Peer Assisted Learning Strategies

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Intervention is…

Focused instruction which is based on:

A student’s response to instruction As measured by assessment data(the assessment can be formal or informal)

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What does intervention look like?

Intervention is not a mini-comprehensive reading lesson:

Intervention: Gives time for extra opportunities for mastery of

concepts and skills Group size is smaller Focused on one or two areas of instruction

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Effective Intervention Design

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Time, Intensity and Instruction

Time: How much time?

Intensity: How many students in a group?

Instruction: What will be the focus of instruction?

What is PALS?

A whole-class, tier II targeted intervention Please read Overview Section

Process

The key to this program is successfully teaching the routines.

Teachers will need to directly teach routines and new games/sounds/words

Continual reinforcement of correct procedures.

Students will work in pairs. The teacher moves around the room spot-

checking procedures and content.

How do I set up PALS?

Scheduling Pairing Students Preparing Materials Teaching Routines Monitoring Students and Awarding Points

Scheduling

Once Routines are established, PALS should … Happens three days a week

K-PALS - 20 minutes for 20 weeks PALS First Grade - 30 minutes for 16 weeks

You will need to carve out this precious chunk of time

Initial organization is the key to success!!!

Pairing Students

Rank students in terms of reading skill Divide the list in half Pair strongest reader in top half with the

strongest reader in the lower half Continue this process until all students have

a partner (KPALS 9, PALS 24)

Pairing Coaches and Readers

Utilizing DIBELS ranking for Phoneme Segmentation (kinder) OR Nonsense Word (First) for Midyear.

Print your report Cut at the midpoint Pairs are then side-by-side If the majority of your kinder class is proficient

in or better in Phoneme Seg., follow the same procedure with the Nonsense Word Report

Ideas for Management

Handling Absentees Moving Students to and from Partners Monitoring and Awarding Points Triads KPALS 9-11, PALS 24-27

Important Details The Coach corrects all errors immediately

Correction Procedure The Reader must demonstrate mastery

Master before moving on! The higher performing student is always the

coach first! Demonstrate your preference for positive and

constructive behavior statements Actively encourage positive interactions

KPALS 12, PALS 28

Types of Lessons

KPALS Teacher Games

( 5 min) Student Games

(15 min)

PALS Sounds and Words

(15 min) Story Sharing

(15 min)

KPALS Teacher games Introduce Letters (weeks 1-5, 7-10, 12-20)

Point to new letter in box, tell name, students repeat Sound Blending (weeks 3-7)

Say word slowly, hold up finger for each sound, ask students “what word” Last Sound (weeks 8-12)

Say word, ask “What is the last sound?’ Segmenting Words (weeks 13-17)

Students learn how to say words slowly (sound by sound) holding up a finger for each word

Letter-Sound Correspondence (weeks 13-20) Learn sound-symbol correspondences

Sounding Out Words (weeks 16-20) Learn how to blend sound symbols to decode words

KPALS Student Activities

KPALS – pg 20 Name Game (wks 1-20)

Played 2X, name letters, 3-4 minutes, Switch Roles Rhyme Time (wks 1-5)

Paired pictures, Rhyme ID, 3-4 minutes, Switch Roles First Sound (wks 1-10)

Pictures, Initial Sound ID, 3-4 minutes, Switch Roles Say the Word (wks 6-15)

Pictures, Phoneme Blending, 3-4 minutes, DO NOT Switch Roles Last Sound (wks 11-20)

Pictures, Final Sound ID, 3-4 minutes, Switch Roles Stretch It (wks 16-20)

Pictures, Phoneme Segmentation, 3-4 minutes, Switch Roles

Each Game is worth 5 points!

KPALS Student GamesGame Sheets Weeks Played Games Played

1-15 1-5 Name GameRhyme TimeFirst Sound

16-30 6-10 Name GameSay the WordFirst Sounds

31-45 11-15 Name GameSay the WordLast Sound

46-60 16-20 Name GameStretch It

Last Sound

PALS Student Activities – Sounds and words (pg 10-22)

New sound and word is introduced by teacher, then pairs start (15 min)…

Letter Sounds Coach points, reader names sound

Hearing Sounds Coach reads word, reader stretches it

Sounding Out Coach prompts, reader sounds out word slowly and then reads it

Sentences and Stories Before reading sentences/stories, coach direct reader to practice sight

words – “Read It” Then coach prompts read to read sentences/stories

Each Game is worth 5 points!Students Complete Entire Sheet before Switching Roles!

PALS Student Activities – Story Sharing (pg 10-22)

Using books from the coach’s book bags, students read in pairs (15 min)…

Pretend-Read Picture walk, coach prompts reader to predict story from pictures, 2

minutes Read Aloud

Coach reads a sentence, reader reads the same sentence, Pairs complete this routine 2X, 12 minutes

If Pair is done before 12 minutes has passed, switch roles and reader reads each sentence first (can be a book from reader’s book bag)

Retell Coach prompts “What did you learn first?”, “What did you learn next?”,

etc, 1 minuteEach Reading o f the story is worth 5 points!

Correction Proceedures

TELL Coach tells reader correct response “That letter’s sound is /sss/.”

ASK Coach asks reader to repeat correct response “What sound?”

START AGAIN Coach asks reader to repeat the row again

(correctly) “Start again.”

Starting Points

KPALS – All students start at same place PALS – Two entry points

Game Sheet 4 Game Sheet 15 Based on Sounds and Words placement test (in

Teacher’s Materials)

Start by teaching Routines

Student Training Lessons KPALS starts on page 25

Focused on roles of coach and reader, earning and marking points, KPALS rules, and partner behavior

PALS Starts on page 31 First Lessons focused on roles of coach and reader,

earning and marking points, KPALS rules, and partner behavior

Next lessons focused on Story Sharing Routine and Sounds and Words Activity

How will I know if PALS is working?

Through careful analysis of … My progress monitoring data Student reading in guided reading and

conferences Student writing samples Observation of partnerships