative text before moving to expository and really focus on areas where her
concentration lapses.

Lesson 9.

FINAL CASE STUDY

17

Goal:

Ellen will demonstrate her learning thus far with her mother present, thereby
reinforcing the steps we have taken.

Learning
Target

I will accurately articulate the method, purposes, and outcomes for text coding
I will demonstrate my ability to do so on a new text

Instructional
Plan:

Reflection Progress:

Meet and Greet with Mother

Review Roaming the Known information with mother - discuss
implications
Ask Ellen to explain her work in the fiction pieces we have read thus
far, explaining Text-coding, annotating for main idea
Practice and demonstrate with a new piece of fiction: Caught by the
Sea, by Gary Paulson
Discuss recommendations for further study

This was a really positive session. To begin with, when I went to get Ellen
from her academic support class, she was reading a book! This made me feel
so great. Turns out, it was a class-assigned novel, The Alchemist, which is a
book I taught several times and knew to be an upper middle school level text
(about 7th grade).
Ellens mother was very supportive of our work and glad to meet. She and
Ellen seem to have a really great relationship. Ellen was able to clearly
articulate her understanding of both how and why we were using text coding.
She was also able to demonstrate how the use of ! led her to a clearer
understanding of main idea. This Metacognition demonstrates deeper learning
(p.25).
Additionally, since she was reading an appropriately leveled fiction novel, we
used this for her to demonstrate her coding. Because time was short, I asked
her to go through and mark any key points (Alchemist coding). She did so
quickly and was spot-on with the selections she picked.
Lastly, Ellen agreed to look for some books that might interest her at the
library and I agreed to seek some titles and series that she might like in order
to increase reading at home. Both Ellen and her mom agreed to continue with
text coding with her homework.

Reflection -

For next steps, I plan to check in with her work with the Alchemist; this will

FINAL CASE STUDY

Next Step
Goal
and Plan

18

provide continual reinforcement of narrative work throughout the case study. I

will also transition to the use of expository work. While I will continue with
text coding, I am interested to utilize some of the strategies presented in
Chapter 10 of Strategies that Work, since that is specifically focused on
reading informational texts.

Lesson 10.
Goal:

Ellen will understand critical pre-reading activities for expository Texts

Learning
Target

I can articulate 3 key steps to pre-reading an expository text

Instructional
Plan:

Review target
Review text coding in The Alchemist
Discuss transition to expository text; introduce Sharing U.S. music and
dance around the world (Level 4);
We will review the key steps to Overviewing or Pre-Reading a text
(p. 157)
We will practice with the text:
o I will demonstrate how I do it using Strategies that Work
o We will do it together, using Sharing US music.
o Ellen will identify at least 3 strategies she will use

Formative
Assessment

Ellen will annotate on the text for her 3 selected strategies

Reflection Progress:

Today went really well. To begin with, she showed me her annotations in The
Alchemist. She explained that her teacher required 3 connections per section,
but I was pleased to see that she had also coded a question and main idea (The
Alchemist II). I was really excited to see that she had followed through and
demonstrated that the strategy was transferring.
We reviewed the days targets. I asked her to explain what she already did to
pre-read or gain an Overview of the text. She mentioned that she previewed
the questions and then skimmed for key words (answers). We then reviewed
the list of strategies found in Strategies that Work (p. 157). We added, Make a
prediction to that list.

FINAL CASE STUDY

19

I demonstrated how I pre-read with my Strategies that Work Textbook. We

then practiced with the article, Sharing U.S. Music. Prior to meeting with
Ellen for this lesson, I had sought and received a science text from her science
teacher. We chose to begin using that along with the text I had printed. She
previewed the text, practicing with the three steps to which she had agreed:
Noting Characteristic of Length and Structure, Noting Important Headings
and Subheadings [and predicting what text will be about], and Activating Prior
Knowledge (p. 157). She did well with this.
Reflection Next Step
Goal
and Plan

Consistency and metacognition are really important for Ellen. I will continue
to practice developing an overview with Ellen with each new text we
encounter in order to make this a habit of mind.
Since we are seeing progress with coding text, we will continue with this as
we move into expository texts. When we meet next, we will practice with the
same article, Sharing U. S. Musictogether. We will also review how this will
help her in her science course text.

Lesson 11: 3/20/15

Goal:

Ellen will demonstrate text coding and will work with a fix- it strategy when
her comprehension lapses

Learning
Target

I can text code key ideas and can determine when I meet confusion.

Instructional
Plan:

Review work with Thursday texts

Transfer text coding to expository text

o

Identify at least 3 main ideas

FINAL CASE STUDY

20

Formative
Assessment

Justify decisions with evidence

Practice with Science text - ID at least 3 ! and 2 ?

