My new BFF Melissa has been bugging me to take a look at the reading program, LPS uses, "Sidewalks On Reading Street" (I don't know if the whole LPS uses it or just SPED). I've been extremely busy and I am no expert on reading. But I'd thought I'd just throw it out there and let some of who are go at it.
The anecdotal reporting seems pretty good but that is subject to editing. The trouble I see is the testing appears to be on a limited sample. I'm not making any accusations but I will say, "The smaller the sample, the more prone it is to statistical manipulation" Help me out here, please.
http://assets.pearsonschool.com/asset_mgr/legacy/200913/researchoverview_19441_1.pdf
Am I bugging you Stanley? To see the exact statistics one must jump to page 14 of the report under "Discussion". It reads: "The findings in this report represent a sample of 20 second- and third-grade facilitator (teachers) and 278 students involved in...My Sidewalks as a pullout intervention."
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to direct your readership to the My Sidewalks website which states, "My Sidewalks should be used along with a scientifically research-based comprehensive classroom reading program."
So the My Sidewalks reading program (which has been is use for the last 2 1/2 years and the Sped Dept has no solid data on) has only been tested on 278 second- and third-graders in a pullout model and should be used in conjunction with a scientifically research-based comprehensive classroom reading program.
Why are we letting them get away with this?
http://www.pearsonschool.com/index.cfm?locator=PSZu68&PMDBSUBCATEGORYID=24801&PMDBSITEID=2781&PMDBSUBSOLUTIONID=&PMDBSOLUTIONID=6724&PMDBSUBJECTAREAID=&PMDBCATEGORYID=3289&PMDbProgramID=28161&elementType=attribute&elementID=142
I believe the scientifically research based classroom reading program that Sidewalks is used in conjuction with is our Trophies reading series which is in all regular ed. classrooms across the city. I know teachers who use Sidewalks and have good things to say if that helps you at all.
ReplyDeleteUntil I can see actual "scientific research" I am dubious that "Trophies" fills that criteria; considering that the Florida Center for Reading Research reviewed the 1st Grade intervention model and found that it, "does not yet have a research base developed." According to the What Works Clearing house, Houghton Mifflin (which owns Harcourt Trophies) has "No studies meeting evidence standards". So I took it one step further and called Houghton Mifflin Harcourt headquarters to see if I could acquire a copy of their scientifically-based research and they DO NOT have any. I then looked to the DOE to see if they could shed some light on why I was having so much trouble finding the scientific research that I was seeking. Well they sent me back to the What Works Clearing house and when I search for "Harcourt Trophies" I get nada!
ReplyDeleteSounds like they don' want any street lights on Reading Street exposing the truth. At least on Sesame Street they tell you the number and letter the show is brought to you by.
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