ProjectM.O.R.E.MORE is better –

Mentoring in Ohio for Reading Excellence since 1999

Mentoring Others for Reading Excellence (TBA)

Mentoring On-Line for Reading Excellence (TBA)

Ohio School Boards Association, Capital ConferenceNovember 13, 2017

Presented by Dr. Jan Osborn, DirectorCindy Pennington, Project MORE ConsultantBarb Hochstetler, Project MORE Consultant

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ProjectM.O.R.E.� Project M.O.R.E. in Ohio stands for “Mentoring Ohioans for

Reading Excellence

� Project M.O.R.E. programs starting to be implemented in states beyond Ohio stands for Mentoring Others for Reading Excellence.

� Project M.O.R.E. programs starting to be implemented using virtual mentors stands for Mentoring On-Line for Reading Excellence

� All three names represent the same program, the same research, the same high quality program, and the same historic success for improving reading skills of students with disabilities and at-risk readers

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Mentoring in Ohio for Reading Excellence

ProjectMORE:MentoringinOhioforReadingExcellence

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ProjectM.O.R.E.� The first Project M.O.R.E. program was started in Leipsic,

Ohio in 1999� Currently, Project M.O.R.E. is used in over 160 schools in

Ohio� While Project M.O.R.E. was originally designed to serve

students with disabilities during the traditional school day. Project M.O.R.E. is/has been used in over 20 after school programs

� Project M.O.R.E. can also be used for summer reading intervention programs

� The Putnam County ESC Summer Migrant Education Program has used Project M.O.R.E. in their summer program for 12 years

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TheFutureofProjectM.O.R.E.

Project M.O.R.E. is also expanding beyond using volunteer mentors at school to include parents/family members as mentors in their own homes.� In the development of a training module to train parents

on how to use the Project M.O.R.E. with their own children� In the development of a Chrome Book & iPad lending

library for summer migrant school parents & students� In the development of WiFi hot spots for parents to be

able to use Chrome Books and iPads with their children for reading when they are not in school and/or the students cannot attend the physical school

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WhatisProjectMORE?� Project MORE, Mentoring in Ohio for Reading Excellence,

is an evidence based reading research volunteer reading mentoring project for students with disabilities, that has demonstrated statistically significant reading results since 1999. Independent research findings consistently report students with specific learning disabilities make month for month reading level gains when they are 1:1 reading mentored four times/week for 30 minutes. Project MORE, which was co-founded by Dr. Osborn, is coordinated by the Putnam County Educational Service Center and originally funded by the Ohio General Assembly and later by the Ohio Department of Education's Office for Exceptional Children, currently self funded.

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Threeresearcharticles� A Volunteer-Tutoring Program in Reading: Examining

the growth in reading achievement of elementary grade Students with SLD in a tutoring based intervention – Published 2015

� A Tutoring Program in Reading: Examining the Growth in Reading Achievement of Elementary Grade Students with Dyslexia – Published 2015

� Effect of Tutoring on Reading Achievement for Students with Cognitive Disabilities, Specific Learning Disabilities, and Students Receiving Title I Services –Published 2007

� Can be viewed at: www.ohioprojectmore.org/research

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ThePowerof

VolunteerMentors

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Success at Leipsic

� Early success: “Academic Watch” to “Excellent” in Two Years

� Over a 12 year period Project MORE at Leipsic:� Served 1,050 students� Utilized 1,734 mentors� Delivered 86,306 mentoring sessions� Logged 43,153 mentor hours� And is still going as we speak….

� From 2003-04 to 2011-12 Leipsic Elementary met Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) according to Ohio School Report Cards and made AYP for students with disabilities in all years where the subgroup could be reported.

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AnotherwaytothinkaboutLeipsic’s43,000hoursofvolunteermentoring…� If we used 900 hours (5 hrs. x 180 days) as the

equivalent number of hours in an elementary school instructional day…

� And divide 43,000 hours by 900 hours, that would equal the equivalency of 47.78 school years of volunteer teaching

� Now divide 47.78 by 12 and basically Leipsic Elementary had the equivalency of 4 extra individuals helping teach reading over 12 years….