Begin discussion of fix-it strategies

Continued evaluation of text coding

Noticing when confusion occurs.

Reflection Progress:

Today we achieved frustration. While this was uncomfortable, it provided a

great window for our work. When we read and coded the article I had prepared
and that we had pre-read last time, Sharing U.S. music and dance around the
world (Level 4), Ellen was confident and accurate with her coding and
comprehension. Then we shifted to her science course text on Energy. Though
she went through the motions in coding, when I asked her to summarize what
we had read, even in small chunks, she could not find the words to articulate
her understanding. She became visibly upset.

I proceeded by breaking this text down into even smaller chunks, single
sentences, for the next section of the text, and she managed to do somewhat
better.

We discussed her feelings and she explained that she hated to be wrong. We
discussed that working to understand what she is reading is not wrong and that
even teachers often need to take a couple of stabs at a text to understand.

Reflection Next Step

Ellen and I agreed that our next meeting we would continue to work with both
texts. We set as our goal that she would be able to see when she had trouble
understanding, and that I would ask her to explain her confusion so that we
would work through that aloud.

FINAL CASE STUDY

21

Goal
and Plan

Lesson 12: 3/24/15:

Goal:

Ellen will recognize when she does not understand and will apply a fix-it
strategy: Knowing when you know and knowing when you dont know (p. 81).

Learning
Target

I will identify when I do not understand.

Instructional
Plan:

Formative
Assessment

Review Work with The Alchemist (celebrate her success on most recent
quiz)

Review target and strategy

o

I will model identifying When I know and when I dont know

We will practice together with Sharing U.S. music and dance

around the world (Level 4)

We will transfer to science reading material -

We will practice retaining comprehension through

Summarizing the content and adding a personal response (p.
185).

Ellen will be able to articulate when she loses comprehension. We will look at
a summarizing strategy to regain understanding.

FINAL CASE STUDY

Reflection Progress:

22

Really great day with lots of progress. We reviewed her work with The
Alchemist. She is enjoying the book more and keeping up with annotating that
text. We reflected on our last meeting, when she encountered frustration. She
explained that when she gets frustrated she wants to quit. I discussed how
natural that was and how she could expect to encountered that regardless of
what she does in life - like if she burned one of her cakes as a baker. She said
it was different because in school she gets judged and graded. I think this
conversation will be important to share with her teachers as something to keep
an eye out for.

Next, we reviewed the days objective and discussed how we could monitor
when she did and did not understand. We agreed on a Check versus Question
Mark next to each sentence or couple of sentences. I modeled this with two
paragraphs in Sharing U.S. music and dance around the world (Level 4). We
did it together for a paragraph and then she completed the section as I watched
(annotated Sharing Music).

We then transferred this work to her class science text on energy. Again, I
modeled my thinking as I placed checks or question marks while I read aloud.
We then discussed how I could gain a better understanding where we had
questions. She suggested that we re-read and that we look for help from the
other sections where we did understand. We did this together and ended up
with only one question, which we agreed we could ask the teacher to explain.
Ellen then read the next paragraph aloud indicating her understanding or lack
thereof. I did the same on a notecard. She indicated complete understanding,
but as we discussed my confusion, it seemed that the more we discussed it, the
clearer her understanding became, which supports Harvey and Goudvis claim
that Literacy floats on a sea of talk (p. 53). In other words, meaning is made
clearer when students have a chance to sound out their thinking with others.

When Ellen and I processed todays work, she acknowledged that she
understands this better after our close work. I asked why, and she explained

FINAL CASE STUDY

23

that when she really worked hard to understand it, she got it better. I asked if
the questions I was asking helped, and she said it did because she had to find
the words to explain her thinking. This is huge progress and whereas she felt
frustrated during our last session, she seemed encouraged after todays work.

Reflection Next Step

Goal

We will continue to work with a balance of leveled, high-interest text and

course material. Also, since we had such success with the check/ question
mark code, we will continue with that. I think the conversation and reflecting
on what to do when we do not understand was really productive.

and Plan

Lesson 13: 3/26/15

Goal:

Ellen will continue to determine when she loses track of comprehension and
how to recover that.

Learning
Target

I can determine when I have difficulty with comprehension and I can activate a
strategy to fix that.

Instructional
Plan:

Review prior work

Introduce strategy

Preview and anticipation

Ask a question prior to reading section

Model strategy

FINAL CASE STUDY

24

Practice with science Text

o

I do/ we do with Newsela article

I do/ we do with next section

Discuss and set-up for next meeting

Formative
Assessment

Ellen will be able to identify areas when she loses comprehension in a science
text and she will use a strategy to regain comprehension

Reflection Progress:

Ellen and I reviewed the strategies we had previously worked on with one
addition. First, we previewed the next section of the Newsela article,
practicing using the headers to ask questions and create anticipation for
content, which was an idea her science teacher had recommended at our
meeting. We then checked the reading against our predictions.

