Effective Reading Strategy

English Language Learners and the Wilson Reading System 1
Advisor: Dr. Joanne Seelaus
Using the Wilson Reading System as an Effective Strategy to Teach English Language Learners
Reading Comprehension
Lexi Pavone
Program of Special Education
Submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts
in the Graduate Program
Caldwell College
2014

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Abstract
The Wilson Reading System was incorporated into a multi-grade special education
classroom to determine its impact on reading comprehension of four male English language
learners. The study was implemented during the participants’ daily language arts class.
Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to triangulate the data including, pre and post
assessments, journal entries and an oral assessment of reading comprehension in guided reading
groups. Results of the data indicated some progress on reading comprehension for three out of
the four participants when the Wilson Reading System was implemented during language arts. In
addition, quantitative data provided the most significant finding since all four students
demonstrated increased confidence, participation and a love for reading.

Table of Contents
Chapter 1- INTRODUCTION 4
Background 4
Statement of Problem and the Need for the Study 6
Research Question 6
Terminology 7
Conclusion 7
Chapter 2- LITERATURE REVIEW 9
Phonological Awareness 11
Fluency 11
Interactive Teaching 12
Related Studies 13
Conclusion 14
Chapter 3- METHODOLOGY 15
Participants 15
Materials 16
Procedure 17
Conclusion 18
Chapter 4- DATA ANALYSIS 19
Results of the Data 19
Analysis of Data 24
Limitations 27
Discussion 27
Implications for Teaching 28
Conclusion 28
REFERENCES 29
APPENDIX A 31
APPENDIX B 32

Chapter 1
Introduction
Introduction
English language learners are students who are learning English as a second language. As
English language learners (ELLs), children often struggle with the basic skills associated with
reading comprehension. Some of those skills include phonemic awareness, fluency and decoding.
Due to the language barrier of their native language, letter sounds and English letter sounds, ELL
students struggle when trying to sound out words phonetically. The children are not familiar with
the letter sounds so they struggle to read smoothly and accurately.
The Wilson Reading System, (WRS) is an instructional program in reading that focuses
on phonemic awareness, decoding and fluency to promote successful reading comprehension for
students. The WRS program is mainly focused on the basic key components that are required in
successful readers and for overall reading comprehension (Wilson, & Schupack, 1997).
Therefore, the Wilson Reading System emphasizes the skills ELL learners need to improve
reading comprehension and become successful readers.
Background
The study took place in a school district that is classified by the New Jersey Department
of Education as being in District Factor Group "GH", the third highest of eight groupings.
District Factor Groups (DFGs) organize districts statewide to allow comparison by common
socioeconomic characteristics of the local districts. Therefore, this district consists of a large
range of socioeconomic groups.

As of 2010, the town’s population was 46,207. The town’s racial makeup is 57 %
Caucasian, 27% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 8% Asian, 0.02% Pacific
Islander, 5% from other races, and 3% from two or more races.
The school district consists of eleven schools that serve 6,689 students in grades Pre-K
through grades 12 in the following configuration: one high school, three middle schools and
seven elementary schools. The district has 11 students for every full-time equivalent teacher,
with the NJ state average being 13 students per full-time equivalent teacher. The district serves
5% English language learners. The elementary school the study was conducted in contains a
language learning disabled (LLD) classroom for each grade. Kindergarten shares a classroom
with the first grade, second grade shares a classroom with third grade students and fourth graders
share a classroom with the fifth grade students. Each LLD classroom has one special education
teacher and an instructional assistant.
The children in the study are all male Latino children in fourth and fifth grades. The
primary language spoken at home for these children is Spanish. The class consists of 15 children.
Among those children are a range of disabilities from communication impaired, to specific
learning disabilities and autism. Language arts, math, social studies and science are taught within
the LLD classroom. The class is mainstreamed during specials throughout the day. Instructional
assistants are there to provide accommodations and modifications in accordance to the
individual’s education program or plan.

Statement of the problem/Need for the study
The goal of this study was to determine the effectiveness of specific instructional
strategies on reading comprehension for English language learners. The ELL population
struggles with decoding, fluency and phonemic awareness skills that are associated with
language barriers. Standardized test scores have been evaluated and the English language
learners in this study are partially proficient in language arts, which indicate low performance on
standardized state testing in comparison to other children their age in New Jersey.
The study sought to improve the literacy in ELL children by using the Wilson Reading
System and by promoting more social interaction between English language students and
monolingual students. The children will be able to read and address the same required
assignments together. It is crucial to start a program that will address decoding, fluency and
phonemic awareness in early years of elementary school so the children will be able to
comprehend and even read beyond the text in their future years of education. The purpose of this
study was to determine the effective strategies for teaching reading comprehension to English
language learners on reading comprehension.
Research Question
Will the Wilson Reading System be an effective strategy to teach reading comprehension
to English language learners in a language learning disabled classroom?

