Hank Fien

The purpose of this grant is to iteratively develop and pilot test an intensive Tier 3 reading intervention for use with students in kindergarten through second grade (K-2) in the early stages of reading development. Research provides clear direction on effective Tier 2 reading interventions in the early grades, but few studies demonstrate impact with students who require more intense intervention. The Tier 3 intervention will be for students who do not respond adequately to core and supplem...

The goal of this project is to conduct a replication study of Enhanced Core Reading Instruction (ECRI), a comprehensive approach to early reading instruction and intervention for students from kindergarten through second grade. ECRI has been implemented in thousands of schools across the U.S., and prior efficacy studies have shown beneficial impacts on broad measures of students' reading outcomes. However, the impact of ECRI has not been evaluated under routine implementation conditions. The...

Students who perform poorly in mathematics in the early elementary grades are likely to continue to perform poorly in mathematics in later grades. These findings indicate that a successful start in mathematics is critical to later mathematics achievement. The purpose of this project is to develop NumberShire-K, a browser-based, educational video game in which first-grade students learn and apply the mathematical concepts and skills of whole numbers. NumberShire-K will include research-based ...

Primary- and secondary- reading instruction that is part of a Response to Intervention model is often delivered through a core reading program. Implementation of core programs can vary widely among teachers, and poor implementation may weaken the potential of the program to improve student outcomes. In addition, the core program alone may not be sufficient for addressing all of the needs of students who require more intensive secondary intervention. For these students, practitioners may p...