Assignment 3: IRIS Assignment

Rebecca Oliver
PME 843: Effective Instruction
Queen’s University

Question #1 How is a comprehensive core reading program related to high-quality instruction? Why is it
important to implement high-quality instruction?

High-quality instruction (HQI) has two main components. The first component of HQI is the utilization of
research-validated instructional practices. The Iris Centre (2023) states “Scientifically based instructional
practices are those that instructors use to teach content and that have been demonstrated to be
effective.”. There were two research-validated instructional practices discussed in this module:
differentiated instruction and grouping. Differentiated instruction (DI) refers to a fluid teaching technique
that meets the student where they are at and provides accommodations and support to the individual
wants and needs. DI caters the curriculum to the student, instead of expecting the student to adjust to the
curriculum (The Iris Centre, 2023). The Iris Centre (2023) states “Differentiated instruction is most
effective when used in combination with different types of grouping.” - this is referring to when teachers
use flexible grouping practices. Some examples of flexible grouping involves small group, pairing,
independent and intensive one-on-one instruction. The other feature of HQI is a comprehensive core
reading program, which is the primary instructional tool that teachers use to implement reading instruction
(The Iris Centre, 2023). A core reading program involves an organized scope and sequence that reflects
the educational ministries standards with research-validated instructional practices (being systematic and
explicit), materials (hands-on learning, providing learning through both image and text) and strategies
(flexible grouping, DI) that support students’ initial learning as well as the transfer of knowledge and skills
(five critical components of reading) (The Iris Centre, 2023). This is important to implement because
research has shown that “Teachers can increase students’ reading success in early grades by
implementing high-quality instruction” (The Iris Centre, 2023). By implementing HQI, teachers understand
that inadequate instruction is not the reason for a striving student’s reading performance (The Iris Centre,
2023) - HQI has not been universally used throughout Ontario. The Ontario Human Rights Commission
has released the Right to Read Inquiry Report on February 28th, 2022. This report confirmed that “
Ontario’s public education system is failing students with reading disabilities (such as dyslexia) and many
others, by not using evidence-based approaches to teach them to read.” (Ontario Human Rights
Commission, 2022). The HQI that has been missing from Ontario is pieces of a strong comprehensive
core reading program. The elements missing are explicit, systematic instruction, a strong scope and
sequence (that has not just been implemented by Ontario in June) and teaching all five critical
components of reading. The critical components of reading that the Ontario Language Curriculum and the
teachers within it were not explicitly and systematically teaching was phonemic awareness, phonics and
word study. But why haven’t we been teaching this way? Well educational ministers, district heads,
publishers, principals and teachers have been sold a story about how students learn how to read. 30
years ago the balanced literacy (3 cueing system) by Fountas and Pinnell gained popularity because it
truly seemed like reading could be a humanistic, learner-centered approach. Students could explore
language through inquiry-based and play-based learning and “discover” how to read. The problem is our
brains still aren’t wired to learn how to read. Written text is still a relatively new invention. This is why
students need high-quality instruction in order to be lifelong literacy learners.
Question #6 Discuss at least three different ways in which high-quality reading instruction in Tier 2 will
differ from that in Tier 1.

Firstly, a tiered approach is a Response to Intervention (RTI) which provides multiple levels of
interventions for our striving learners. Tier 1 is primary prevention which is usually class or school wide
intervention (The Iris Centre, 2023). As mentioned above, each student should receive HQI regardless of
the Tiered approach being used. In Tier 1: they receive HQI through a core reading program that involves
an organized scope and sequence that reflects the educational ministries standards with
research-validated instructional practices (being systematic and explicit), materials (hands-on learning,
providing learning through both image and text) that support students’ initial learning as well as the
transfer of knowledge and skills (five critical components of reading). When a student does not meet the
assessment criteria for Tier 1, they can be eligible for Tier 2. Tier 2 is described as secondary prevention
and a targeted intervention.The difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 is the component of
research-validated instructional practices: grouping. The Iris Centre (2023) states “This intervention is
often provided in a small-group setting for a set period (anywhere between 10–20 weeks), with frequent
progress monitoring.”. Another difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 is the ability for the teacher to work
directly with the students. Since the educator is working in small groups, they can check for
understanding, have students demonstrate what they are thinking/doing and provide immediate and
explicit corrective feedback. Another essential piece of Tier 2 is that not everyone will need Tier 2. This
means students need less time with the educator working on five literacy components, which creates
more time for the students who need that targeted intervention (which is usually a ratio of 1 teacher to 3-5
students).

References

Ontario Human Rights Commission. (2023.). Right to read: Public inquiry into human rights
issues affecting students with reading disabilities. Right to Read: public inquiry into human rights
issues affecting students with reading disabilities | Ontario Human Rights Commission.
https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/right-read-public-inquiry-on-reading-disabilities