Hallie Perry
School of Education, Liberty University
EDUC 360: Learning and Behavior Problems Professor
Sarah Salazar
4/28/2025
Introduction
John is active in doing hands-on activities such as science and social studies. The
energetic fourth grader enjoys learning in school and is involved in group class discussions.
However, John struggles with decoding and reading certain unfamiliar words. He can only read
approximately fifty-five words per minute. Unfortunately, John has difficulty pronouncing
various sight words, which makes the fourth-grade reading material appear more challenging to
him. “Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get
understanding.” (New International Version, 2024) His overall attitude towards learning changes
and declines, which raises a concern for his teacher. Before his teacher, Ms. Chekov, considers a
referral for John’s education, she applies various strategies that address John’s fluent reading
skills. To benefit John’s learning, the teacher suggests a cognitive resource that provides John
with adequate textbook understanding.
Student Background
According to the IRIS Center and STAR sheets (Strategies And Resources), John’s reading
ability includes frequent pauses in his reading comprehension. Slow reading pace is also
revealed by John’s style of reading. “An intervention plan is indicated by the teacher that offers
structured practices and develops the student’s reading plan.” (Garguilo and Metcalf, 2023) An
immediate feedback from the teacher is stated to correct John’s reading pronunciation. The
STAR sheets provide the most adequate sound-decoding skills for fourth-graders. The word
identification from the IRIS Center is distinguished to list unfamiliar words for elementary-age
students. This wellresearched strategy implements proficient case studies that will support the
STAR sheet answers solved and learned within this unit of study.
Goals for John
Goal one: In order for John to reach his academic goals, the learning retention and intervention
plan must be implemented effectively. The first goal is that John will increase his reading fluency
to 90 words per minute with 95% accuracy by the end of the first semester. This will lead to RTI
(Response to Intervention) for John to effectively learn and acquire an understanding to
reaching his first goal.
Goal two: The second goal is that John will decode two-syllable words in seven out of ten trial
practice accurately by the end of the second semester. This will lead to RTI (Response to
Intervention) for John to effectively learn and acquire an understanding of reaching his second
goal.
Goal three: The third goal is that John will recognize and read second-grade level sight words
with 90% accuracy by the end of the third semester. The educational strategies that are
implemented in a core classroom curriculum will enable John to grasp the concepts taught in
class.
Strategies for Improvement
Implementing an evidence-based reading strategy will allow him to read more clearly to
the level of accuracy. If John practices reading out loud with confidence and selects grade-level
passages, John will become more familiar with difficult words. After the repeated practice of
saying words out loud, John should be able to pronounce the multiple passages each day with
more accuracy. A teacher and parent must support John’s reading progress in fourth grade to
enhance his academic development. To create a positive learning environment for John, Ms.
Chekov should provide an assessment for John to complete for immediate feedback. This will
better help the teacher track his progress and overall reading fluency. “Fluency involves
automatic word and punctuation recognition as well as pacing, inflection, and efficiency.”
(Kristin Sayeski, PhD and Kim Paulsen, EdD, 2003) If there is time between student group
discussions, the teacher will note John’s progress each day. A sign-off sheet to each reading
practice will be provided to the parents with the teacher's complete analysis of John’s reading
articulation each week.
Peer Tutoring Review
To facilitate a supportive and clean classroom environment, peer tutoring would allow
students to learn from one another through cooperative learning practices. This will provide a
fluent reading opportunity for John to build good social skills. By allowing John to select the
exact reading passage each time, this will ensure that John is learning in an accurate precise
way. Peer tutoring sessions that are incorporated twice a week will extend John’s reading
pattern. The teacher facilitates a peer tutoring session by suggesting more parental
involvement. “To facilitate a supportive and clean classroom environment, peer tutoring would
allow students to learn from one another through cooperative learning practices.” (Garguilo and
Metcalf, 2023) When John’s reading tutor sets up a reading system at home, this will encourage
John’s growth mindset.
Sight Words
John will be able to recognize second-grade-level sight words with 90% accuracy by
completing sight word activities daily by the end of the second semester. A compatible
kinesthetic learning will help John to locate difficult sight words and reinforce his ability to
recognize fourthgrade sight words. “Students can work in pairs with flash cards or word sheets
to practice new sight words (high-frequency or irregular words) and review previously taught
words.” (Kristin Sayeski, PhD and Kim Paulsen, EdD, 2003) The interactive activities will motivate
John to make flashcards and engage in word-search-matching games through interacting with
other peers in his class. Contributing to timed drills through various learning processes will
significantly improve his reading ability.
Multi-Sensory Learning Approaches
Various methods in decoding two-syllable words significantly enhance John’s sensory
learning to significantly be more engaging for him. The tactile and kinesthetic activities build
John’s understanding of how to manipulate two-syllable words by engaging approaches to help
reinforce John’s improvement in decoding words, tracing words such as, two-syllable phrases
and clauses on a textured surface. This will create a multi-sensory phonics instruction for John
to decipher.