Definition of Terms
Language and learning disabled (LLD). Children who have difficulties with age-
appropriate reading, spelling, and/or writing and are determined to be eligible for special
education services.
English language learners (ELL). Children who are learning English as a second
language in addition to their primary spoken language.
Fluency. The ability to read the words in a text at a smooth rhythm and appropriate pace.
Decoding. The ability to apply one’s knowledge of letter-sound relationships, including
knowledge of letter patterns, to correctly pronounce written words. Understanding these
relationships gives children the ability to recognize familiar words quickly and to figure out
words they haven't seen before.
Phonemic awareness. The ability to hear and manipulate individual letter sounds by
separating each letter with its own individual sound.
The Wilson Reading System (WRS). An instructional program in reading that focuses
on phonemic awareness, decoding and fluency to promote successful readers.
Conclusion
This study sought to determine the effectiveness of the Wilson Reading System in
improving the reading comprehension of English language learners who are language and
learning disabled. Fluency, decoding and phonemic awareness are basic skills that are found to

be essential in reading comprehension of ELLs. The study attempted to determine whether the
WRS is an effective program for ELL students and basic skills associated with reading
comprehension.

Chapter 2
The Review of Literature
Introduction
English language learners, (ELLs) in the United States have increased dramatically in
recent years. The number of ELLs increased by nearly 60% to over five million students of
whom 80% are Spanish speakers. Development of literacy and oral language proficiency is
critical to the success of these children (Nakamoto, Lindsey & Manis, 2010). ELL children are
lacking the ability to sound out letters due to the language barrier and in some cases, their
individual learning disability (Lipka, & Siegel, 2011). When exploring how language and
literacy skills in ELLs contributed to reading comprehension, phonemic awareness skills
including fluency and decoding were identified as essential (Nakamoto, Lindsey & Manis, 2010).
The lack of phonological awareness, decoding ability and fluency skills have all been strongly
linked to reading comprehension difficulties (Lipka, & Siegel, 2011).
Reading comprehension is a multi-dimensional process that includes the reader, the text
and factors that are associated with the activity of reading. Reading comprehension is an area of
academic difficulty for ELL students and these children perform at significantly lower levels on
reading comprehension than their peers who only speak one language (Lipka, & Siegel, 2011).
History
ELLs are primarily children and youth from immigrant families, or children with at least
one foreign-born parent. Although they come from many nations today, 40% of ELL children in
the United States have origins in Mexico (Hernandez, Denton, & McCartney, 2008). Spanish is
the predominant native language spoken but more than 350 different languages are used by ELLs
in the United States. ELLs are likely to have parents with limited formal education, tend to have
interrupted schooling, and are generally at greater risk for academic underachievement. The early

elementary years are particularly important for ELL students. During these years, ELL students
are struggling to learn the new language and to read. ELLs need programs to incorporate basic
skills that will promote fluency, decoding and phonemic awareness to ensure reading
comprehension in the future.
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB, 2001) stipulates that all teachers must
provide the same curriculum to ELLs as they do for monolingual students. The teachers must
ensure that ELLs are making adequate yearly progress. Adequate yearly progress is assessed
using standardized tests evaluated by the state at the end of the academic year (Hernandez,
Denton, & McCartney, 2008).
Content teachers are required not only to teach their content areas, but also to assist
students who are learning English as a second language. ELLs must be included as early and as
quickly as possible in the mainstream classroom. When these children suffer from a learning
disability there needs to be an early intervention in the form of a direct instruction program
(Wilson, & Schupack, 1997).
The Wilson Reading System, (WRS) is an instructional program in reading that focuses
on phonemic awareness, decoding and fluency to promote successful readers. Phonological
processing involves orally manipulating the individual sounds in words and letters. The WRS
program is mainly focused on key components that are required in successful readers and for
overall reading comprehension (Wilson, & Schupack, 1997).
The WRS, when fully implemented, provides word-reading instruction as well as
vocabulary, fluency and comprehension. In 1985, Barbara Wilson and her husband, Edward,
founded the Wilson Learning Center and three years later published the Wilson Reading System.
Wilson observed that many students did not believe that English could be made understandable

