An Analysis of the Application of Flipped Classroom in Junior Middle School Reading Teaching

With the rise of the khan academy in the United States in 2011 and the MOOC, which introduced the foundation and implementation of overseas research, Chinese scholars began to attach importance to the systematic study of flipped classroom. While turning the classroom has been popular in some schools in 2007, before 2011, few people pay attention to the classroom. After 2013, the research about flipped classroom is much more obvious, and the application in the specific subjects also increased, for example, mathematics, Chinese, information technology, physics, and so on, but there still have little research on English reading. In this thesis, the author tries to apply flipped classroom in English reading teaching, exploring the combination of flipped classroom and reading teaching.

The effects of a comprehensive and supplemental middle school reading program

We present results of an evaluation of the first year of a multi-year comprehensive middle school reading program. Four public middle schools in rural Virginia with large populations of students with limited reading proficiency participated in a study to determine the reading program’s impact. We evaluated 235 students with low reading achievement scores, including students with disabilities, to determine reading gains. The multi-year curriculum consisted of multiple components (word-level instruction, comprehension and vocabulary, motivation and engagement, and assessment) and seven related instructional units, each taught using explicit instruction. A quasi-experimental design was used to determine the intervention’s effectiveness. Statistically significant differences were found between the experimental and comparison conditions on a standardized measure of reading achievement with some scores favoring the experimental condition. Results support, in part, the reading program’s promise to improve middle school students’ reading achievement scores at a level that may narrow the reading achievement gap.

Fidelity First in Middle School Reading Programs

Middle school reading scores throughout the state of California have been predominantly less than average in recent years. A school located within this region has struggled to raise reading scores. An unknown problem existed that stemmed from the implementation of the school’s reading program. The purpose of this investigation was to (a) determine the level of fidelity to the reading program, (b) understand the teachers’ perceptions of the reading program, and (c) understand the structure of the reading program. The theory of andragogy guided this qualitative case study. Six teachers from a local school participated in the investigation. The teachers were purposely selected to take part in semi-structured interviews. Two sets of data were gathered for this investigation: (a) results from semi-structured interviews, and (b) publicly available reading data. The data were coded, and emerging themes were outlined. Six themes emerged to understand the overall process of the reading program. The results of the study pointed to the need for a more focused and sustained reading program. Another finding from the investigation was that teachers need year-around training in implementation fidelity. Another finding was that the reading program’s structure can benefit from the 5 constructs that make up implementation fidelity. The implications of this study may affect positive social change by providing teachers with sustained training and support to be effective reading development facilitators. Well-trained teachers have a profound effect on their students and providing teachers a platform to guide these students toward a literate world can make a positive social change in their communities.

Comparing Curriculum-Based Measures and Extant Datasets for Universal Screening in Middle School Reading

As a school-wide framework, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) relies on the prevention and early identification of students at risk of academic failure. Approaches to early identification of students in need of support include the administration of universal screening assessments and the analysis of existing student data such as attendance, grades, office discipline referrals, and prior performance on statewide assessments. However, there is little research that directly compares the accuracy and reliability of these approaches, particularly in middle grades. This investigation provides a direct comparison of curriculum-based measures in reading and the examination of archival data at the middle school level for the identification of students at risk for academic failure. Data were collected for students in Grades 7 ( n = 197) and 8 ( n = 237). Data were analyzed through hierarchical logistic regression using statewide reading achievement tests as the dependent variable. Results inform how data from universal screening assessments and existing sources can be used to accurately and efficiently identify students in need of academic support.

Implementation of Evidence-Based Literacy Practices in Middle School Response to Intervention

The authors report findings from a systematic observational study of middle school educators (Grades 6–8) in two states who provided reading interventions within Tier 2 and Tier 3 of a Response to Intervention (RTI) framework. Intervention sessions were coded and analyzed to understand (a) the frequency and type of evidence-based strategies implemented for students with learning disabilities and reading difficulties, and (b) whether observed practices within secondary and tertiary intervention settings align with researcher recommendations regarding middle school reading instruction based on extant research. The findings indicated that more than 12% of time was devoted to logistical and non-academic activities, and evidence-based interventions including explicit instruction, cognitive strategy instruction, content enhancements, and independent practice opportunities were reported infrequently, although instructional differences across sites were demonstrated. Encouraging findings include evidence of peer-mediated reading and explicit performance feedback. Implications for teacher preparation, professional development, and future research for RTI are discussed.