IRIS Flashcards Games
The IRIS Case Studies of early reading will be an effective method for John’s reading
fluency. To read align with the recommended practices, such as, Teacher Your Monster to Read
and Raz-Kids, will encourage John to listen to the passage, which helps build accuracy through
the familiarity of children's books are also selected to enhance repetition at home. “Peer
partners can use a blending activity called “Say it Slow. Say it Fast” where one partner holds up a
word card and the other partner sounds out the word slowly (e .g . /rrrrr/aaaaa/ttttt/) and then
says it fast (e .g ., /rat).” (Kristin Sayeski, PhD and Kim Paulsen, EdD, 2003) A vital reinforcement
of the IRIS Center’s focus addresses sound blending as an essential concept to obscure John’s
academic tracking features. The research-based interventions lead struggling readers to the
necessary comprehension skills to enhance their fluency in reading comprehension.
Implementing a sound identification with an influential blending and segmenting activity will
support the student’s pronunciational skills. The pinpoint areas that are platformed can also be
played at home. It is easy to utilize advancements in reading educational library books when
games of phonics flashcard games are played.
Hands-On Activity for Goal One
The first goal is that John will increase his reading fluency to 90 words per minute with
95% accuracy by the end of the first semester. This hands-on activity, called a “Fluency Relay
Race,” combines physical movements and a segment of reading practices that divide short
segments by passing the baton to the next student reader. “For the purpose of this study, DI is
conceptualized as a toolbox of instructional practices, which enables teachers to appropriately
cater to students’ specific learning requirements and ensure successful learning for all students
within a diverse and inclusive class.” (Marcela, P. et al., 2019) The student in this small group
activity will take turns incorporating a fun physical movement with the other classmates. The
reading practice will become an essential classroom teamwork exercise as each student
accomplishes their first goal.
Academic Procedure
The teacher will include short segments of 2-6 sentences and select the appropriate
fourthgrade-level vocabulary that significantly divides the passage into the fundamental reading
curriculum. The students will then be arranged into a circle to read a segment of the passage.
“This form of repeated reading has been found to help increase reading fluency.” (Kristin
Sayeski, PhD, and Kim Paulsen, EdD, 2003) The first student will pass the baton to the student
who is explicitly sitting to the left. Then, as quickly and as accurately as possible, the student
with the baton will read a portion of the fourth-grade reading passage out loud to the class of
students. After the passage has been practiced and read thoroughly to the teacher, Ms. Chekov,
eventually, the group of students’ reading rate will be recorded for their time in this activity. The
procedure of this activity is designed to improve their fluency in reading skills.
Reading Fluency
The blend of competitive elements in Early Childhood Education will enhance John’s
reading ability through motivating hands-on activities. The relay race of teamwork aspects is
more enjoyable when timed settings are consistently repeated. “Thus, readers with better
decoding and word reading skills paused less frequently than readers who had poorer decoding
and word reading skills.” (Álvarez-Cañizo M. et al., 2015) The overall reading development will
additionally focus on John’s reading fluency to be more accurately stated.
Monitoring Reading Progress
The monitored assessments will complement the natural classroom observation.
Through running records of information, this will confirm John’s progress. Informal reading
assessments (IRAs) consist of daily timed reading assignments. The reading exercises confirm
the regular precision when taking assessments. The educational progress that John significantly
develops is a running record of assessment information. Incorporating the procedure of this
activity will further advance John’s pronunciation. “Repeated reading of familiar text is a
strategy to increase reading fluency.” (Kristin Sayeski, PhD, and Kim Paulsen, EdD, 2003) By
practicing all the resources of the unique requirements from composing the text guidelines, the
learners should be able to accurately say the two-syllable words out loud in proper
pronunciation.
Conclusion
John is an energetic fourth-grader who struggles with decoding and reading certain
unfamiliar words. An intervention plan is indicated by the teacher that offers structured
practices and develops the student’s reading plan. The first goal is that John will increase his
reading fluency to 90 words per minute with 95% accuracy by the end of the first semester. The
second goal is that John will decode two-syllable words in seven out of ten trial practice
accurately by the end of the second semester. The third goal is that John will recognize and read
second-grade level sight words with 90% accuracy by the end of the third semester.
Implementing an evidence-based reading strategy will allow him to read more clearly to the
level of accuracy. To benefit John’s learning, the teacher suggests a cognitive resource that
provides John with adequate textbook understanding.
References
Pozas, M., Letzel, V., Schneider, C. (2019). Teachers and differentiated instruction: exploring
differentiation practices to address student diversity. (Jorsen, 2019). Pages 217-
230.https://www.nasenjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/
Garguilo, R.M. and Metcalf, D. (2023). Teaching in Today’s Inclusive Classrooms: A
Universal Design for Learning Approach. 4th ed. Stamford, CT: Cengage
Learning. https://www.ebooks.cenreader.com/
Álvarez-Cañizo M, Suárez-Coalla P, Cuetos F. (2015). The Role of Reading Fluency in
Children's Text Comprehension. (Frontiers Psychology, 2015) Para.
1.https://www.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/
Sayeski, K ., and Paulsen, K . (2003). Early reading and the IRIS Center. (IRIS Center, 2003)
Pages 15-16. https://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/wpcontent/uploads/
Bible. (2024). BibleGateway. (New International Version, 2024) Para. 1.
Retrieved from: https://www.biblegateway.com/