to them. In order to address this issue, Wilson developed the WRS to teach students the structure
of words in a systematic and cumulative manner. Following this system helps students to trust
that they can learn English within the system, and ultimately, deal with the irregularities of the
language (Wilson, & Schupack, 1997). Children that are identified as being at risk for reading
problems in kindergarten should receive additional phonological awareness training provided by
classroom teachers in small groups and on an individual basis. Therefore focusing directly on
phonemic awareness, decoding and fluency skills can enhance a reader’s comprehension
(Nakamoto, Lindsey & Manis, 2010).
Phonological Awareness
Specific elements of the WRS include phonological awareness. Phonological awareness
involves the detection and manipulation of sounds and refers to a variety of skills involving the
processing of speech sounds. It is the ability to segment speech into smaller units such as
syllables and phonemes, and is related to word reading skills. Phonological awareness is
measured through a wide variety of techniques, including rhyming, segmenting sounds, blending
sounds and deleting sounds (Lipka, & Siegel, 2011). For ELL students, phonological awareness
is a factor of word reading skills (Hernandez, Denton, & McCartney, 2008). In addition,
phonological awareness has been found to be an important factor in reading comprehension
(Lipka, & Siegel, 2011).
Fluency
Fluency is a speech language pathology term that means the smoothness or flow with
which sounds, syllables, words and phrases are joined together when speaking quickly (Lipka, &
Siegel, 2011). The ELL learners that are not able to decode a word will not read fluently and
their comprehension of the text will suffer (Hernandez, Denton, & McCartney, 2008). While

using the WRS, children read a set of words on the page at a quick pace. The children are then
asked to read the words from a paragraph where they should be able to read fluently. The direct
instruction of the WRS promotes fluency in readers (Bursuck, & Dickson, 1999).
The WRS focuses on phonological awareness in which individual sound such as, short
vowel sounds, long vowel sounds and consonants are introduced and reinforced throughout the
program. It also requires that the children break down the multi-syllabic words. This deficit must
be corrected by direct, multisensory and structured language teaching (Bursuck, & Dickson,
1999).
Interactive Teaching
An interactive classroom is highly effective with ELLs because they must communicate
with their peers and practice using the English language every day (Hernandez, Denton, &
McCartney, 2008). Teaching in an interactive classroom must be student-centered with many
opportunities for discussion, dialog, and communication so that ELLs use English within the
content subject area. Research has found that students who are encouraged to speak and interact
with their classmates develop their academic language faster, and the earlier ELLs begin
speaking in the classroom; the better their language development will be (Hernandez, Denton, &
McCartney, 2008).
Interactive teaching strategies are necessary components of instruction for ELL students.
These strategies include requiring ELLs to interact with their classmates by working in pairs,
small groups, and on activities that involve the entire class (Lipka, & Siegel, 2011). The WRS
uses small group instruction as well as activities that involve the whole class. Therefore the
children will be able to have one on one time with the instructor as well as conferencing with

peers which will help benefit the children to interact socially and more confidently with their
classmates (Bursuck, & Dickson, 1999).
Related Studies
(Nakamoto, Lindsey & Manis, 2010) Studied the effects of reading comprehension
development in ELLs on language and literacy. The study was conducted in both English and
Spanish to see which basic skills contributed most to growth in reading comprehension. The
study proposed that potentially, the large set of cognitive variables that could predict reading
comprehension fall into three broad categories of; decoding, fluency and phoneme awareness.
The effects of English phonological decoding and Spanish phonological decoding skills were
assessed in kindergarten and reading comprehension in grade three. Both groups were given the
same instruction which focused strenuously on letter sounds, decoding and fluency skills in
English and Spanish. The instruction was initially taught to both groups in their native language,
however throughout the study the children and instructors were asked to use less Spanish over
time. During this time children and instructors focused on phonemic awareness and decoding
skills. The children were being instructed in English only by second grade. Results of the study
indicated that implementing programs that focus on phonemic awareness and decoding in either
language generally resulted in more positive outcomes in reading comprehension by upper
elementary grades.
Yuill and Oaskhill (1991) noted that problems of poor comprehension arise when low
level processes are intact but higher level processes are required including inference making,
working memory, and story structure knowledge. This is difficult for the special education
population as a whole since children with disabilities lack the ability to use imagination and
struggle when reading beyond the text. In addition to the research found on reading and special

