Explicit instruction is a high-leverage practice for special education and is associated with improved learning for students with disabilities (Hughes et al., 2019). The high-leverage practices are 22 critical practices in special education that are effective for improving outcomes for a broad range of students with and at risk for disabilities…

The purpose of this registered report study was to determine the effects of explicit text structure instruction on the expository text comprehension of students with language and learning disabilities (LLD) using a multiple baseline design across conditions (e.g., compare-contrast and cause-effect) and participants. Participants included four…

For this case study (Yin, 2018) dissertation, I used mixed methods (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2017; Guetterman & Fetters, 2018) to investigate how an elementary school special education teacher, who used a direct instruction (di) reading curriculum, incorporated culturally informed practices (CIP) in her small group reading instruction. In…

This study examines the effectiveness of a reading comprehension strategy designed to enhance learning for participants with disabilities who come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Specifically, a multiple probe design was used to examine the effects of a reading comprehension strategy on the summarization skills of English…

According to research by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD; 2000), reading is the single most important skill a child will learn in life. Reading proficiency is a powerful predictor of academic success, on-time graduation, and future earning potential in the workforce. Children who reach adulthood without adequate…

The Virginia public-school assessment and accountability system impacted the statewide reading proficiency scores for students with disabilities. The purpose of this causal-comparative quantitative study was applied to answer the research question, and hypothesis statement and determine the difference in the reading improvement measured by the…

Evidence-based literacy instruction can be tailored to individual learning needs. This Spotlight empowers with strategies to support students with dyslexia; research exploring the potential benefits of the Orton-Gillingham method to teach reading; an analysis of morphology and its ability to help develop students' vocabularies; insight into…

The challenges teachers face with virtual learning existed previously but were heightened by the quick move from in-person to virtual learning caused by the pandemic. Researchers have investigated virtual learning for students with disabilities and have made recommendations including supplemental online resources for individualization and…

Considerable resources have been invested in identifying effective reading instruction methods for students with disabilities. Unfortunately, students are not routinely receiving instruction aligned with these practices, impacting their ability to reach their potential. To improve reading instruction, teachers need to receive observation feedback…

"Strategies for Teaching Students with Learning and Behavior Disabilities" prepares teachers to meet elementary and secondary students' needs in a variety of settings. It builds a foundation with information about general teaching and learning approaches, then turns to specific content areas such as reading, math, oral and written…

Read It Again! PreK (RIA) is a whole-class, teacher-implemented intervention that embeds explicit language and literacy instruction within the context of shared book reading and has prior evidence of supporting the language and literacy skills of preschool children. We conducted a conceptual replication to test its efficacy when implemented in…

Phonological awareness (PA) is defined as a child's ability to hear and manipulate parts of spoken language (National Early Literacy Panel [NELP], 2009; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [NICHD], 2000). Ensuring that children develop PA increases the likelihood that they are successful with later reading instruction. Two…

Although most students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) receive instruction in the general education setting (U.S. Department of Education, 2018), their academic outcomes have been found to be poor. Two evidenced-based practices that improve outcomes for students with SLD are explicit instruction and cognitive and metacognitive strategy…

Students with learning disabilities (LD) often face significant difficulties in reading. Research has found a variety of different evidence-based practices to support the reading development of students with LD in areas such as word work, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. However, these practices are most often intended for use in traditional…

The Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) model for instructional delivery is well supported by research evidence and is often identified as a critical element of instruction for students with learning difficulties. However, there are challenges associated with effectively releasing responsibility to students. This may be especially true during…