We did this same strategy with the energy article with which we had been
working. Since she had already done experiments related to this reading, her
comprehension was excellent. Considering that this might be the case, I had
asked our science specialist for a different resource (the science teacher had
steered me to his class digital textbook, but those articles were multimodal so
were not suitable for our work).

Ellen once again encountered a challenging portion of text in this book. We

discussed how she could regain her comprehension and she explained that she
would read further on to see if it became clearer. She read the next two
sentences, after which she could articulate her understanding of the section
that had confused her. Again, this was a success as she was now tracking her
confusion and able to fix-up her misunderstanding.

Reflection -

Our next meeting will be our second-to-last. We will review the strategies we

FINAL CASE STUDY

Next Step
Goal
and Plan

25

have employed thus far through reviewing the articles we have read,
discussing the pre-reading practices as well as the text-coding techniques. We
will practice once more with the science material. Then, I will give her a
narrative and an expository assessment from the QRI 5 to see if our work will
manifest in improved reading comprehension. I think we will see significant
improvement; I hope so as that would reinforce the strategic reading that has
helped in our sessions.

Session 14: 4/7/15

Goal:

Review strategies and re-assess using the QRI 5

Learning
Target

I can demonstrate growth in reading comprehension.

Instructional
Plan:

Using previously studied texts, we will review how to Overview or preread a text (p. 157), general text coding (p. 57), with a specific focus on
determining main idea, and coding to indicate Knowing when you know
and when you dont know (p. 81).

We will practice together on the next section of our science text

I will then assess Ellen on QRI 5

o

Narrative - High School: Where the Ashes Are - Part 1

Expository - Upper Middle School Immigration - Part I

We will process how this went, including how it felt to use the
strategies we practiced

If time allows, I will give reading survey.

FINAL CASE STUDY

26

Formative
Assessment

QRI 5 results and demonstration of active reading.

Reflection Progress:

Today went really well. We reviewed as planned, prepped for the postassessment by practice with our texts; then, we followed the QRI-5 procedure.
I chose to post-assess Expository Text first, since that was what we had
worked on mostly and most recently. As I suspected, she approached the work
far differently than she had the first time. She spent almost twice as long
reading the passage and demonstrated active reading throughout using text
coding. In fact, just looking at her pre-assessments and her post assessment is a
case study in change (Pre-assessment text - Post assessment text).

We ran out of time for the narrative text, which I explained we would assess on
Thursday.

Ellen demonstrated Independent Level on Upper Middle School Text, which

would indicate that she is at Instructional Level for High School text. This is
remarkable as she demonstrated Instructional Level at for 4th Level Texts on
her pre- assessment. I had an inkling that this initial test was low as result of a
lack of close reading, of active reading strategy application, and of effort. I
also felt more comfortable administering the QRI - 5. In fact, I am not 100%
sure that my initial determinations were accurate as I had not ever provided
these assessments before. I wonder, when using these again, should I be more
prescriptive in the initial testing by encouraging close reading and active
reading.

Reflection Next Step

Goal
and Plan

Our last meeting will be focused on narrative post-assessment, for which I

have selected a High School Text and a reading survey. It will be followed
immediately by a virtual meeting with Ellens mother to share the results and
make final recommendations. I look forward to this as Ellens progress has
been significant and I think she will feel more confident and willing to work at
comprehension in future classes and testing situations.

FINAL CASE STUDY

27

Lesson 15: 4/9/15

Goal:

Ellen will demonstrate active reading strategies on a QRI - 5 post-assessment

for Narrative Text.

Learning
Target

I will demonstrate active reading and making my thinking visible on a

narrative text.

Instructional
Plan:

Formative
Assessment

Reflection Progress:

Review Ellens success with her Expository Assessment - focusing on

the strategies that helped.

Practice with To Kill a Mockingbird, her new class text

Provide QRI - 5 Post- Assessment

Discuss experience

Provide Post Reading Survey

Meet with mom to discuss results and recommendation.

Post assessment results and demonstration of active reading practices.