education, ELL learners require a reading program that will focus on fluency, decoding and
phonemic awareness for basic reading skills (Nakamoto, Lindsey & Manis, 2010).
In 2002, the What Works Clearing House (WWC) was established by the U.S.
Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences to provide evidence of what works in
education. The WWC identifies studies on effectiveness of educational interventions that meets
its evidence standards (Torgesen, 2007).A study, which is defined by WWC, is an evaluation that
examines whether a program, product, practice, or policy is effective. WWC reviews studies
using their rigorous research standards to find the high quality research that provides evidence of
effectiveness. In July 2007, the WWC released its intervention report on the Wilson Reading
System. Only 24 programs of the 153 programs examined by the WWC met their evidence
screens and the Wilson Reading System was one of them- therefore, the study by the WWC
shows that WRS is an effective strategy to teach basic skills associated with reading
comprehension (Brunner, 2005).
Conclusion
The purpose of The Wilson Reading System is to target key skills needed in successful
readers. ELL learners lack phoneme awareness, fluency and decoding skills which prohibit them
from understanding the text. These skills are emphasized in the WRS programs. Using the WRS
as a common practice in early grades is essential for the overall success of a reader, especially
the ELL student. The Wilson Reading System is an effective program that uses direct instruction
to maximize learning in reading (Nakamoto, Lindsey & Manis, 2010). Studies of effective
instruction for ELL students indicate they need skills such as decoding, phonemic awareness and
fluency. The Wilson Reading System emphasizes these strategies.

Chapter 3
Method
Introduction
The Wilson Reading System is an instructional program in reading that focuses on
phonemic awareness, decoding and fluency to promote successful reading comprehension. This
program offers a strategy used to enhance the reading comprehension in English language
learners. The WRS program is mainly focused on the basic key components that are required in
successful readers and for overall reading comprehension (Wilson, & Schupack, 1997).
Action research allows a researcher to determine whether strategies that are incorporated
into their individualized fields are effective. Through action research educators can learn from
conducting a study or implementing an intervention for improvement of their students learning.
This experimental design project determined whether the Wilson Reading System is an effective
strategy for improving reading comprehension in English language learners. Multiple data
collection strategies in the form of qualitative and quantitative data were used to triangulate the
information for validity and credibility (Hendricks, 2013).
Participants
This study consisted of four participants. The participants in the study are all male Latino
children in grades four and five for whom Spanish is the primary language spoken at home.
These children have all tested out of the English as a Second Language program (ESL), and were
all given psychological, educational and speech/language evaluations which placed them in the
language and learning disabled classroom (LLD). The class consisted of 15 children, 16 being
the maximum amount of children allowed per LLD classroom. Two of the children are eligible
for special services under the category communication impaired and the other two participants
are both eligible for special services due to a specific learning disability. Each of the four

children received group speech therapy two times per week where they worked on mouth
manipulations and vocabulary words associated with the classroom lessons. The class was
mainstreamed during specials throughout the day; however, language arts, math, social studies
and science were taught within the LLD classroom. During the study, the researcher who is also
the primary teacher for the children in the study is responsible for language arts instruction for all
four participants in the study. The teacher researcher provided accommodations and
modifications in accordance to the individual’s education program for each child prepared by the
child study team.
Materials
Multiple forms of data were collected in order for the data to be credible and reliable for
the teacher researcher. Using this triangulation process enhanced the validity and credibility of
the research study (Hendricks, 2013). One of the data collection methods was the Fountas &
Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System (F&P). This test allowed the researcher to evaluate the
instructional and independent reading level of each child. A running record, fluency and reading
comprehension level was determined for each child based on the F&P score.
The second method of data collection was WRS journal entries recorded by the teacher
researcher on each child during each lesson to note any strengths or weaknesses the child may
develop in relation to the WRS program. The journal entries allowed the researcher to decide if
the child was ready to move onto the next step in the WRS program or further instruction needed
to be implemented.

The third method of data collection was oral assessment of fluency and comprehension
during conferencing in guided reading groups. Guided reading groups are structured so that
children are grouped together based on levels of their instructional reading level assigned by the
F&P score. The children took turns reading and answering comprehension questions orally with
the researcher as they read together. The researcher used this information to see any growth in
the comprehension level and reading fluency of the child in the study. This allowed the
researcher to record a summative assessment on the material used-at the conclusion of the
instruction during guided reading. All of the participant and data information in this research
study is kept confidential and anonymous.
At the beginning of the study, baseline data was collected before the implementation of
the intervention and was used to make comparisons of participants before and after the
intervention (Hendricks, 2013). This study was conducted over an eight week period. First, the
F&P benchmark assessment was administered to determine a current independent and
instructional reading level for each child. After the independent and instructional reading levels
were determined for each child, the WRS was implemented three days a week for 40 minutes a
day. During this time the teacher researcher implemented WRS strategies to improve fluency,
phonemic awareness and decoding skills. On the fourth day the children were assessed orally by
the researcher in their guided reading groups. This allowed the researcher to monitor their
progress reading within the text or beyond the text in their reading comprehension. The teacher
researcher recorded any strategies that were shown to improve comprehension in the dated
journal. At the end of four weeks the teacher researcher re-administered the F&P benchmark
assessment to measure any change in their comprehension level. If the child demonstrated
sufficient progress to move to a higher instructional level, the researcher recorded that in the

