Free & Easy Tools for Tiered Reading Supports in the Classr…

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Free & Easy Tools for Tiered Reading Supports in the Classroom

Educational policies in the United States mandate that all learners have access to a general education curriculum (Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), 2015; Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA), 2004). Additionally, ESSA and IDEA require learners with disabilities to demonstrate pro- ficiency in comprehending text. Recent data shows 3rd-grade through 12th-grade students who receive special education services range from 11.7-18.8 percent proficient with reading (United States Department of Education, 2021). Therefore, mak- ing reading content accessible to all learners in the classroom is critical (Zaugg, 2023). As the U.S. educational system strives toward inclusion, more students served under IDEA spend most of their school day in the general education setting (National Center for Education Statistics, 2022). In focusing on inclusion, some educators may encounter challenges providing access to grade-level content to students whose reading and comprehension are below grade level. Implementing tiered reading in the classroom is crucial for catering to diverse learning needs. This approach acknowl- edges students possess varying proficiency levels and ensures instructional strategies align with individual abilities. By offering a tiered structure, educators can provide targeted interventions

for struggling readers, challenge advanced learners, and tailor content to meet the unique requirements of each student. This personalized approach enhances engagement, fosters a pos- itive learning environment, and maximizes overall academic growth (Denton et al., 2013). Supporting tiered reading in the classroom empowers educators to address the spectrum of abil- ities present, fostering a more inclusive and practical learning experience for all students (Stewart et al., 2005). In this article, the authors present four steps educators can use to support tiered reading in any subject area, along with free resources to help modify grade-level reading content to give all readers ac- cess to the curriculum. 4 STEPS EDUCATORS CAN USE TO SUPPORT TIERED READING IN THE CLASSROOM Using the 245-page book “Where the Red Fern Grows,” the lead author used five free resources, ChatGPT, MagicSchool. ai, Rewordify, Textcompactor, Clusive, and Tar Heel Reader, to demonstrate how educators can support tiered reading in the classroom. The italicized text represents the responses from dif- ferent websites when given the prompt or when content was copied and pasted.

TIFFANIE ZAUGG is PhD. candidate who has forged a career in special education, centered around inclusive technology and a fervent commitment to ensuring equal access to instruction for all learners. Her expertise, honed through roles in academia and practical settings, encompasses developing and implementing innovative educa- tional strategies bridging gaps in learning. Tiffanie's work, deeply rooted in her passion for educational equity, is helping to shape accessible learning environments for diverse student populations.

DR. ERIKA MOORE , Ph.D., is an inclusive specialist and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Central Florida. Dr. Moore specializes in digital equity and inclusion for individuals with intellectual disabilities and ASD.

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STEP 1: ASK CHATGPT TO SUMMARIZE A BOOK OR CHAPTER (FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE THE RED FERN GROWS). ChatGPT is a language model developed by OpenAI. It uses machine learning algorithms to understand natural language and provide responses to questions or prompts given by users. The purpose is to assist with various tasks, including answering questions, providing information, and generating text on mul- tiple topics. Below are examples of some of the commands/ prompts educators can provide ChatGPT to produce summa- rized reading content of a text.