Todays work was really interesting. Ellen once again demonstrated active
reading with the narrative text and read more slowly and closely than she had
on her initial assessments (Narrative Txt with Text Coding). What was
interesting was that on initial recall questions, Ellen only scored 3 correct;
however, with Look Back, she was able to accurately answer 6 more. We
discussed this and she explained that she was tired and had difficulty
concentrating. I assured her that with reading, especially more complex

FINAL CASE STUDY

28

material, re-reading was a major part of the game and that she had
demonstrated excellent comprehension even though it took a bit longer.
We then took the reading survey a second time. While the results are shared
and analyzed in a further section, one notable change is that she indicated a 5
on I know several strategies to help me as a reader, whereas she had
indicated a 2 on that the first time. This is certainly corroborated in her postassessment work.
Lastly, we had an excellent meeting with Ellens mother. Because she was
away for work, we did this via a speaker-phone. I asked Ellen to articulate the
strategies we had worked on and I reviewed the data. We discussed our
reactions to Ellens progress and we concluded with some recommendations to
build on Ellens success. These are shared in a the Home-School Partnership
Part B.
Home School Partnership Part A
Recommendations thus far for Ellens teacher are that she continues to work with Ellen
on making her thinking visible. However, since Ellen was not receptive to general annotations, I
have discussed the use of text codes, to which her teacher has been amenable. I have arranged to
meet with Ellens science teacher, as well and will review the work we have done with him, as
well.
In terms of specific coding, I will focus both on the general codes we have discussed and
worked with; however, since reading to learn is so critical at this point, I will also introduce a
new code, T for Text to Target Connections. This will enable Ellen to work through areas
where she encounters comprehension issues (initial codes) and where she can read for main idea,
but will also extend her work such that she is capturing the content.
With Ellens mother I made two recommendations. The first is that she checks in with
Ellen to make sure that she is coding her homework reading such that she is practicing this skill
at home, as well as in the classroom. We focused on the class novel Ellen is reading for ELA,

FINAL CASE STUDY

29

The Alchemist. Secondly, I have discussed with her how important volume of reading is to
vocabulary developing and reading competency. She, Ellen and I discussed possible titles or
genres that might motivate Ellen to read with regularity at home.
Final Assessments and Results
Reading Interest Survey (Please note: Scale Score 1- 5 with 1 = Lowest, 5 = Highest):
Descriptor

2/6/15

4/9/15

I enjoy reading

I feel confident about my reading ability

I feel confident about my ability to read out loud

I choose to read when I have free time

I usually understand what I read

I like to read fiction

I like to read non- fiction

I feel confident when I read fiction

I feel confident when I read non- fiction

I know several strategies to help me as a reader

QRI 5 Initial Assessments:

Level/
Type

Type Title

No Look- No Look- LookLookTotal:

back
back
Back
Back
Explicit
Implicit
Explicit Implicit

Level

Narr. P.
McKissack

Indep.

Upper
Middle
School

Narr. Malcolm X

Instruc

Exp.

Frust.

How does

FINAL CASE STUDY

30

your body
take O2
4

Exp.

Plant Struct... 1

Instruct.

QRI 5 Post Assessments:

Level/
Type

Type Title

No Look- No Look- LookLookTotal:

back
back
Back
Back
Explicit
Implicit
Explicit Implicit

Level

Upper
Middle
School

Exp.

Immigration 3
Part I
(Score Sheet)

10

Ind.

High
School

Narr

Where the
0
Ashes Are
Part I
(Score Sheet)

Ind.

Assessment Findings and Discussion

Ellens interest survey results were mostly similar, with a few notable changes. Her score
for I usually understand what I read dropped from a 5 to a 4. While this would appear as a
negative change, it actually may stem from the notion that she now recognizes when she does not
understand what she is reading. Much of our work focused on Knowing when you know and
knowing when you dont know (Harvey & Goudvis, 2007, p. 81). Ellens recognition of when
she does not know is an important step to comprehension.
A second notable shift is in response to I like to read non- fiction. While her score only
increased from 2 to 3, I think the fact that she has some strategies to use while reading may have
affected her feelings about this. Also, when we began working together, I worried that focusing

FINAL CASE STUDY

31

on expository non-fiction would have the opposite effect and that she would come to like it less.
That she indicated a even a slight increase here helps me understand, as a reading teacher, that
working from areas of weakness will not necessarily negatively affect a students perspective.
The most significant shift in Ellens reading interest survey is regarding the statement: I
know several strategies to help me as a reader. Here she moved from a 2 to a 5. A critical
moment in this process was when she told me she knew how to but chose not annotate because it
did not help her. Providing an alternative through the use of text coding (p. 57) empowered Ellen
with a strategy she could use. Since so much of our work together focused on strategic reading, it
is gratifying to see her acknowledge this. Further, that she recognizes this demonstrates a level of
metacognition that bodes well for future application. This also illustrates that Ellen is moving
toward the latter two indicators of Perkins and Swartzs Four aspects of metacognitive
knowledge (Harvey & Goudvis, 2007, p. 25): strategic learners/ readers and Reflective
learners/ readers (p. 26). I also see it as the most significant reason her QRI 5 scores
demonstrated such vast improvement.
In terms of her Passage Assessments Data, to suggest that a students reading
comprehension on Expository Texts could grow from a fourth grade level to a high school level
in 15 tutoring sessions is illogical. The results of these assessments indicate a number of
findings.
To begin with, although I followed the procedure proscribed by the QRI 5 while
determining initial levels for Ellen as a reader, I was never convinced that she was as delayed as
the results indicated. My observations, however, that she read quickly and without using a pencil
may have more to do with her leveling than her comprehension. Harvey and Goudvis (2007)
discuss the importance of observing behavior and expressions while working with readers (p.

