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"Picture Me Reading!" Results With Classes And Groups
Pre and Post-Test Data from “Picture Me Reading!”
Regular Education Interventions
Curriculum directors and special education directors will be very interested in the results when PMR! is used with groups and whole classes, during the regular school year and during summer school, as well in after school settings. Some settings for which we have data are included in this section.
The data from these and from other sources in which “Picture Me Reading!” was used in group settings lead us to make the following recommendations:
1. Introduce the Dolch Sight Words early, preferably in kindergarten during the regular academic year, but certainly no later than first grade. Systematic daily practice and reinforcement provided throughout kindergarten and first grade, will lead to early reading success and preclude much of the need for remediation in later grades.
2. Summer school intervention in sight word knowledge can be tightly targeted. Children with reading delays could each be tested for Dolch Word knowledge prior to class assignment. Those with delays in this important reading skill might all be placed into a single summer school class at each level, to provide extra instruction and intensive daily drill in acquiring the sight words.
3. Cross-age tutoring could be a useful means of helping children acquire sight word knowledge during the regular school year. After school programs (AM/PM; ESS) provide an excellent opportunity to teach Dolch Sight Words with games and activities which both older and younger children enjoy.
4. All children who are scheduled for Student Study Team intervention (which oten leads to referrals for psycho-educational evaluation, Special Education placement, or informal assistance) should probably receive intensive help to acquire this critical vocabulary before being evaluated for the need for special help. Often children who seem as though they are “learning disabled” quickly gain confidence and reading skills with "Picture Me Reading!" and no longer require any special attention at all once a core of basic reading vocabulary has been mastered.
Nearly all of the groups for which data are provided here were composed of children from regular classrooms who weren't keeping up in reading. If you have collected data for your class or group, we would greatly appreciate it if you would share it with us. For testimonies from successful users of “Picture Me Reading!” with individuals, see the testimonials on our User Comments page.
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Interpreting The Data
Pre- and post–testing for the group results was accomplished by use of the Dolch Sight Word List (220 words) and the Slosson Oral Reading Test (SORT). SORT results are reported in grade level equivalents, beginning with the kindergarten entry level, 0.0. A grade consists of 10 months; therefore a grade level equivalent of 1.4 would translate to first grade, fourth month; 2.3 equals second grade, third month; 0.1 is equivalent to the first month in kindergarten.
The grade equivalence rating scale for the Dolch Sight Word List was obtained from Diagnosing and Correcting Reading Disabilities, Second Edition, by George D. Spache. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, Inc., 1981, p. 159. The rating scale was devised by Elton G. Stetson. "The Reading Equivalence Table" is shown below. Please note that the lowest level on this scale is beginning first grade, rather than kindergarten, thus figures on the SORT do not equate to scores on the test of Dolch Word Knowledge.
Rating Scale for the Dolch Word List
Score
0-20
21-40
41-60
61-75
76-80
81-100
101-120
121-140
141-160
161-170
170-171
| Reading Level
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
2.0 | Score
172-175
176-180
181-185
186-190
191-195
196-199
200-202
203-206
207-210
211-220
| Reading Level
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
3.0
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Interpreting these data requires some care. It is important to note that the intervals between grade levels on this scale are not equal! A child must master 170 words during first grade; the second grade ratings fall between 170 and 210 words – only 40 words. Thus, the more words that are acquired in the later stages of learning the Dolch Words, the faster the apparent progress through grade levels. A child can learn 100 words and gain only five months of credit in the earliest stage, while a similar number of words acquired after the first hundred have already been learned yields twice that much academic “growth.” This is because the first year of instruction in reading often focuses on teaching the sight words necessary for fluent reading and good comprehension.
Note: If you do not have a computer with a high resolution display, columns 2 and 3 might be distorted. If you would like an easily readable Word Document of the results, let us know and we'll send it to you as an e-mail attachment.
Kroc Center San Diego “After School Reading Club”
Bible Stories Reading Class
January 22 – March 1, 2007
- The students in this six week (1 ˝ hours, 3 times per week) class showed an average gain of 7 months in Dolch Sight Word recognition and an average gain of 6 months in Slosson Oral Reading Test (SORT) scores!
| Grade
Of
Each
Child
K
1
1
1
1
1
1
3
Avgs
| |
Pre-test
Words
& Grade
Equiv.
23 (1.2)
38 (1.2)
50(1.3)
63(1.3)
85(1.5)
109 (1.6)
114(1.6)
153(1.8)
79(1.4)
| | Post Test
Words
& Grade
Equiv.
