Reading and Emotional/Behavioral Disorders
Seven special education teachers of students with emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD) and their 30 elementary students participated in this 16 month study. Teachers participated in 10 hours of professional development on effective reading instruction, progress monitoring in reading, and features of effective instruction. Classroom instruction during reading was observed and teacher knowledge of reading was assessed prior to and following professional development. Student outcomes were assessed in reading at the beginning and end of the school year. Findings revealed improvements in teacher knowledge about progress monitoring, phonological awareness, word analysis, comprehension, and fluency. Teachers' grouping practices for reading changed to reflect more student pairing and small group instruction. Overall, student change in reading outcomes were related to the extent of change in instruction by their teachers.
