UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA - CHARLOTTE

Behavior and Reading Improvement Center

Robert Algozzine, Nancy Cooke, and Richard White

The Behavior and Reading Improvement Center is one of two research centers investigating both reading and behavior intervention models for students in Grades K-3. In collaboration with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Schools, the center aims to guide the implementation and assessment of a multiple-level program to prevent the development and/or persistence of serious behavioral and reading problems. The center is targeting children who manifest serious behaviors that may result in present or future discipline problems or who are identified as having difficulty learning to read. Participating schools include eight elementary schools in the Charlotte area, with three of the eight schools serving as control schools for one year before receiving interventions.

The center's primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions are as follows:

• At the primary level, project and school staff implement the Unified Discipline model to prevent the development and reduce the prevalence of behavioral problems. Unified Discipline is a school-wide discipline program involving unified attitudes, expectations, correction procedures, and team roles for all school staff. In addition, staff conduct screening to identify students manifesting difficulties learning to read.
  
  
• At the secondary level, students identified as needing additional behavioral skills instruction receive more specialized interventions (e.g., Responding to Individual Differences or social skills instruction based on functional assessments). Students identified as manifesting difficulty learning to read receive a small-group reading intervention using Phonological Awareness Instruction (i.e., scripted lessons on letter-sound correspondences, onset rimes, blending, and segmenting).
  
  
• At the tertiary level, students with chronic behavioral difficulties receive one-to-one, empirically supported interventions such as those described for use at the secondary level, and students still at risk for reading failure receive individualized Phonological Awareness Instruction.

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