FINAL CASE STUDY

32

40) and my observations indicated that Ellen was not a close or active reader, which provided a
starting point for our work together. Further, when provided the opportunity to Look Back on
the initial assessments, Ellen did a cursory job with this and did not change her answers
significantly. This is indicated on the Initial Assessment chart where her comprehension only
increased minimally with Look Backs. Leslie and Caldwell (2010) suggest that observing
whether students can find answers when they go back into a text will provide valuable
information for instruction (p. 11). They also contend that assessments without Look back
may underestimate a students level of comprehension (p. 40). I would suggest that
assessments without deliberate and focused Look backs have the same effect and that this was
certainly true in my work with Ellen.
On Ellens post- assessments, as indicated and illustrated with images in Lessons 14 and
15, she demonstrated Active Reading through the use of codes, underlines, and circles. She read
slowly and closely, taking time, on the expository text, to study the graphs. Additionally, when
asked to Look Back to clarify the accuracy of questions, she took her time, re-examined the
text, and was able to demonstrate significantly higher comprehension. Though we followed the
same procedure for assessment, her habits had changed and she was able to demonstrate a more
accurate level of comprehension.
An additional finding, and one I had not anticipated, came from analyzing the difference
between her explicit and implicit understanding. Particularly when working with more complex
material, Ellens explicit understanding was lower than her implicit understanding, prior to reexamining the text. This indicates that she could understand inferentially what the text said, but
had difficulty recalling details from the text. The first reading anchor standard for the Common
Core State Standards in Literacy is: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and

FINAL CASE STUDY

33

to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to
support conclusions drawn from the text. Ellen was unable to recall specifically what the text
says explicitly until she reviewed the text for specific textual evidence. When I discussed this
with her English teacher, she said that this made sense as Ellen had acknowledged that she would
often forget facts when she read. It also corroborates some of her initial statements when we
began working together. Ellens results indicate a difference between understanding during
reading and memory for what was read and understood (Leslie & Caldwell, 2010. P. 40). In
short, the results of the QRI 5 indicate that Ellens reading comprehension is at or near gradelevel when she reads closely and applies the comprehension strategies that skilled readers use.
Home School Partnership Part B
Parent Meetings
Dates
1/2015

3/23/15

Agenda Items
Initial Phone Meeting:
Introduce myself and review
project goals, requirements and
purposes
Clarify any Questions
Receive permission to proceed

Outcomes/ Evidence
Great start. Mother had lots of
questions, but ultimately became
enthusiastic. We exchanged emails
after the meeting and commenced
electronic communication.

Agenda:
Explain:
Roaming the Known
o Photo Journal
o Data
Initial Plan
o Close reading - strategic
o Explicit Explanation
Model
Recommendations
o Active Reading
o Volume

This was the first time we met in

person. The three of us met together
and reviewed the work we had done
and discussed the continued direction.

Initial Meeting Follow up Email

Ellens mother and I met afterward

and continued the discussion. Though
this is not documented as well, the
greatest outcome for me was when
Ellens mom mentioned that Ellen was
a really sensitive kid. While I always
try to remain positive, this was a
reminder to even be more so. I believe

FINAL CASE STUDY

34

that positivity yields incredible results.

4/9/14
Agenda:
Review tutoring session work
Review pre and post assessment results
Share Recommendations:

Continue with annotations

Keep track of how Ellen is

feeling re: reading - consider
tutoring if she encounters
challenges as her course and
materials become more
challenging

Work to develop a life -long

reading habit through highinterest books and series:
o

Percy Jackson series

Hunger Games series,

Maze Runner series,

Divergent series

Goodreads list

Also, reach out to teachers/ me

with future questions.

Email Exchange to set up meeting

This meeting occurred over speakerphone, directly after our last tutoring
session. Ellen and I were at her school,
but her mother was out of town for
business so we met this way.
As you can see in the linked email
exchange, this was positive. Ellen and
her mother were both very pleased
with Ellens progress and Ellen
seemed more than willing to continue
with the steps that had helped her
succeed.
Email Exchange after this meeting.

