Reading 180 program is America’s program in reading and intervention. It is a program that was designed in helping struggling learners that are reading more than two years below the grade level. This mode of learning combines traditional instructions in classrooms with digital media. The 180 reading program is aimed at directly addressing a pupil’s needs using direct reading, skills in vocabulary, writing, instructions and intense literature. All these approaches are directed to struggling readers so that they can attain success in the different levels of their learning. The study will rely on three theories namely; socio-culturalism, the cognitive-constructivism theory, and theory of literacy learning to justify the thesis; the READ 180 Reading Program for students impacts the 7th grade with learning disabilities.
This section presents the theoretical framework selected based on the research question stated above herein. To begin with, the social learning theory is a learning theory that puts its emphasis on the learning that goes on around a social context. It implies that interacting people learn from each other. They learn from each other through concepts like modelling, observational learning and imitation. In relation to the READ 180 Reading Program for students in the seventh grade with learning disabilities, Buehl, (2009), states that learners can use the brainstorming strategy while in class before the actual learning. This strategy leads to a fruitful framework known as LINK where learners list, inquire from others, then note down and consequently they learn (know).
The social learning theory can be made effective on a seventh-grade student with a learning disability by a teacher that effectively employs concepts such as retention, attention, motivation and motor reproduction. The teachers need to make sure their seventh-grade students believe in themselves that they can comfortably accomplish school tasks. Additionally, in order for a seventh-grade student with a disability to achieve more, the teachers need to help their students to make realistic and achievable expectations, and goals.
According to Buehl (2009), while in the inquiry process, the READ 180 Reading Program that entails both traditional and digital forms of learning impacts positively on students in that they interact to share and broaden their comprehension on the given topics set by their teachers. Currently, with the emergence of non-print and print learning materials in form of virtual and fixed platforms, students 7th graders with learning disabilities can comprehend varied contexts through multimodal (digital) and print text, graphics, interactions (which is mostly reflective of the social learning theory), talking with peers, teachers, performing and visual arts
The observational mode of learning also known as the social learning theory framework’s on the READ 180 Reading Program impacts on the seventh-grade learners with disabilities in that through observation, learners learn greatly from other people. Learners develop self-awareness and capability when they set and accomplish realistic goals. Additionally, the self-regulated techniques improve the learners’ behaviour.
The cognitive-constructivist learning theory is another way teachers can employ in addition to the 180 reading program in helping learners acquire knowledge and skills. The constructivism learning theory states that human beings make and deduce meaning as a result of their interaction with their ideas and experiences (Piaget, 1950). This theory has an impact on teaching and intervention methods such as the READ 180 Reading Program. The theory argues that when a person acquires a new experience, the person incorporates that new experience into an already present framework, consequently not changing the existing framework. This is possible when a person’s experiences are presented with their alignments (internal) but may take place as failure to shift a changing faulty understanding. For instance, they may not see events, may not understand other people’s contributions and may make a decision that an event is not important as the universal information.
Piaget’s constructivism theory is a range of mixed techniques with others contradicting while others are supporting the above results based on personal experiences. Teachers can involve this theory in addition to the READ 180 Reading Program. This can impact greatly on seventh-grade students with learning disabilities. For instance, in a class, a teacher needs to encourage students to experiment and solve problems. This leads to the creation of knowledge. Additionally, the teacher can then question their experience and question the 7th graders how their comprehension is shifting. This learning process involves the teacher’s understanding on the initial student conceptions, then guiding the learners in airing their conceptions.
According to Piaget (1950), teachers need to constantly test their learners’ progress in gaining understanding. The learners question themselves and their methods, consequently, they transform into expert learners. Their knowledge broadens, they actually result in learning how to learn. An example of constructivism theory being employed in a class is when students in a classroom with learning disabilities are brainstorming and ‘discussing’ a mathematics question. Their seventh-grade teacher knows how to ‘solve’ the question, but he concentrates on assisting the students to look for answers in different ways. Every student examines and reflects on her knowledge. Consequently, when a student gets the right answer, their teacher takes it and lets the class to demonstrate more equations on solving the question. Finally, the seventh graders say what they have explored and learned, and how their reflections helped (or otherwise) them to comprehend the question more vividly. The constructivism theory positively impacts on seventh graders with learning disabilities by sparking their experience hence making them come up with more and better understanding of various educational concepts.
According to Leu & Kinzer (2000), ‘literacy continuously changes as new communication and information technologies emerge.’ This is evident in the READ 180 Reading Program where digital modes of learning are employed alongside the traditional methods to help the struggling students learn. The third learning theory is a theory of literacy education.
Cambourne (1988), formulated ‘Principles of Engagement.’ These principles stated that learners can deeply engage with demonstrations if they have a belief incapability to do or learn what is put in front of them to learn, learners are curious to learn if what they engage in is of use and value to them, learners engage in demonstrations if they are not anxious and learners engage more freely in demonstrations given by a person they admire, trust or like. The READ 180 Reading Program in line with the theory of literacy education, the seventh-grade students with learning disabilities can be successfully taught more conveniently if their teacher was likeable and presentable, if the learners were not anxious or if their teacher made it clear how important their classes were, and the value they held.
In conclusion, there are several theories of learning. The merging of these theories to the current the READ 180 Reading Program in helping the seventh-grade students with learning disabilities results in lots of positive impacts. Inclusive of these impacts is an improvement of a learner’s capability and positive behavioural change, the learners come up with more and better understanding of various educational concepts, and they end up understanding and appreciation education since it holds great value in their lives.
References
Buehl, D. (2009). Classroom strategies for interactive learning (3rd ed.). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.
Cambourne, B.L. (1988). The whole story: Natural learning and the acquisition of literacy. Auckland, New Zealand: Ashton-Scholastic.
Inhelder, B. & Piaget, J. (1967). The Child's Conception of Space. See especially “Systems of Reference and Horizontal-Vertical Coordinates.” p. 375-418. New York: W. W. Norton &Co.
Kinzer, C. K. & Leu, D. J., Jr., (2000). The convergence of literacy instruction with networked technologies for information and communication.