When the author asked ChatGPT to summarize Chapter 1 of "Where the Red Fern Grows”: In Chapter 1 of "Where the Red Fern Grows," the narrator, an adult reflecting on his childhood, en- counters a dogfight while walking home from work in the Snake River Valley, Idaho. The sight of a Redbone hound being attacked prompts him to intervene and save the dog. Afterward, he takes care of the injured dog, and this encounter evokes memories of his childhood and his own redbone coonhounds. The chapter sets the stage for the story by introducing the theme of a deep connection between humans and dogs. It also hints at the narrator's past experiences with his own dogs, which are cen- tral to the narrative. This chapter serves as a prologue to the main story, which is about the narrator's childhood in the Ozark Moun- tains and his adventures with his beloved hounds, Old Dan and Little Ann. The emotional depth of the chapter foreshadows the poignant and heartfelt story that follows. With ChatGPT’s summarized text, educators can modify the content to the desired reading level or complexity. Changing text complexity changes the text's vocabulary to the specific reading level the educator wants for their students. The chang- ing text complexity allows students reading above or below the reading level of the text to read the content independently with their peers. STEP 2: COPY AND PASTE THE TEXT FROM CHATGPT OR OTHER TEXT INTO THE YELLOW BOX ON REWORDIFY OR MAGICSCHOOL. AI TEXT LEVELER-TOOL. ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE IS TO ASK CHATGPT TO REWRITE THE CHAPTER 1 SUMMARY AT A FIRST- GRADE LEVEL. The first text modifying resource, Rewordify, changes the text complexity of difficult words in English. Enter a sentence, para- graph, whole chapter, or website URL into the yellow box at the top. Click the box “Rewordify text,” and you will instantly see the complexity of the text change. The words highlighted in yellow are the words the complexity has changed. Rewordify also offers learning activities for the learners to learn the words changed. (See Figure 2) Here is an example of the Chapter 1 summary provided by ChatGPT copied and pasted in Rewordify: In Chapter 1 of "Where the Red Fern Grows," the (person telling the story), (person telling the story), an adult reflect-

Figure 1 - ChatCPT

When the author instructed ChatGPT to summarize the book “Where the Red Fern Grows,” ChatGPT outputted: "Where the Red Fern Grows" is a novel by Wilson Rawls that tells the story of a young boy named Billy Colman who lives in the Ozark Mountains. Desper- ate for his own hunting dogs, Billy works hard to save up enough money to buy two Redbone Coonhounds. He names them Old Dan and Little Ann, and together, they form an inseparable bond. The story explores themes of determination, love, and loss as Bil- ly trains his dogs to become the best hunting team in the area. Their adventures and challenges in the rugged landscape are a signifi- cant part of the narrative. The novel is particularly noted for its vivid depiction of rural American life and the deep connection between the boy and his dogs. Tragically, the story takes a somber turn when, after winning a coon-hunting contest, a series of events leads to a heartbreaking conclusion. Both dogs demonstrate extraordinary loyalty and brav- ery, ultimately leading to their demise. The novel ends with Billy discovering a red fern growing between their graves, a symbol of eternal peace and a reminder of their enduring spirit and love.”

Figure 2 - ReWordify

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ing on his (related to the time when a person is a child) (related to the time when a person is a child), meets a dogfight while walking home from work in the Snake River Valley, Idaho. The sight of a Redbone dog being attacked causes/reminds causes/reminds him to get involved/help and save the dog. Afterward, he takes care of the hurt dog, and this meeting reminds people of/brings out reminds people of/brings out memories of his (the time when a person is a child) (the time when a person is a child) and his own red- bone coonhounds. The chapter sets the stage for the story by intro- ducing the theme of a deep connection between humans and dogs. It also hints at the (person telling the story (person telling the story)'s past experiences with his own dogs, which are central to the story. This chapter serves as a (first or introductory scene) to the main story, which is about the (person telling the story)'s (the time when a person is a child the time when a person is a child) in the Ozark Mountains and his fun trips fun trips with his loved dogs loved dogs, Old Dan and Little Ann. The emotional depth of the chapter predicts the emo- predicts the emo- tional and emotional emotional story that follows. Another text modifier, MagicSchool.ai , also changes text complexity by pasting the text into the original text box and choosing the reading level of the text needed for the students. (See Figure 3) Here is an example of Chapter 1 with the reading level changed to a 1st-grade level: In Chapter 1 of "Where the Red Fern Grows," a grown-up tells a story about when he was a kid. He sees a fight between two dogs while walking home from work in Idaho. One of the dogs is hurt, so he saves it. This reminds him of his own dogs when he was young. This chapter is the beginning of the story. It shows that people and dogs can have a special connec- tion. It also hints that the narrator had his own dogs before. The main story is about the narrator's childhood in the mountains and