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Project MORE BGSU Reading Fluency Gains over 6-month period

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overall 2sld 3sld 4sld 2cd 3cd 1title 2title 3titlepretest 44 27 43 63 16 33 4 31 66posttest 72 63 70 83 45 59 27 71 90

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Grade and Disability or Title Status12

Websitestogettoknow…�www.readinga-z.com�www.reading-tutors.comBoth websites use the same

username and password.�www.ohioprojectmore.org

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www.readinga-z.com

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www.reading-tutors.com

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www.ohioprojectmore.org

WhatisEARS?� Effective for student performance-BGSU research

� Affordable for schools - less than $1/ mentor hour for partnering schools

� Replicable for any school that has a need for

reading improvement

� Sustainable because of low cost, ease of use, and

evidence-based

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Reading-tutorsMentoringMaterials� Convenient, well organized, educationally sound

tutoring resources

� Based on what research has identified as best practices

� Books, teaching materials, graphic organizers, games, assessments

� Lesson plans written for volunteer tutors

� Opportunity for repeated practice18

Entrance&ExitCriteria� Student Eligibility:

� Have an IEP � Identified as at risk/not on track for reading success

� Entrance criteria:� Student reads below grade level

� Exit criteria:� Student reaches grade level in reading� Student moves

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Thecriticalnumbers:

�4 Sessions per week�30 Minutes per session�1:1 Mentor : Student�128 Sessions per year =

8 months of intervention

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ThelowcostofProjectMORE� Reading A-Z License, currently $99.95 per year

for 36 students� Cost of printing/copying materials for mentor

folders (download as needed or order pre-printed master set)

� Supplies: folders, paper, markers, pens & pencil, misc. office supplies

� Storage for folders, storage for Reading A-Z materials, baggies to store smaller materials

� Coordinator time� Less than $1 per mentor hour for partnering schools

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Determiningastartingpoint…Use:� School mandated/endorsed assessments, (eg. DIBELS, AIMSweb,

DRA)

or � Reading A-Z assessments (Homepage: Teacher Corner Tab,

Assessing a Student’s Level),

or� Reading-tutors assessments (Homepage: Other Resources Section,

Assessments)

to determine the child’s current reading/instructional level

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ReadingA-ZCorrelationChart�Where to find:

� Teacher Corner: � Learning A-Z Levels

� Level Correlation Chart

�Reading A-Z Levels (Reading Tutors Levels) correlated to: � Age, Grade, Fountas & Pinnell, Reading

Recovery, DRA, PM Readers, Lexile

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AssessmentGuideStartingPoints:Reading-tutors� If reading at 1.5 or higher grade level, begin with the

Fluency Assessments, work up and down until you find a passage that is at the child’s instructional level(at least 90%)

� If a student is reading below a 1.5 grade level, begin with the High Frequency Words and Phonics Assessments

� If a student is a non-reader, begin with Alphabet and Phonological Awareness Assessments

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Reading-TutorsSingleSessionPackets�Alphabet: 26 packets �Phonological Awareness: 30 packets�Phonics: 53 packets�High Frequency Words: 24 packets�Comprehension aa-Z: 134 packets (fluency

passages for comprehension lessons not included on Reading Tutors website in single session packets, but are on Project More website under Home Page: Forms and Ideas…Fluency, Quick Checks, Answer Sheets)

�Fluency F-Z: 126 packets: no books26

Reading-TutorsSingleSessionPackets�Generally completed in 4 sessions,

varies by child’s needsFormat for Comprehension Packs�Before�During �After

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Reading-TutorsMulti-SessionPackets�Phonics: 47 packets

�Comprehension aa-E: 30 packets

�Fluency & Comprehension F-Z: 63 packets

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Reading-TutorsMulti-SessionPackets

�Generally completed in 5 sessions, varies by child’s needs

�Lesson parts numbered, 1-5

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ComparisonofPacketTypes(bothtypesweredesignedforvolunteermentors)

Single-Session Packets Multi-Session Packets

� Typically one page, less for mentor to read and absorb

� Shorter lesson, less practice activities

� Maybe best to use with new or less experienced mentors

� Need to run materials from 2 websites (Reading Tutors and Ohio Project MORE)

� Uses less paper

� More detailed plan---more for mentor to read---almost requires reading in advance

� More practice activities, more repetition

� May be better with experienced mentors or retired educators

� All needed materials are on 1 website (Reading A-Z)

� Uses more paper� Has almost double the number

of leveled books with accompanying tutoring and mentoring packs

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LocatingMentoringPacksonReadingA-Z