FINAL CASE STUDY

35

Teacher Meetings
Dates
1/2015

Agenda Items
Initial meeting with Ellens English
Teacher:

3/2015

4/10/15

Understand Ellen as a reader

Gain recommendations from her
teacher.

Meeting with Ellens English and

Science Teachers.

Review Data from Initial Testing

Discuss implications
Share Tutoring Plan
Seek Guidance

Review Data
Discuss implications
Share Next Steps

Outcomes/ Evidence
Ellens teacher provided excellent
insight. She shared with me her
impressions as well as the preliminary
data. We discussed the use of strategic
reading strategies and visualization to
support Ellen as a reader.
Image of preliminary data
I do not have any tangible evidence of
this meeting; however, their reflections
were really insightful.
First, and this was gratifying, they
acknowledged that Ellens attitude and
performance had improved since the
tutoring began. Also, they
recommended using the headers in
each section of text to determine
questions/ predictions. I used that with
Ellen.
During this meeting I met with Ellens
English and science teacher. We
reviewed both the post reading interest
survey and assessment data.
Both teachers were encouraged and
agreed to support her continual use of
these strategies. Ellens English
teacher acknowledged that she had
been really surprised by the initial
assessment data and felt that she Ellen
was a much more proficient reader
than that indicated.

Email from English Teacher

FINAL CASE STUDY

36

Final Reflection
Supporting Ellen as a Learner
Perhaps the most significant learning from this process was in the power of relationship.
Ellen had been taught strategies prior to our work together, but in a large class with learners who
struggled more than she did, she was able to slip between the cracks. Developing that
relationship and working individually clearly impacted Ellens work throughout our sessions as
well as her work in her classes.
Ellens improvement as a strategic reader really reinforced the metacognitive processes
that Harvey and Goudvis (2007) discuss: It isnt enough for students to simply understand a
strategy. They must know when, why and how to use it (p. 26). Comparing Ellens reading
practice, specifically her use of annotations, on the initial assessments to the final assessments
indicated for me that she was using the strategies we practiced because she recognized their
value. Seeing her do this on her class texts throughout the process also indicated that she had
turned that corner.
Using the Explicit Sequencing Model (Duffy, 2005) provided a perfect lesson format for
this work. Modeling a strategy, providing guided practice, then allowing for independent practice
was highly effective. Having the individualized time to work together also reinforced within that
process how critical it is for students to talk about their thinking (p. 38). When she asked to
clarify her understanding, I listen to her talking to learn. In other words, she was sorting out and
better understanding her ideas the more she discussed them with me. This read, write and talk
(p. 40) connection proved to be so critical.
A last support that I had not worked with previously was the use of text coding. It is
interesting that Harvey and Goudvis (2007) suggest that sometimes text coding can interfere with

FINAL CASE STUDY

37

a students reading flow. This is the exact reason that we selected text coding as Ellen found
longer annotations to interfere with her concentration. This was a perfect antidote and is a
strategy that Ellen will continue to use.
Assessments
I recognize what a helpful tool the Qualitative Reading Inventory 5 (QRI 5) is in
evaluating readers, particularly after scrutinizing the results more carefully. For example,
recognizing that Ellen struggles with explicit questions is pivotal information. I was so glad to
pass that along to her and to her teachers so that they too would be able to pay closer attention to
this. I also recognized how important observation is while providing assessments. Noting Ellens
lack of active reading and pace pushed me to focus on these two elements immediately and I
think enabled some of her success.
While I recognize the strengths of the QRI 5, I also have come to understand some of
its limitations. Right off, Leslie and Caldwell (2010) state that the QRI 5 can be used to
estimate a students reading level (p. 1). These provide an estimate rather than empirical
evidence. This is important for any administrator of a diagnostic test to understand. Ellens initial
scores did not accurately reflect her comprehension level so much as her effort and recall. This
became evident to me as soon as we began working at her Instructional Level for Expository
Text. When provided support and instruction in terms of close and strategic reading, she
demonstrated a much higher comprehension proficiency.
This discrepancy demanded that I ascertain her reading level through much more
formative means, through reading with her, asking questions and continually providing more
complex material. Through this process, though, I fully came to see how effective scaffolding
can be. Once Ellen was confronted with material that challenged her, she had practiced

