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This study examined the effects of a supplemental early reading intervention on the beginning literacy skills of 12 kindergarten/first-grade urban English language learners (ELLs). The Early Reading Intervention (ERI; Simmons & Kame'enui, 2003) was the instructional intervention used with all students. A multiple-baseline design across students was used to investigate the effects of the instruction on phoneme segmentation fluency (PSF) and nonsense word fluency (NWF), as measured by the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS; Good & Kaminski, 2002). Data analyses showed that all students increased in the number of phonemes segmented and the number of letter sounds produced correctly. Gains were commensurate with the amount of instruction received.

Tangible preference assessments were compared with pictorial preference assessments for 4 individuals with developmental disabilities. In the tangible assessment, on each trial two stimuli were selected and placed in front of the participant, who approached one. In the pictorial assessment, on each trial two line drawings were placed in front of the participant, who pointed to one. For both assessments, the percentage of opportunities each stimulus was approached or touched was calculated, and hierarchies of preferred items were developed. The two assessments yielded similar preference hierarchies for 3 of 4 participants. Reinforcer assessments using a simple free operant response confirmed that items identified as highly preferred on tangible and pictorial assessments functioned as reinforcers.

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