�Home Page�Resources Tab � Instructional Uses

� Tutoring and Mentoring Packs

�When you use the Fluency & Comprehension Packs from the Multi-Session Packets, the fluency passages are included (on Reading A-Z and Reading Tutors)

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TheValueofRepeatedReadings� The method is particularly suitable for students

with learning problems� Speed and accuracy…the trade-off� The POWER of PRACTICE� Graphing---visually seeing impact of practice� Repeated reading builds fluency� Fluency enhances comprehension� What studies have shown

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CollectStudentInformation�Use forms provided, modify them, or

create your own�Referral information, strengths &

weaknesses�Days and times available for mentoring�Determine starting level�Form to be used for tracking progress

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Fluency-ProjectMORE�Beginning with Level F

�Approximately 5-10 minutes per tutoring session

�Ways to Practice Fluency�Modeling Fluent Reading�Echo Reading�Choral Reading

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ProjectMOREFLUENCYPROCESS(beginningwithLevelF)� Cold Read

� Every time a student is given a new book!� One minute timed reading, no previous practice� Mentor tracks errors in BLUE

� Warm Read� During the initial lesson (same session as cold read)� Student practices passage after cold read with mentor support� One minute timed reading� Mentor tracks errors in YELLOW

� Hot Read� 2nd-3rd session used to practice� 4th session one minute timed reading (same passage)� Mentor tracks errors in RED

STUDENTS CREATE BAR GRAPH TO TRACK PROGRESS

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Wherecanwefindmentors?� Upper Elementary, Middle and Senior High

Students� Career-Tech High School-Early Childhood Program

Students� College/University Students� Business Partnerships� Project MORE/Ohio Department of Aging

Partnership, RSVP, Senior Centers, Retirement Communities

� Project MORE/Ohio National Guard Partnership� Parents, Grandparents, PTA/PTO

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Howtogetthewordout…� Ads� Fliers� Press Releases� Newsletters� Church Bulletins� School Announcements� Sporting Events-half-time recognition/recruitment� Open Houses, Grandparent Days� Visit/Contact Local Organizations, Churches, and

Businesses� Professional Organizations

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Include:� Handbook for Mentors� Guidelines/Procedures/Tools� How to notify of absence� Modeling and Practice-show various types of packets

that will be used� Tutor Teaching Tips� Importance of Confidentiality� How to report issues, needs� Getting to Know You Activities

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MoreaboutMentors�Background Checks�Hospitality�Tracking Mentoring Sessions�Prompts and Tips�Mentoring “Cheat Sheets” (Reminders,

Tell Me About This Book, Suggested Comments)

�Writing Prompts39

Showappreciation…� Hospitality, Greeter, Create Pleasant Surroundings� Provide easy, organized access to materials� Cards � Certificates� Letters of Appreciation� Annual events for recognition, luncheon, reception� Free tickets to sporting events� Recognize at school events (eg. Halftime)� Recognize in newsletters, newspaper articles� Bulletin boards

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Communicationwithothergroupsthat“needtoknow”� School Staff � Parent Organizations� Parents

� Purpose� Demonstrated success� Materials used� School procedures� Ways to help

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ParentsofMentoredStudent�Notification

�Parent Open House/Family Night

�On-going communication�Books/Home Library�Progress Reports

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� Start-up Checklist

� Implementation Checklist

� Mentor Feedback

� Student Feedback

To obtain results demonstrated by research,

Project More must be implemented with fidelity!

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Thecriticalnumbers:

�4 Sessions per week�30 Minutes per session�1:1 Mentor : Student�128 Sessions per year =

8 months of intervention

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CriticaltoSuccess� Frequency and length of Mentoring Sessions� Starting at appropriate Instructional Level� Following prescriptive lesson plans� Students staying on task during the lessons� Students feeling successful at reading� Student folders containing all up-to-date information� Communication with parents, school staff, and school

administration� Project MORE being additional reading time rather

than supplanting other reading instruction

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Fullimplementation…requiredforms:

�Project MORE Implementation Form

�Project MORE Demographic Data Form

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ProjectM.O.R.E.� Final Thoughts� Question & Answers

� Thank you for your attendance and participation in out session. We hope that you found our session beneficial.

� For future information please contact� Dr. Jan Osborn email

jan.osborn@putnamcountyesc.org

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