the adventures he had with his dogs, Old Dan and Little Ann. This chapter is important because it shows that the story will be sad and meaningful. Additionally, ChatGPT allows changes to the text complexity of the Chapter. When asked to write Chapter 1 at a first-grade lev- el, this was the response: Chapter 1 of "Where the Red Fern Grows" for a first-grade level: Once upon a time, there was a man who found a hurt dog. The dog was scared and needed help. The man was kind and wanted to make the dog feel better, so he took the dog home and took care of it. The man remembered when he was a little boy. He had two special dogs that he loved very much. Their names were Old Dan and Little Ann. They were the best friends a boy could have. They went on many adventures together in the woods. The man smiled as he thought about his two dogs and the fun times they had. He knew he would tell us all about them. And that is how our story begins, with the man and his wonderful mem- ories of Old Dan and Little Ann. This scaffold may be the only change learners need. How- ever, if the learner needs more scaffolding, copy and paste the text into Textcompactor. Text leveling provides materials for in- struction with simplified vocabulary and sentences that are less complex than materials written on grade level. It is essential to ensure the content aligns with the original materials and meets the expectations of the grade level standards (Iowa Department of Education, 2019).

Figure 3 - MagiSchool.ai

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Figure 4 - Text Compactor

STEP 3 (IF NEEDED): COPY AND PASTE THE TEXT FROM REWORDIFY, MAGICSCHOOL AI, OR CHATGPT INTO TEXTCOMPACTOR. DRAG THE SLIDER TO THE PERCENTAGE FOR THE PASSAGE SUMMARY. The free online summarization tool, Textcompactor allows for copying and pasting text and choosing what percentage of the text should be summarized. It can summarize text from 0-100%. ( See Figure 4) When using the Textcompactor for ChatGPT’s summary of Chapter 1 at 25%, here was the response: In Chapter 1 of "Where the Red Fern Grows," the narrator, an adult reflecting on his child- hood, encounters a dogfight while walking home from work in the Snake River Valley, Idaho. Afterward, he takes care of the injured dog, and this encounter evokes memories of his childhood and his own redbone coonhounds. The chapter sets the stage for the story by introducing the theme of a deep connection between humans and dogs. Read the summarized text to determine if the summa- ry is correct.

Here is an example of taking ChatGPT’s first-grade level text from Chapter 1 and summarizing it down to 25%: Once upon a time, there was a man who found a hurt dog. The man was kind and wanted to make the dog feel better, so he took the dog home and took care of it. The man remembered when he was a little boy. How easy was that? With a few copies and pastes, the edu- cator now has different levels of support for grade-level content text for the classroom. All the educators need to know is how to copy and paste and the reading levels of their students. STEP 4 (IF NEEDED): PROVIDE THE TEXT WITH TEXT-TO-SPEECH SUPPORT. Now the text complexity and length have been changed; where should the text be put for students to read? There are nu- merous places where one could copy and paste the final text. Educators could paste it into a document or presentation slides, but what if the student needs to be able to read it with their ears? There are numerous options for text readers; however, we