FINAL CASE STUDY

38

repeatedly with lower-level texts such that she had skills in place to handle the more complex
literature. This is what Harvey and Goudvis (2007) mean when they state that, Comprehension
instruction is cumulative and recursive (p. 34); Ellens competence was constructed on past
successes.
Teaching struggling readers
Several aspects of the work I did with Ellen will inform my work with future struggling
readers. First, the Explicit Explanation Sequence and Harvey and Goudviss Gradual Release of
Responsibility (p. 32), which were the models I used, are methods that would work for many
struggling readers. Both models emphasize the need to be explicit about the strategies being
taught and also to work within the guided practice model of I do, We do, You do. I melded this
with our countys framework, which incorporates a daily explicit learning target and it was
evident that Ellen came to expect this from each lesson. Also, articulating an achievable task then
accomplishing that task is extremely empowering for learners, especially struggling learners who
may not have experienced as much academic success.
Another transferrable facet of this experience, which somewhat contradicts the Harvey
and Goudvis text, is the focus on fewer strategies rather than continually introducing new
strategies, we introduce one strategy at a time, but quickly move on to introduce additional
strategies so that kids build a repertoire of strategies and use them flexibly to understand what
they read (p. 34). This outlines my initial plan with Ellen; however, once we began working
together, I felt that to quickly introduce additional strategies would have been like icing a cake
that had not yet cooled. In truth, Ellen and I really only worked on a few strategies. I think this
repetition garnered success and I would continue to do this with future struggling readers.

FINAL CASE STUDY

39

Lastly, this experience has taught me how critical it is to provide struggling readers with
high-quality, focused intervention work. Ellens needs were not as significant as some readers
needs will be, but they were there. Through the individualized attention and consistent practice,
she was able to get back on track.
This learning leads beyond the individualized work with struggling readers to advocacy.
In an April 6, 2015 op-ed to the Raleigh News and Observer, Dr. Hiller Spires so clearly
articulated the need for reading specialists. She asserts that 65% of North Carolinas fourth grade
students scored below proficient on reading assessments and that about 1 in 6 children who are
not reading proficiently by the end of third grade will not graduate from high school on time and
are likely to drop out. Despite that evidence, according to Spires, North Carolina Legislation is
effectively decreasing the number of future certified reading specialists by increasing the
requirements and eliminating pay incentives for advanced degrees.
Recognizing even more clearly now, through my work with Ellen, how critical it is to
support struggling readers with high-quality, individualized instruction, further dramatizes the
point Dr. Spires articulates. We need to be providing these students with everything we can,
rather than diminishing their odds for success.

References

FINAL CASE STUDY

40

Bear, D. R., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnson, F. (2012). Words their way with English
learners: Word study for phonics, vocabulary, and spelling instruction. Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.
Berger, R., Woodfin, L., Plaut, S. N., & Dobbertin, C. B. (2014). Transformational literacy:
Making the Common Core shift with work that matters. San Francisco: Jossey - Bass.
English Language Arts Standards Anchor Standards College and Career Readiness Anchor
Standards for Reading. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA
Literacy/CCRA/R/
Duffy, Gerald Dr., 2005, Keynote Address, Mary Lois Staton Reading/Language Arts
Conference.
Harvey, S., & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies that work: Teaching comprehension for
understanding and engagement. Portland, Me.: Stenhouse.
Leslie, L., & Caldwell, J. (2010). Qualitative reading inventory-5. Boston, MA: Allyn and
Bacon.
McCormick, S., & Zutell, J. (2015). Instructing students who have literacy problems. Boston:
Pearson.
Spires, H., Dr. (2015). The importance of expanding reading specialists in NC schools. New and
Observer.
Templeton, S. (2014). Words their way. Harlow, Essex: Pearson.

FINAL CASE STUDY

41

CHECBRIC- Final Case Study Project

Name: Eric Grant
Date: 4/15/15
Cut and paste a next to each below indicating completion BEFORE you submit the
assignment.
Title page
Table of Contents
Edited Initial Student Profile and Plan
Photo journal
Photo narrative
Lesson plans and reflections from all 15 lessons with citations from texts
Running Records (optional)
Final Assessments and Results
Assessment Findings/Discussion
Home School Partnership Part A
Home/School Partnership Part B
Final Reflection
Saved the document using the following file name: Your name, Final Case Study
Project
Edited assignment for correct GUM (Grammar, Usage, and Mechanics) prior to
submission.
Checked off each ChecBric item and completed Student Comments (see below)
with thoughtful contemplation reflective of a well-informed professional educator.

STUDENT COMMENTS Include your reflection on the assignment. What did you learn? How
might you apply what you learned? Were there issues with this assignment?
Once again, I learned how important careful examination of data is for informing
instruction. Specifically, understanding that Ellen struggles with explicit questions will enable
Ellen, her mother and her teachers to pinpoint their efforts. This is information I would not
have gained without charting and scrutinizing her assessment scores for this report. I will
remember this as I work with students and teachers.
I also feel empowered by this project in that I feel more capable of providing
remediation with a struggling reader. Much of this came from reading and applying course
material, including understanding how to use the QRI-5 for diagnostic purposes, but some
of it comes from recognizing that my experience-honed instincts helped Ellen succeed. In
fact, I was comparing my 6421 and 6422 experience. The learning curve was much steeper
for me during 6421 but the learning was much deeper in 6422. I believe this is due to the
fact that we build new learning on old. Because I had more to build on, I could build more.