105 (1.6)
162 (1.9)
136 (1.7)
168 (1.9)
183(2.3)
179 (2.2)
201 (2.7)
212 (3.0)
168 (1.9)
| | Number
Of
Words
Gained
+82
+124
+86
+105
+98
+70
+87
+59
+89
| |
Months
Gained
+4
+7
+4
+6
+8
+6
+11
+12
+7
| |
SORT
Pre-
test
0.2
0.5
0.4
0.4
0.9
1.0
1.5
1.5
0.8
SORT
Post
Test
0.7
1.5
1.0
0.9
1.5
1.5
2.2
1.8
1.4
| |
Months
Gained
+5
+10
+6
+5
+6
+5
+7
+3
+6
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Total Words Learned In Six Weeks = 89 average.
Most Dolch Words Memorized: Two children each learned over 100 Dolch Words beyond the number or Dolch Words they knew when they began.
Most Months Of Growth On The Dolch Word Test: Two children made more tha a year's growth in Dolch Word knowledge (Note: the higher a child's reading schore at the beginning, the easier to make months of growth on this test. It is not an equal interval scale).
Attendance: The average attendance for the class was just 14 of the 18 sessions due to illnesses and family issues. Nevertheless, all these remarkable children, with the help of their very dedicated mothers, attained excellent results in reading during the six weeks of the class.
Kroc Center San Diego After School
"Picture Me Reading Riddles Club"
October – November, 2006
- The results of this six week class are amazing, with an average gain of 9 months in Dolch Sight Word recognition and an average gain of 8 months in Slosson Oral Reading Test (SORT) scores! Five children made gains in grade equivalence on one or both tests of word recognition of one year or more after attending just eighteen sessions.
| Grade
Of
Each
Child
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
K
Avgs
| |
Pre-test
Words
& Grade
Equiv.
12 (1.1)
20 (1.1)
43(1.3)
44(1.3)
45 (1.3)
49 (1.3)
49(1.3)
65(1.3)
66(1.3)
44(1.3) | | Post Test
Words
& Grade
Equiv.
146 (1.8)
108 (1.6)
172 (2.0)
190 (2.4)
175 (2.1)
190 (2.4)
209 (2.9)
189 (2.4)
141 (1.8)
169 (1.9)
| | Number
Of
Words
Gained
+134
+88
+129
+146
+130
+141
+160
+124
+75
+125 | |
Months
Gained
+7
+5
+7
+11
+8
+11
+16
+11
+5
+9
| |
SORT
Pre-
test
0.1
0.3
0.3
0.4
0.4
0.6
0.5
0.6
0.8
0.4
SORT
Post
Test
1.2
0.6
1.1
1.4
1.3
1.4
1.9
1.3
1.1
1.2
| |
Months
Gained
+11
+3
+8
+10
+9
+8
+14
+7
+3
+8
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Total words learned in six weeks = 125 average. It should be remembered that most of the children in the class were there because they had been identified as being behind in reading skills. It appears that, until the Riddles Club, the teaching styles provided to them in beginning reading had not matched well with their learning styles.
Sweetwater Springs Elementary School
"Picture Me Reading!" After School Reading Club
NOV 2005 - MAY 2006
- First graders gained two years in sight word knowledge during just six months of fun activities with “Picture Me Reading!” in their after-school day care setting! Kinders will enter first grade already reading!
| | Grade
Of
Each
Child
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
K Avg
1
1
1
1
1
1
1st Avg
| |
Pre-test
Words
& Grade
Equiv.
0 (1.1)
0 (1.1)
2 (1.1)
2 (1.1)
2 (1.1)
2 (1.1)
3 (1.1)
7 (1.1)
59(1.3)
(1.1)
41(1.3)
52 (1.3)
75 (1.3)
77(1.4)
83(1.5)
110(1.6)
73(1.3)
| | Post Test
Words
& Grade
Equiv.
30 (1.2)
105 (1.6)
54(1.3)
59(1.3)
90(1.5)
28(1.2)
204 (2.8)
84(1.5)
217(3.0)
99(1.5)
220(3.0)
214(3.0)
219(3.0)
194(2.5)
220(3.0)
219(3.0)
214(3.0)
| | Number
Of
Words
Gained
30
105
52
57
88
26
201
+77
159
87
179
152
144
117
137
109
140
| |
Months
Gained
+1
+5
+2
+2
+4
+1
+17
+4
+17
+4
+17
+17
+17
+11
+15
+14
+15
| |
SORT
Pre-
test
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.4
+0.1
0.3
0.7
0.8
0.7
0.8
1.3
0.8
| |
SORT
Post
Test
0.2
0.8
0.4
0.5
0.6
2.0
2.2
0.5
4.8
1.1
3.6
3.2
2.6
1.9
3.5
3.2
3.0
| |
Months
Gained
+2
+8
+4
+5
+6
+2
+22
+4
+44
+11
+33
+25
+18
+12
27
19
+22
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Fifteen children in kindergarten and first grade participated in the Picture Me Reading Riddle Club activities during the time they spent in after school day care from late November until the first week of June. Pre-and post-testing with the Dolch Word Test and the Slosson Oral Reading Test revealed remarkable gains in word knowledge.