field notes and WRS journal and administered the new level to the child during the guided
reading groups. The same process continued for the following four weeks. At the conclusion of
the eight weeks the F&P was administered again to determine a final reading comprehension
level for each child.
Conclusion
This teacher researcher used multiple forms of data; standardized tests, oral assessments
during guided reading groups and journal entries during the Wilson Reading System instruction
to make the data reliable and credible. Triangulation established the credibility of the research
study with the multiple artifacts of data. By collecting multiple data artifacts the researcher
determined whether the Wilson Reading System was an effective strategy to improve reading
comprehension in English language learners.
Chapter 4
Analysis of Data
Introduction

The purpose of this data analysis was to determine the effectiveness of specific
instructional strategies on reading comprehension for English language learners. The ELL
population struggles with decoding, fluency and phonemic awareness skills that are associated
with language barriers. The data analysis is important for other educators as it will provide them
with feedback on enhancing reading comprehension for ELLs. This study used triangulation of
data in order to enhance the validity and credibility of the research study (Hendricks, 2013).
Results of Data
In this section each participant will be discussed individually; however, the following
chart displays the data for fluency and reading comprehension for all four students. Fluency and
comprehension levels are measured using the Fountas and Pinnell (F&P) Benchmark Assessment
System (Appendix A). According to the F&P a child is expected to improve three levels of
growth throughout a school year.
Table 1. Fluency Scoring Scale
Table 2. The Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient
Participant Pretest Posttest
JL 2 3
JD 1 0
DR 2 1
CB 0 1
Participant Pretest Level Posttest Level Levels of
Growth
Achieved

The first participant, JL a fourth grade male student was given a pre and posttest as the
first method of data collection. The Fountas & Pinnell pretest determined the participant’s
fluency, phonemic awareness and reading comprehension level before any intervention. The pre
test indicated that JL was reading at a second grade level. His fluency scored a two, which is
defined as reading primarily in three-or four-word phrase groups according to the Fountas and
Pinnell system. The reading comprehension level was rated as satisfactory. JL included
important information and ideas; however, he lacked other key understandings such as character
names, setting and main idea. Phonemic awareness and decoding ability was determined by the
participant’s accuracy rate which was scored a 98% out of a possible 100%. The second method
of data collection was WRS journal entries. The participant demonstrated the ability to
understand key concepts required to use the WRS. He mastered the basic keywords, short and
long vowel sounds and welded sounds. He was able to master the correct markings for each
sound. JL was able to read nonsense words which demonstrated to the teacher researcher that his
understanding of the WRS was being implemented as a strategy for reading. The third method
of data collection for JL was an oral assessment of fluency and comprehension during
conferencing in guided reading groups. JL demonstrated his ability to read more fluently and
accurately throughout the intervention. When JL paused during guided reading groups he
independently referred back to the WRS sound drill which helped him with his reading
comprehension. Posttest scores indicated an increase in fluency and overall reading
comprehension. JL read primarily in large, meaningful phrases or word groups resulting in an
JL ( J ) grade 2 ( K ) grade 2 1
JD ( I ) grade 2 ( K ) grade 2 2
DR ( J ) grade 2 ( L ) grade 3 2
CB ( E ) grade 1 ( E ) grade 1 0