FINAL CASE STUDY

INSTRUCTOR RUBRIC FOR FINAL CASE
ITEMS
RELATED TASKS
Item 1
Item 2

Item 3

Item 4
Item 5
Item 6

Item 8

Item 9

42
STUDY PROJECT

(38 Points)

TITLE PAGE for your case study: Your name, course

number, semester, and an appropriate graphic or image of
some sort.
TABLE OF CONTENTS with corresponding page numbers.
NOTE: The table of contents will continue to evolve with
each submission of your case study project.
EDITED INITIAL STUDENT PROFILE AND PLAN Include
the entire Initial Student Profile and Plan from Module 4.
All corrections and amendments should be evident
different color ink or highlighted. This is a polished version
of what you submitted in Module 4.
PHOTO JOURNAL. A link to your students entire PHOTO
JOURNAL should be included in this assignment.
PHOTO JOURNAL NARRATIVE. Add a narrative
explaining the value of the photo journal experience and
what it revealed about your student.
LESSON PLANS AND REFLECTIONS (up to this point).
Number each lesson and lesson reflection. Submit a plan
for each lesson, including detailed instructional plans and
goals, followed by a reflection of each session. The
reflections should detail student progress and what is
planned for next steps. Include short-term goals for the
students and how you plan to meet those goals. (Refer to
the texts, STW, and the Important Behaviors to Notice and
Support handout.) Citations from READ 6421 & 6422 texts
should be clearly evident in these reflective paragraphs
indicating the incorporation of knowledge gained during
both semesters.
RUNNING RECORDS (optional). Running records are
valuable tools for documenting students reading progress.
Accuracy rates, self-correction rates, and analysis of
miscues provide a window into the childs reading process.
Scanned copies of running records or narratives detailing
the results from the running records may be included as
well as a reflection on how the running record results
influenced your lesson plans (think text selection, strategy
support, and prompting here).
FINAL ASSESSMENTS AND RESULTS: Results from ALL
assessments administered (pre and post) should be
included in this section. Final QRI-5 calculation sheets were
included, as well as a Developmental Spelling Assessment
feature guide. You do not need to include ALL QRI-5
passages and words lists administered unless you want to.
(It is acceptable to include only a copy of the passage
determined to be the PINNACLE (top) level at which your
student read instructionally [before and after]. Then TELL
about other passages administered [in narrative form] and
how these results helped you plan appropriate instruction

possible
points

earned
points

FINAL CASE STUDY

Item 10

Item 11

Item 12

Item 13

Item 14
Item 15

AND determine how much progress your student made.) If

you used another IRI (such as the DRA) include those
results here.
ASSESSMENT FINDINGS/DISCUSSION: Within several
paragraphs, describe the trends and patterns that were
noted in your students reading across the entire time that
you met. Address how this student is literate and
whether or not the assessments that were used accurately
documented his/her understandings. Discuss whether or
not the assessments documented your students gains in
the area or areas you focused upon in his/her instruction.
Home School Partnership Part A. A narrative describing
the recommendations that were made for 1) your tutees
teacher (or another designee) and 2) your tutees
parent/guardian so that they can help him/her maintain the
progress that has been made and serve as a model reader
(by reading themselves IN FRONT of his/her child).
HOME/SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP PART B: Include a
schedule of your completed meetings and the agendas of
these meetings. There should be evidence that you met
with each of these parties at least 3 times across the
tutoring experience (INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE MORE
PARENT/STUDENT MEETING AS YOUR 1-1 SESSIONS
CONCLUDE) and that you followed through with your plan.
Evidence should be in the form of the other parties
reactions and responses and how your partnership
influenced your work with the student.
FINAL REFLECTION: What did you learn from this
tutoring experience about a) supporting your student so
he/she could succeed, b) using formative assessment to
plan instruction and c) teaching struggling readers in
general? Citations from texts (those used in this
course and other sources) must be clearly evident in
this reflection. THIS PIECE IS CRITICAL. IT SHOULD
PROVIDE CONVINCING EVIDENCE OF YOUR EXPERTISE AS
A MASTER TEACHER OF READING.
Correct GUM (no more than 2 errors)
ChecBric items checked off and Student Comments reflect
professional knowledge and thoughtful composition

Total
INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS--

43

2
2
38