Next STEPS started as a method for supporting elementary teachers once testing had been completed. As Reading First schools completed DIBELS testing, they often asked, “How can we use DIBELS data to inform instruction?” I, along with my colleague Deborah Glaser, developed a set of power point slides describing the 5 Components of Effective Reading Instruction. We included information about what current research reported as effective methods for teaching the 5 components (PA, P, C, V, F) in an explicit and systematic manner.

In these original slides, we also included activities teachers could use with students in their classrooms. Scaffolding techniques, which allowed teachers to break components down into easier-to-learn steps across the continuum of skills, were added.

The more we worked with teachers, listening and observing, we recognized we needed to add a new element to our model. Teachers were focusing most of their efforts on the WHAT to teach — the content. Thus we added the HOW of teaching and we incorporated the Effective Skills of Teaching such as modeling, corrective feedback, explicit instruction, etc.

Finally, the last element we added was the idea for explicit small-group intervention which we represented in the acronym – S T E P S: Set-up, Teach, Engage, Practice, Show you know. Teachers have told us they even have our S T E P S slide made into a poster to place beside their reading group area to remind them of the steps in preparing for small-group reading intervention.

The Next STEPS journey started about 7 years ago as we wrote the materials, trained elementary teachers, Reading First coaches, elementary school administrators, and a few school psychologists across the country. While the Next STEPS adventure started with a box of power point slides and a three ring notebook, today it lives on in a softcover book published by Brookes, still some power point slides (always!), a webpage, an a forthcoming DVD. There are plans for additional Next STEP books: PreK-K, Adolescent Readers, and ELL Next STEPS. Stay tuned to Next STEPS!

The Authors

Susan M. Smartt, Ph.D., serves as senior research associate at the Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality at Vanderbilt University. Her research focuses on improving teacher preparation for reading teachers.

Dr. Smartt travels the U.S. extensively presenting workshops for classroom teachers and administrators. She provides educational consulting services and training to states and local school districts on school reform, reading intervention for low-performing schools, the use of data to inform practice, the development of Response to Intervention initiatives, and the implementation of scientifically based reading programs.

Deborah R. Glaser, Ed.D., is an educational consultant and professional development provider. She has served as director of education of the Lee Pesky Learning Center, where she oversaw the development of remedial programs for individuals with dyslexia. She consults with national policy institutes regarding quality reading instruction and teacher preparation, and assists schools and districts with the implementation of scientifically based reading programs and the strengthening of collaborative efforts toward improved instruction and student reading abilities.

Dr. Glaser has assisted universities with the development of research-based reading curricula and established training and consultation programs to support the success of U.S. state and national reading initiatives.