Two kindergartners mastered nearly all the 220 Dolch Words, gaining more than two years in word reading, while the rest made average gains in Dolch Word equivalents from beginning to mid-first grade. The six first graders averaged gains of 1.5 years on the Dolch Word Test with an average increase of +140 Dolch Words, and a corresponding increase of over 2 years on the Slosson Oral Reading Test. They began with an average grade level on the SORT of 0.8 (eighth month in kindergarten), and ended with an average grade level of 3.0 (beginning 3rd grade).
Spring Valley Community Center
"Picture Me Reading!" After School Reading Club
April - May, 2006
This “Picture Me Reading!” community service project is an after school reading rescue effort for beginning and struggling readers in grades K, 1 and 2. Our "Picture Me Reading Dolch Sight Words!" cards and our “Picture Me Reading Dolch Sight Word Riddles!” booklet are used to help these struggling students catch up with their peers. The fact that these are struggling students needs to be kept in mind when reviewing the results. Parents are encouraged to attend to see how instruction is accomplished and then to review the words with the children at home with fun games and activities found in our “All Your Students Can Read!” booklet.
The classes were held from 3:30-5:30 three days a week, for six weeks (In 2005, the classes ran for 8 weeks). This class consisted of seven kindergartners and five first graders.
| Grade
Of
Each
Child
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
Avgs
| |
Pre-test
Words
& Grade
Equiv.
7 (1.1)
9 (1.1)
13 (1.3)
24(1.2)
37 (1.2)
50 (1.3)
53(1.3)
29 (1.2)
88 (1.5)
99 (1.5)
138 (1.7)
145 (1.8)
58 (1.3) | | Post Test
Words
& Grade
Equiv.
54 (1.3)
66 (1.3)
63 (1.3)
97 (1.5)
127 (1.7)
128 (1.7)
179 (2.2)
99 (1.5)
183 (2.3)
173 (2.1)
202 (2.7)
220 (3.0)
133 (1.7)
| | Number
Of
Words
Gained
+47
+57
+50
+73
+91
+78
+126
+70
+95
+74
+64
+75
+75 | |
Months
Gained
+2
+2
+2
+3
+5
+4
+8
+3
+8
+6
+10
+12
+5.4
| |
SORT
Pre-
test
0.1
0.1
0.2
0.2
0.3
0.2
0.7
0.3
0.8
0.8
1.9
1.3
0.6
SORT
Post
Test
0.5
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
1.1
1.3
0.8
1.6
1.3
2.3
1.9
1.1
| |
Months
Gained
+4
+3
+4
+6
+7
+9
+6
+5
+8
+5
+4
+6
+5.6
| |
The average class attendance was 14 days or 85% attendance for the group. Average growth in new word knowledge of critical high frequency Dolch Word vocabulary was 75! Average gain in achievement was about 5.5 months on two separate tests of word knowledge. The kindergartners' average word gain was +89. They gained 5.6 months of grade equivalence on the Slosson Oral Reading Test. One remarkable bilingual kindergartner mastered 126 new words with just fourteen days of attendance, and his achievement level leaped from beginning first to beginning second grade! The first graders' average number of critical vocabulary words gained was +76. On the Slosson Oral Reading Test, the average gain for both kindergartners and first graders was 5.6 months.
Post testing was accomplished in the final 4 days of the class. The scores of some of the children undoubtedly would have been even higher if post testing could have been delayed until after the full 18 days of instruction and practice.
Spring Valley Community Center
"Picture Me Reading!" After School Reading Club
April 5 - May 26, 2005
The classes for these struggling readers were held from 3:30 to 5:30 three days a week, for eight weeks. Testing was done prior to the last day of the classes. Perfect attendance was achieved by only two students. Most children missed from 1 to 3 days. Two missed 7 days and 1 missed 8 days, or one third of the sessions. The average attendance figure was 21 days.
| Grade
Of
Each
Child
K
K
K
K
K
K
K
1st
1st
1st
1st
1st
Avgs
| |
Pre-test
Words
& Grade
Equiv.
2 (1.1)
2 (1.1)
7 (1.1)
15 (1.1)
23 (1.2)
30 (1.2)
71 (1.3)
79 (1.4)
105 (1.6)
132 (1.7)
139 (1.7)
150 (1.8)
63 (1.4) | | Post Test
Words
& Grade
Equiv.
