Learning to read: The right practice is important
Anyone who has successfully mastered a sport, a musical instrument, a culinary art, or public speaking understands the stages, time, and effort it took to get there. Even individuals with a propensity for sports, music, cooking, or speaking will admit that it took immense practice to achieve their goals. In the same way, learning to read effectively is a skill that develops through stages and requires time and practice, particularly for students with learning disabilities. Jamey Peavler (2023), Co-Director and Instructor at St. Joseph University, cites statistics that show as many as 50% of students with diagnosed disabilities receive intensive Tier 3 interventions to make adequate progress to reach basic reading proficiency. However, having a reading disability may not automatically mean a student will receive Tier 3 support if Tier 1 and 2 levels of instruction are effective. While practice is critical, providing more practice is not usually the solution to more impactful Tier 1 instruction. Providing the correct type of practice at the right time can achieve successful outcomes. Peavler (2023) describes mastery in reading through an instructional hierarchy (i.e., acquisition, fluency, generalization, and adaptation) in The Power of Practice, first defined by Haring and Eaton in 1978, with additional research by Daly et al. (1996). How do we know if a student has mastered a skill? Students master a skill when they can adapt it to other authentic contexts, such as the ability to problem-solve the learned information through a structured process to integrate into other settings. Students need to retain the information presented during the acquisition, fluency, and generalization stages to achieve the ability to adapt. Providing multiple opportunities for practice begins during acquisition and continues until application is attained. The chart below represents the flow and objectives of the instructional hierarchy.
Instructional Hierarchy Objectives
| Acquisition | • Increase accuracy • Provide multiple opportunities to practice the skill in a controlled setting • Support retrieval through verbal and visual prompts |
| Fluency | • Increase automatic retrieval without compromising accuracy • Support discrimination of skill among similar skills |
| Generalization | • Support retention of skill over time • Integrate skill with previously mastered skills • Apply the skill across settings without losing accuracy and automaticity |
| Adaptation | •Apply the skill in authentic contexts •Engage in multistep processes to apply the skill |
Peavler (2023) further explains that the type of practice affects cognitive load and the frequency of practice affects retention. Instructors should determine the type of practice based on students’ current skill levels and the ultimate retention and mastery goals. When designing Tier 1 lessons for all students, consider how practice fits within a gradual release support structure.
References
Daly III, E.J., Lentz Jr., F.E., & Boyer, J. (1996). The instructional hierarchy: A conceptual model for understanding the effective components of reading interventions. School Psychology Quarterly, 11(4), 369. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0088941
Peavler, J., (2023, November 30). The power of practice [Video]. Dyslexia Symposium, Virginia Commonwealth University. Dyslexia Symposium | School of Education | VCU
For more information, contact Mary Dodson (mjaddeo@vcu.edu), Program Specialist, T/TAC at VCU.