increase from two to three (Appendix A). Phonemic awareness and his decoding ability were
determined by the participant’s accuracy rate which remained the same as the pretest, 98% out of
a possible 100%. The Fountas & Pinnell posttest indicated that JL achieved one level of growth
after the WRS intervention which demonstrated the participant’s reading comprehension
reflected an excellent understanding of the text according to F&P. JL included almost all
important information and main ideas. After the intervention, JL showed more confidence in his
oral reading by participating more in class and he demonstrated more confidence in oral reading.
The second participant, JD is a fourth grade male. The Fountas & Pinnell pretest results
indicated that JD was reading at a second grade level. His fluency was primarily in two-word
phrases. The reading comprehension level was rated as satisfactory understanding of the text
according to F&P which means that he included important information and ideas but neglected
other key understandings such as the ability to make inferences and identify character names.
Phonemic awareness and decoding ability were determined by the participant’s accuracy rate
which was scored a 94% out of a possible 100%. The second method of data collection was
WRS journal entries. The participant demonstrated the ability to understand key concepts
required to use the WRS such as basic keywords, short vowel sounds and welded sounds. JD
struggled to determine long vowel sounds and needed redirection to the WRS rules and markings.
JD showed the ability to read nonsense words consisting of short vowel sounds and welded
sounds; however, he struggled when asked to read nonsense words of long vowel sounds of the
WRS. The third method of data collection for JD was an oral assessment of fluency and
comprehension during conferencing in guided reading groups. JD’s fluency decreased moving
from a one to a zero on fluency scale according to the F&P (Appendix A). The participant
primarily read word- by-word with occasional but infrequent or inappropriate phrasing.

According to the Fountas and Pinnell posttest, JD demonstrated a decrease in fluency but a
strong increase in his ability to decode words and on his overall reading comprehension.
Phonemic awareness and decoding ability were determined by the participant’s accuracy rate
which scored a 95% out of a possible 100%. The reading comprehension level was rated as
excellent. JD included almost all important information and main ideas. The posttest indicated
that JD achieved two levels of growth after the WRS intervention (Appendix B). Towards the
end of the intervention, JD was participating in language arts more frequently and his answers
were more accurate in reading comprehension than prior to the intervention.
The third participant, DR, is a fourth grade male student. The Fountas & Pinnell pretest
indicated that DR was reading at a second grade level. According to F&P his fluency was
primarily in three-or four-word phrase groups scoring a two on fluency scale (Appendix A). The
reading comprehension level was rated as excellent which according to the F&P indicated that,
he included almost all important information and addressed the main ideas. Phonemic awareness
and decoding ability were determined by the participant’s accuracy rate which was scored a 96%
out of a possible 100%. The second method of data collection was WRS journal entries. The
participant demonstrated the ability to understand key concepts required to use the WRS. He
mastered the basic keywords, short and long vowel sounds and welded sounds. He was able to
master the correct markings for each sound. DR was able to read nonsense words which
demonstrated to the teacher researcher that he understood the WRS. The third method of data
collection for DR was an oral assessment of fluency and comprehension during conferencing in
guided reading groups. DR demonstrated his ability to read more accurately however, he read
less fluently. When DR would pause during guided reading groups he referred back to the WRS
sound drill which helped the participant to sound out the word, increasing his reading

comprehension. The Fountas & Pinnell posttest indicated a decrease in fluency. According to the
F&P, DR scored one which indicated DR read primarily in two-word phrases with some three-
and four-word groups (Appendix A). While the participant decreased in fluency his accuracy rate,
phonemic awareness and decoding ability increased. Phonemic awareness and decoding ability
were determined by the participant’s accuracy rate which was scored a 98% out of a possible
100%. The reading comprehension level was indicated an excellent understanding of the text.
DR included almost all important information and main ideas. The posttest revealed DR
achieved two levels of growth after the WRS intervention. DR is participating more often in oral
reading in class and is more accurate when answering comprehension questions.
The fourth participant, CB, is a fifth grade male. The Fountas & Pinnell pretest indicated
that CB was reading at a first grade level. According to the F&P, his fluency was primarily
word-by-word with occasional but infrequent or inappropriate phrasing, scoring a zero on the
fluency scale (Appendix A). The reading comprehension level was rated as satisfactory which
according to the F&P indicates that, CB included important information and ideas; however, he
lacks other key understandings such as making inferences and locating information. The
participant’s accuracy rate scored a 94% out of a possible 100%. The second method of data
collection was WRS journal entries. The participant demonstrated the ability to understand some
key concepts required to use the WRS. He mastered the basic keywords, and short vowel sounds.
CB struggled to determine long vowel and welded sounds and needed redirection to the WRS
rules and markings. CB was able to read nonsense words consisting of short vowel sounds and
some welded sounds. The third method of data collection for CB was an oral assessment of
fluency and comprehension during conferencing in guided reading groups. CB was able to apply
WRS rules and markings while in guided reading groups. In the Fountas & Pinnell posttest, CB