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will focus on these two free websites: Clusive and Tar Heel Read- er. Clusive is a website where educators can upload text for stu- dents to read. The teacher can see the students' active reading time. The student can share their reactions to the readings, which the teacher is able to see, along with customizing knowl- edge questions for the students. The students can customize Clusive with the customizable reading tools, word look-up, and the reading level best suited for them. Tar Heel Reader allows teachers to create books from copied text. While this is a free website, the educator must email tar- heelreader@cs.unc.edu for the access code for writing books. There is no access code for the use of already created books. Tar Heel Reader has a vast collection of Flickr images and allows for the upload of personal images. Another great feature of this site is its switch accessibility, which allows students who use switch- es to activate the computer or turn the book's pages. (See Figure 5) Figure 1 visually shows how the tools fit within the Response to Intervention tiers. Moving from the bottom tier (Tier 1) to the top tier (Tier 3) in the Response to Intervention (RTI) model in- volves a progressive increase in the intensity and individualiza- tion of support based on the student's needs. Here is how the progression typically works: Tier 1 (Universal Instruction): All students receive high-qual- ity, research-based instruction in the general education class- room. Regular assessments and screenings identify students who struggle to progress at this level (IDEA, 2017). Tier 2 (Targeted Interventions): Students not adequately re- sponding to Tier 1 instruction receive additional support. This includes small-group interventions targeting specific skill defi- cits. Educators closely monitor students’ progress and adjust in- terventions as needed (IDEA, 2017). Tier 3 (Intensive Interventions): Students who continue to struggle despite Tier 2 interventions receive more intensive,

individualized support. Tier 3 intervention may involve one- on-one instruction or specialized interventions. The focus is on addressing significant learning or behavioral challenges (IDEA, 2017). The movement through these tiers is dynamic and data-driv- en, based on regularly monitoring student progress and re- sponse to interventions. The goal is to provide the right level of support at the right time to ensure each student's academic success. ACCESSIBILITY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN EDUCATION With just the simple commands of copy and paste, the possi- bilities of creating accessible reading content are endless. L ever- aging AI to support tiered reading in the classroom presents an innovative approach to personalized education. By harnessing artificial intelligence, educators can analyze students' reading abilities, track progress, and dynamically adjust instruction- al content. AI algorithms can identify students' strengths and challenges, allowing for the creation of tiered interventions catering to diverse learning needs. This technology facilitates real-time adaptation, providing targeted support for struggling readers while offering enriched materials for advanced learners. Integrating AI in tiered reading enhances efficiency, promotes engagement, and ensures a more tailored and inclusive educa- tional experience, ultimately optimizing academic outcomes for every student. Meanwhile, new and innovative technology, such as artifi- cial intelligence (AI), has caused many educators to become concerned about the quality and integrity of students’ work. Educators can not ignore AI’s effectiveness in fostering a more equitable learning experience for students with disabilities. AI and machine learning have transformed education by fostering personalized and accessible teaching and learning experiences. Reframing our beliefs about machine learning has opened op-

Figure 5- Tiered Supports Tools

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portunities for developing accessible and efficient reading sup- ports for the 21st-century inclusive classroom. REFERENCES Denton, C. A., Tolar, T. D., Fletcher, J. M., Barth, A. E., Vaughn, S., & Francis, D. J. (2013). Effects of tier 3 Intervention for students with persistent reading difficulties and characteristics of inadequate responders. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(3), 633–648. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032581

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. (2017). Sec. 300.311 (a) (7), https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/d/300.311/a/7

Iowa Department of Education. (2019). Determining Supports For Learning And Performance-2019-05-28v2.pdf. Des Moines, IA.

OpenAI. (2023). Introduction to the OpenAI platform. OpenAI. https://platform.openai.com/docs/introduction/overview

Stewart, R. M., Martella, R. C., Marchand-Martella, N. E., & Benner, G. J. (2005). Three-tier models of reading and behavior. Journal of Early and Intensive Behavior Intervention, 2(3), 115. United States Department of Education. (2021). 42nd annual report to congress on the implementation of the individuals with disabilities education act. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/ department-submits-the-43rd-annual-report-to-congress- idea

Zaugg, T. (2023, October). Scaffolding text with free, easy tools. Closing the Gap. Minneapolis, MN.

Zaugg, T. (2023). Three free, easy tools to support tiered reading in your classroom - CIDDL. https://ciddl.org/three-free- easy-tools-to-support-tiered-reading-in-your-classroom-2/

Zaugg, T. (2019, March). Supporting all learners: A look at text complexity. Leveling the Playing Field. Cedar Falls, IA.

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