Luke – Level A Case 1

Model-Lead-Test Strategy

1) Select one strategy and write a summary of the strategy.

The Model-Lead-Test approach to instruction is often used to provide students with frequent

opportunities for practicing a new skill correctly while having direct teacher supervision. This

instructional strategy, based on the Direct Instruction Model, gives students ample opportunities

to practice new skills as well as develop them; thus, reducing the rehearsal of incorrect

responses. The Model component of the strategy allows teachers to demonstrate the thought

process behind comprehension skills, such as finding the main idea of a story. Students at-risk

for reading difficulties demand systematic, explicit instruction and more repetition to augment

important reading skills. The Model-Lead-Test instructional strategy allows for this. Reading

comprehension skills become more refined when teachers systematically guide students to attend

to story elements. Using the Model-Lead-Test strategy with story mapping is one way of

addressing this issue. Overall, this instructional strategy proves incredibly useful when trying to

hone and improve a new skill, especially reading.

2) Describe how the selected strategy would help Luke meet his goals.

This highly developed reading strategy would prove extremely beneficial to Luke. According to

his case study, Luke has difficulties with rhyming, identifying beginning and final phonemes in

three-phoneme words, and blending/segmenting three-phoneme words. During class time, the

teacher could use this strategy as an activity to enhance phonemic awareness. The teacher may

model and demonstrate the skill to the class, such as sounding out the word or identifying

rhyming components for the students. For Luke, the teacher may need to provide detailed
information and practice during the Model phase, as well as using visual cue cards that follow

the sequence of skill the teacher is modeling. By accommodating Luke with intensive instruction

and visual cues, the teacher is ensuring that Luke understands and sees how the skill should be

performed. The teacher will then lead the students through the skill, and ask the students to

respond as a group, repeating this process until students can respond automatically. Ultimately

the testing phase will give insight as to who obtained the skill and who still needs to practice.

This strategy will prove immensely helpful to Luke, because it will introduce and later reinforce

the skill to the student. It will give Luke several chances to hone his phonemic skills and

demonstrate how they have advanced to the teacher and class.