demonstrated an increase in fluency, moving from a zero to one. The participant primarily read
in two-word phrases with some three-and four-word groups. CB also demonstrated a small
increase in his phonemic awareness and decoding ability during the posttest. CB’s accuracy rate
scored a 95% out of a possible 100%. The reading comprehension level was rated as excellent.
According to the F&P, CB included almost all important information and main ideas. He was
able to locate information within the text, comprehend the main idea and retell details from the
story. The Fountas & Pinnell posttest revealed CB did not show any growth in his reading level
and remains reading on a first grade level (Appendix B). While there was no growth in his
reading level, CB increased in all the other areas such as phonemic awareness and decoding. CB
has been participating more often and more confidently in his language arts block than prior to
the intervention. He is reading more comfortably in his guided reading group and continues to
put forth effort learning the WRS.
Analysis of Data
The participants in this study showed some progress in reading comprehension. The
teacher researcher was able to incorporate all three methods of data collection into the
participants’ daily language arts block, which allowed the teacher researcher to see how the
participants were applying the WRS strategies to their reading and how it would improve their
overall reading comprehension.
For all of the participants, fluency was a basic reading skill that proved challenging to
improve. While other areas increased for three out of the four participants, according to the F&P,
only one out of the four participants was able score a three on the fluency scale. This is
demonstrated by reading primarily in larger, more meaningful phrases or word groups. The

participants read more smoothly with expressive interpretation and pausing by the author’s
meaning and punctuation; however, JL is the only participant noted to have read with expression
and appropriate pausing, scoring a three on the fluency scale (Appendix A).
The Fountas & Pinnell pre and posttests allowed the teacher researcher to interpret the
participants overall reading comprehension. Reading comprehension was determined by an oral
test. The participants were asked questions within the text which required them to answer basic
questions such as character names, setting and what happened in the story, in sequence. The
participants were also asked to answer questions beyond the text which requires the students to
make inferences, understand idioms and answer ‘why’ questions. All four participants
demonstrated improvement in reading comprehension. According to F&P, the participants
demonstrated understanding of the text and included almost all important information and ideas.
Although CB made progress on decoding and fluency, results indicated that CB did not
increase his reading level. CB was absent from 8 sessions due to his triennial re-evaluation and
illness, which may have affected his scores. CB was able to make progress in all other areas.
Although CB demonstrated a decrease on fluency, he increased his accuracy rate, which affected
his ability to read more smoothly.
The oral assessment during guided reading provided a consistent record of how the
participants were progressing on their reading comprehension and fluency. Therefore, the teacher
researcher was able to reinforce the WRS strategies while the participants were reading orally in
a group setting. While the children were applying the WRS strategies, their fluency decreased
and the participants primarily focused on the pronunciation of the words. The participants were

able to use WRS rules to determine the correct word and read it appropriately which may have
affected any increase in reading comprehension.
Journal entries on each child during the instruction of the WRS provided anecdotal
information regarding strengths and weaknesses in phonics for each participant. Use of the
WRS’s list of nonsense words provided information about which short vowel, long vowel and
welded sounds the participants were applying while reading. Data indicated an improvement of
basic skills associated with reading such as decoding and phonemic awareness for all four
students. The Fountas and Pinnell assessment allowed the teacher researcher to ask questions
about the text to assess the participants’ comprehension, using additional prompts if the
participant required them. Three out of four participants showed a gain in their F&P reading
comprehension and accuracy level, which places them at more age appropriate reading levels.
The most significant finding emerged from the qualitative data. All of the participants
achieved significant progress on participation and overall confidence in reading. The four
participants are more eager to read orally in the classroom and showed more excitement when
choosing books appropriate for their reading level. During guided reading groups, the four
participants are proud to use their WRS rules and markings when reading a text. The teacher
researcher was able to see JD explain the rules of a short vowel sound to another child in the
class who was not a participant in the intervention. An example of the new enthusiasm for
reading was noted in a card from CB to his teacher researcher, “Happy Valentine Ms. Pavone
you are the bet teshr in the school. I am happy you sho me huw to red”. The teacher researcher
felt joyful to see this note and proud of the progress CB has made. While CB was able to
articulate his feelings in writing, it was clear that all participants demonstrated a more positive
attitude toward reading at the end of the study.