126 (1.7)
32 (1.2)
121 (1.7)
181 (2.3)
126 (1.7)
148 (1.8)
207 (2.9)
172 (2.1)
192 (2.5)
208 (2.9)
209 (2.9)
220 (3.0)
162 (2.2)
| | Number
Of
Words
Gained
+124
+30
+114
+166
+103
+118
+136
+93
+87
+76
+70
+70
+99 | |
Months
Gained
+6
+1
+6
+12
+5
+6
+16
+7
+9
+12
+12
+12
+8.6
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SORT
Pre-
test
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.2
1.0
0.4
1.3
1.4
1.5
2.1
0.7
SORT
Post
Test
0.6
0.3
0.8
1.2
0.7
1.0
1.8
2.3
2.1
1.7
2.5
2.9
1.5
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Months
Gained
+6
+3
+8
+11
+6
+8
+8
+19
+8
+3
+10
+8
+8.2
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Five children in this group made gains of OVER ONE YEAR on the Dolch Word measure, and three children made gains of ONE YEAR or more on the Slosson Oral Reading Test
After accounting for absences, the children in this group were present an average of 21 instructional periods, equivalent to about four weeks of reading instruction in full time school attendance. In that time, the average amount of growth in sight word acquisition for the group was EIGHT+ MONTHS (Only one child attained fewer than 5 months gain. This child has a serious learning disability in visual memory).
Spring Valley Community Center
"Picture Me Reading!" After School Reading Club
April - May, 2004
This six-week class consisted of five kindergartners, three first graders, and one second grader. One of the kindergartners was present only 7 of the 18 days of the class. The average class attendance was 80%.
The kindergartners averaged nearly four months’ gain in Dolch Word knowledge, with average of 71 words gained. Their average Dolch Word knowledge at the end equated to a grade equivalence of 1.7, or first grade, seventh month! They gained 4+ months of grade equivalence on the Slosson Oral Reading Test.
The first graders averaged 6.7 months of gain in Dolch Word knowledge. The average number of words gained for this group was 72. On the Slosson Oral Reading Test, their average gain was 5 months in reading achievement level in less than 18 days of instruction.
The second grader learned 49 Dolch Words and gained four months grade equivalence on the Slosson.
Three children more than doubled the number of words they knew upon entry. Three children made nearly a year’s growth (9 months for one, 8 months for two others) on the test of Dolch Word knowledge. The child who had perfect attendance is a kindergartner who also learned the most new words – 89 new Dolch Words in less than six weeks of instruction!
Northmont Riddle Club
Spring, 2001
The Northmont Elementary School Riddle Club was an intervention with ten struggling first graders, already reading a half year below expectancy at the end of the first semester in 2000. Two groups were formed, one with five pupils earning the lowest scores on the test of Dolch Word knowledge given in February before instruction began, the other with the five scoring highest.
The parents were contacted to describe the plan, gain their approval, and secure a pledge to help at home by reinforcing the vocabulary words taught each week. Each child was loaned a set of the 220 “Picture Me Reading!” Dolch Sight Words flash cards, laminated, and placed on two 3" rings. A Dolch Word folder was made for each child, with known words marked. The child's progress was recorded on this list half way through the semester and at the end. The flash cards were returned to the school library at the end of the school year.
The booklet, "Picture Me Reading Dolch Sight Word Riddles!" (which consists of ONLY the 220 Dolch Words) gave a reason for learning the words, and provided a few new words to learn in each riddle, while repeating and reinforcing others. Importantly, it encouraged reading for meaning, rather than simple recognition of a list of words. Each child was given his own riddle booklet, with riddles photo-copied from the PMR! book, one to a page. When a riddle had been read and solved, the child drew a picture on the back of the page to illustrate it.
Each group met just three times a week for 20 to 30 minutes, from late February until early June. A copy of the Dolch Word List was sent home each week, with the words taught that week marked so parents could continue to reinforce them. Midway through the sessions, and at the end, a test of Dolch Word knowledge was given individually to each child. Final results were compared to pre-test Dolch word knowledge, and to the reading stages on the local district assessment instruments used by teachers in September, January, and at the end of the school year. "First Grade Levels” in this district are 1, 2, 3, and 4. The average district reading level in the group in mid-year was 1. These levels are not the same as the more familiar "Reading Grade Equivalents."
Reading Grade Equivalence as measured by Dolch Word Knowledge (pre- and post-test, shown in brackets) was found by use of the Spache table (shown above in the introduction section of this page). By June, all of the students had achieved ending second grade equivalence (District Levels Average for the group was ending 1st grade), while five of them (50%) knew over 200 words (three had mastered all 220!) at the end of the school year.
Averages of results follow:
|
Group 1
Group 2
Average | |
District
Reading
Level
(January)
0.8
1.2
1.0
|
Dolch
Words
Known at
Pre-Test
(February)
57 [1.3]
111 [1.6]
84 [1.5] | |
Words
Gained
+127
+ 99
+113 | |
District
Reading
Level
(June)
3.4
4.0
3.7 | | Dolch
Words
Known
at Post-
Test &
Gr.Eq.
In June
184 [2.2]
209 [2.9]
197 [2.6]
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