1. Writing the Literacy Wave:
Effective Literacy Instruction for
Students with Exceptionalities
Cierra Cupini
West Virginia University

2. Inquiry as a Stance, Uncovering the
Answers
• Special education internship placement
• Dilemma
• Research-based practices
• Student-centered learning

3. Research Question
Main Question
• How does a balanced language approach to
instruction influence the development of
proficient literacy skills in students?
Subquestion
• How does student centered learning influence
the development of literacy skills?

4. Methodology
Context
• Eastwood Elementary School - Morgantown, WV
Grades PreK-5, approximately 520 students
• Special education pull-out, resource room
English language arts, 5 students

5. Methodology Continued
Participants
• Student selection
• Student profile
•
•
•
•
Interests
Strengths
Weaknesses
Disposition
• Present levels

6. Methodology Continued
Teaching Strategies Implemented
Phonemic Awareness
• Hear, identify, and manipulate
phonemes
Whole Language Approach
• Holistic
• Constructivist theory
• Phoneme isolation
• Language not to be broken down
• Oral blending and oral
segmenting
• Opportunities to read
• Onset-Rime
• Comprehension
• Decoding
• Writing

7. Methodology Continued
Literature Connection
• Value of teaching phonemic awareness
• Breaking away from isolation
• Total reading program
• Student-centered
• Differentiated learning tasks
• Develop a purpose and passion for reading

8. Monday
•
•
•
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Word Study
•
Tuesday
Continuation
of Word Study
Writing
Workshop
Authentic
Literature
Assessment &
Catch Up
Comprehensi
on on plot
and story
elements
•
Assessment
•
Independent
reading
•
Relating text
to self, text
to text, and
text to world
Introduce
words
Phonemic
awareness
Decoding
Kinesthetic
activity
•
•
•
Read onlevel text
Identify sight
words within
text before
and during
reading
•
•
Discuss
mechanics
•
Use weekly
words in
writing
•
Listening
skills
Various
writing tasks
•
Sequencing
Schedule of Action Research Implementation
Over the course of 6 weeks

9. Methodology Continued
Data Collection/Sources
• iPad video
• Reflection notes
• Student work samples
• Student disposition
• Lesson plans
• Pre and post student interviews
• Conversations with mentor teacher

10. Methodology Continued
Data Analysis: Qualitative
Coding schemes to monitor affects on:
• Student engagement and disposition
• Student learning
• Pre and post student interviews

11. Methodology Continued
Data Analysis: Quantitative
• Student work samples
• Assessment scores

12. Results and Conclusions
Engagement
•
•
•
•
Learning
Participation
Level of confidence
Disposition
Homework completion
• Phonological sensitivity
• Blending
• Identification of high
frequency words
• Comprehension

13. Results and Conclusions Continued

14. Results and Conclusions Continued
Q: How does a balanced language
instruction influence the development of
proficient literacy skills in students?
A:

15. Implications
• Inquiry as a stance
• Importance of student-centered and
differentiated instruction
• Open-mindedness
• Varied resources
• Professional learning
communities

16. References
Board of Director of the International Reading Association. (1998).
Phonemic Awareness and the Teaching of Reading: A position
statement. Newmark, DE.
Grant, M. (1985). The Kinesthetic Approach to Teaching: Building a
Foundation for Learning. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 18(8).
Johnston, F. R. (1999). The timing and teaching of word families. Reading
Teacher, 53(1), 64.
Miller, D. (2012). Reading with Meaning: Teaching comprehension in the
primary grades. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers.
Pikulski, J. J., & Chard, D. J. (2005). Fluency: Bridge between decoding and
reading comprehension. Reading Teacher, 58(6), 510-519.

17. Contact Information
Cierra Cupini
West Virginia University
I may be contacted at:
ccupini@mix.wvu.edu