Limitations
This study was limited due to time and availability of each participant. The school district
was closed for five days during the study due to inclement weather. The participants were not
able to complete the full 35 sessions required by the teacher researcher to receive maximum
instruction of the WRS and completed only 25 sessions. Two participants in this study were re-
evaluated by their child study team during the time of the intervention to update their IEPs which
caused them to miss instruction in the classroom until testing was competed. After the
participants returned the teacher researcher had to re-teach previous material. Another participant
missed three days of school due to an illness. More instructional time for the WRS and small
guided reading groups might have resulted in a more positive outcome.
Discussion
Based upon the data results, this study indicated that the WRS may be an effective
teaching strategy to improve the reading comprehension of English language learners. In
addition to the data in this study, research suggests that the Wilson Reading System is an
effective program that uses direct instruction to maximize learning in reading. ELL learners
require a reading program that will focus on fluency, decoding and phonemic awareness for
basic reading skills (Nakamoto, Lindsey & Manis, 2010). This study also supports the
conclusions of Brunner (2005) who found that WRS is an effective strategy to teach basic skills
associated with reading comprehension. In order to achieve significant improvement in reading
comprehension, additional time is needed to implement the WRS.
Implications for Teaching

Using the findings from this study, teachers may reevaluate their approach to reading
instruction for special education English language learners. WRS seems to be an effective
approach for special education classrooms consisting of English language learners. The teacher
researcher plans to continue using the WRS during the language arts block. The teacher
researcher hopes to use the WRS as the primary phonics program to increase improvement in
reading comprehension skills. Children may be able to generalize WRS rules and markings in
math, science and social studies for greater reading comprehension in all subject areas.
Conclusion
This study attempted to determine if the WRS is an effective teaching strategy to improve
reading comprehension for English language learners. The data derived from this study
demonstrated that while fluency decreased for two out of the four participants, the overall goal to
increase reading comprehension was reached by three out of the four students. The WRS
provides children with phonetic rules to refer back to when struggling with reading in any
subject area. The WRS provides this population with a more concrete approach to learning
phonics. The conclusion of this study indicated that given the required amount of instruction
time, the WRS may be an effective strategy for teaching English language learners in order to
improve reading comprehension.
References
Brunner, N. (2005). The light bulb goes on. NEA Today, 23(8), 26–26.
Bursuck, W., and Dickson, S. 1999. Implementing a Model for Preventing Reading Failure: A
Report From the Field. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 14(4), 191-202.

Cheung, A., Slavin, R.E.,(2005) Reading programs; English language; Bilingual education;
Minority students; Elementary schools. Bilingual Research Journal. 241-267
Hernandez, D. J., Denton, N. A., & McCartney, S. E. (2008). Children in immigrant families:
Looking to America's future. Sodai Policy Report, 22(3), 3-22.
No Child Left Behind Act. (2001). 107th Congress of the United States of America.
Available online: http://www. ed.gov/legislation/ESEA02/107-l 10.pdf.
Torgesen, J.,(2007). Closing the Reading Gap. U.S. Department of Education Institute of
Education Science. 15, 109 -144.
Lipka, O., & Siegel, L. S. (2011). The Development of Reading Comprehension Skills in
Children Learning English as a Second Language. Reading and Writing: An
Interdisciplinary Journal, 1873-1898.
Tumner, W.E., Nesdale, A.R., Wright, A.D. (1987). Syntactic awareness and reading
acquisition. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 5, 25-34.
Wanzek, J., Dickson, S., Bursuck WD., & White, J. M. (2000). Teaching Phonological
Awareness to Students at Risk for Reading Failure: An analysis of four instructional
programs. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 15, 226-239.
Wilson, B. and Schupack, H. 1997. Reading, Writing and Spelling – The Multisensory
Structured Language Approach The International Dyslexia Association.
Yuill, N.M., Oakhill, J. V., & Parkin, A. J. (1989). Working Memory, Comprehension
skill and the resolution of text anomaly. British Journal of Psychology, 80, 351-361.
Yuill, N.M, & Oakhill, J.V. (1991). Children’s problems in text comprehension: An
experimental investigation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Nakamoto, J., Lindsey, K.A., & Manis, F.R. (2008). A cross-linguistic investigation of English
language learners’ reading comprehension in English and Spanish. Scientific Studies of
Reading, 12, 351-371.

Appendix A
Table 1 Fluency Scoring Scale
Fluency Chart: This chart shows the frequency for each individual child. The students were
tested using a Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System. The fluency scoring key is as
follows:
0- Reads primarily word-by-word with occasional but infrequent or inappropriate phrasing.
1- Reads primarily in two-word phrases.
2- Reads primarily in three-or four word phrase groups.
3- Reads primarily in larger, meaningful phrases or word groups.

Appendix B
Table 2. The Fountas & Pinnell Text Level Gradient
This table provides information regarding the pre and post independent reading
comprehension levels for each student based on the Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark Assessment.
Fountas & Pinnell Level Grade Level Goals
A-C Kindergarten
D- I First grade
J-M Second grade
N-P Third grade
Q-T Fourth grade
U- W Fifth grade
W-Y Sixth grade
Z Grade seven, eight and above

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