PALS Frequently Asked Questions
What grade levels is PALS designed for?
Originally, PALS was designed to be used in grades 2-6 classrooms. Recent PALS research and program development has focused on downward and upward extensions of PALS. This has led to Kindergarten PALS (K-PALS), First-Grade PALS, 2-6 PALS and and High-School PALS in reading. PALS is also available in math.
What materials are needed to implement PALS?
Materials are minimal and inexpensive. To learn about PALS, teachers will need the PALS teacher’s manual. To train the class, teachers will need a box of blank transparencies, an overhead projector, and a transparency pen. Each pair of students will need pocket folders to hold the PALS materials. So if there are 26 students in a class, the teacher will need to purchase 13 folders. We also recommend that teachers purchase a kitchen timer to help with pacing during the lesson. In PALS Math, K-PALS Reading and First-Grade PALS Reading, teachers will also need to make a significant number of copies of the student lessons.
How do teachers train their students?
Carefully training students in the basic PALS procedures is very important. All necessary training lessons are in the teacher's manual. These lessons are scripted with wording we have found to be successful in communicating what students must learn. An outline of the material covered in each lesson is also presented.
How to present the lessons is a teacher's choice. Teachers study the outlines to understand what is to be covered. Most rely on the scripts to present the material. Others rely primarily on the outline to guide their classroom presentations. Still others study the scripts and then highlight the portions they intend to present. When teaching PALS to their students, teachers typically use their own words most of the time but follow the script when they believe it is important. No matter how one teaches these lessons, teachers should feel comfortable elaborating on any concepts students do not seem to understand.
All manuals include training timelines to help schedule lessons. Videos are available for PALS Math and High-School PALS Reading to assist with training.
Does the PALS program provide specific reading and math materials for students?
PALS Math includes student worksheets that target the basic skills at each grade level. K-PALS Reading and First-Grade PALS include a set of 70 student lesson sheets, and teachers choose appropriate reading material for Partner Reading. PALS does not provide any reading material for students in grades 2-6 or high school; it is the teacher’s responsibility to select appropriate reading materials.
Will PALS replace my existing reading and math program?
No. PALS is meant to supplement, not replace, other reading and math instruction.
How much class time is needed for implementation for PALS reading?
- K-PALS is implemented 3-4 times a week for approximately 30 minutes per session.
- First-Grade PALS is implemented 3-4 times a week for approximately 35 minutes per session.
- Grades 2-6 PALS Reading is implemented 3 times a week for 35 minutes per session.
- High-School PALS is implemented 5 times every 2 weeks for 35 minutes per session.
How much class time is needed for implementation for PALS Math?
- K-PALS is implemented 2 times a week for approximately 30 minutes per session.
- First-Grade PALS is implemented 3 times a week for approximately 30 minutes per session.
- Grades 2-6 PALS Math is implemented 2 times a week for approximately 30 minutes per session.
How do you know that PALS works?
Over the past 10 years, repeated evaluations of PALS Reading and Math indicate that mainstreamed students with learning disabilities, low-achieving students without disabilities, average-achieving students, and high-achieving students make greater progress in PALS Reading and Math classrooms than their respective counterparts in non-PALS classes. Additionally, there have been PALS evaluations conducted by educators in California, Iowa, and Texas independent of Vanderbilt researchers. These independent evaluations also find a strong “value-added” for PALS Reading and Math. Based on these findings, the U.S. Department of Education’s Program Effectiveness Panel approved PALS Reading and Math for inclusion in the National Diffusion Network of effective educational practices.
What are the benefits of PALS?
There are many benefits for students and teachers who practice PALS.
PALS:
- Actively involves all students in tasks they can perform successfully
- Increases student opportunity to read and practice basic math skills
- Motivates students to do better in reading and math
- Expands instructional resources in the classroom
- Provides for positive and productive peer interaction
- Creates opportunity for lower functioning students to assume an integral role in a valued activity
- Allows students with disabilities to spend more time in least restrictive environment and increases their access to the general education curriculum
- Helps teachers accommodate academic diversity
- Accelerates student achievement in reading and math
- Is affordable and easily implemented
- Is found to be an enjoyable activity by teachers and students
Do PALS and CBM have to be used together?
PALS and CBM (Curriculum-Based Measurement) were designed to complement one another, but do not have to be implemented together to be effective. Many teachers use PALS and CBM with excellent results.
Where is PALS being used?
In the Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County Public Schools and in neighboring school districts, hundreds of teachers use PALS Reading and Math. PALS outreach activities have included on-site, day-long workshops for thousands of teachers in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Arizona, Ohio, and elsewhere.
What does PALS cost?
For information about our teacher manuals and videos, please see the Order Form on the PALS Home page. For information about professional development workshops, please see the Professional Development section of this site.
Return to PALS Home page
