Digital Commons Network^™

Investigation Of A Classroom-Based Reading Intervention Strategy For Older Elementary Students With Poor Decoding Skills, Shara Brinkley

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Using a response to intervention framework, this study investigates the efficacy of a classroom-based intervention for struggling readers with decoding deficits in the upper elementary grades. Twenty two students in the fourth and sixth grades from four classrooms in low-performing schools received either a short 20-minute intervention delivered by their teacher or access to the lessons for an equivalent amount of time but no teacher instruction. Using three orthographic patterns, the 24 lessons consisted of a series of ten minimally contrasted words differing by one letter. The students in the experimental group decoded the words using a visual alphabet (Phonic …

An Exploratory Study Of The Effect Of Instruction On Student, Gladys E. Vint

Theses and Dissertations

Although substantial research has been conducted regarding the instruction of reading, students are still not reaching a desired level of reading competency (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). The Reading First program was established to address this dilemma. In order to examine the impact the Reading First method of teaching reading had on the schools in Arkansas, a population was identified and classified into four categories: funded Reading First and non-funded Reading First, and matched control groups for both funded and non-funded. These schools were followed for three years, first grade through the third grade year, by obtaining achievement data obtained …

The Implementation Of Interventions And Strategies For Children Who Struggle With Reading Utilizing The Read 180 Program, Rebecca Josephine Haag Guyne

Dissertations

All children can learn if given the opportunity, correct assistance, and appropriate instruction. Finding the learning tools which will enhance and encourage learning is the ultimate way to make certain that all students can and will learn. Many teachers use their gut instinct to determine the interventions and strategies to present in their classroom. Improvement will only occur for teachers and students when best practice or research based interventions and strategies are not only accessible but utilized correctly on a daily basis. Children with reading disabilities find fluency and reading comprehension a challenge. The most effective method reported in the …

The Black-White Achievement Gap Amongst Struggling Readers: A Case Study Of Early Intervention Outcomes In Massachusetts, Emily Dexter, Jessica Simon

NERA Conference Proceedings 2009

A number of analyses of large data sets have suggested that the reading achievement gap between African American and White U.S. is negligible or small at school entry, but widens substantially during the school years because African American students show slower rates of growth in elementary and secondary school. Identifying when and why gaps occur, therefore, is a an important research endeavor. In addition, being able to predict which African American children are most likely to fall behind can contribute to efforts to close the achievement gap. This paper analyzes first grade and third grade data on African American and …

Effects Of Multimedia Glossary Annotations On Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition In L2 Learners Of Japanese, Brian Gleason James

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, advances in computer technology have allowed increasingly rich multimedia content to be incorporated into educational materials in many fields, including the field of language teaching. Yet as visually appealing as such products may be, we must ask whether multimedia-enriched materials actually improve learning in a measurable way. If so, individual curriculum makers can then decide whether the benefits of the multimedia materials justify the cost of purchasing and implementing them. This study attempted to examine the effects of multimedia glossary aids on incidental vocabulary acquisition rates of L2 learners of Japanese. Subjects included 35 third- and fourth-year …

The Effects Of Reading Nonfiction Aloud On The Vocabulary Acquisition Of Middle-School Students, Patricia Ann Braun

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if eighth-graders could acquire vocabulary incidentally while listening to nonfiction read-alouds connected to the physical sciences curriculum. In this quasi-experimental study 3 of 6 intact eighth-grade science classes listened to 14 nonfiction read-aloud selections of nonfiction passages selected from books not commonly found in schools but which related to the curriculum which the students would be experiencing in eighth grade. Pretests and posttests were administered to all 6 classes comprising 154 students. Reading ability was included as a variable. Target words comprised of technical and nontechnical words. Assessments included a vocabulary matching …

Digital Storytelling As A Cultural-Historical Activity: Effects On Information Text Comprehension, Maryann E. Tatum

Open Access Dissertations

New literacies in reading research demand for the study of comprehension skills using multiple modalities, through a more complex, multi-platform view of reading. Taking into account the robust roll of technology in our daily lives, research suggests that educators need activities to connect students' lack of reading skills with their growing multimodal literacy. During the post-reading phase of a directed reading activity (DRA), students were engaged in digital storytelling, where they created digital videos and slideshows based on information text read during DRA. Previous studies highlighting the use of digital storytelling have been limited to narrative formats and the influence …

A Charitable Modernity: Milton And The Democratic Aesthetic, Jonathan Williams

All Theses

This thesis traces a narrative of John Milton's modernity. My formulation of a
'charitable modernity' is a paradoxical one, and builds on Marshall Berman's theory of
modern life. Modernity is characterized by both disintegration and possibilities for
renewal. Charity, according to Milton, is the means by which different readers are
allowed to read different meanings into different texts. For Milton, a charitable modernity
is a promising thing, because it makes allowance for a democratic kind of government
where people are allowed to govern themselves in part by the way they each read texts
differently. Milton was not always a poet …

Validation Of The Reading Level Achievement Test Of The English Language Center, Marina Vasilyevina Mikhaylova

Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the validity of the Reading Level Achievement Test of the English Language Center (ELC) of Brigham Young University. Test validation is a complicated process that involves evaluation of various types of validity. It was beyond the scope of this study to investigate different types of validity of the Reading LAT. The present study was only focused on the exam's construct validity. In an effort to validate the LAT, various models of reading comprehension were examined with the purpose of defining the construct of academic reading comprehension. The TOEFL academic reading framework was chosen to be the construct …

Common Strategies Used By Kindergarten Teachers To Instruct Reading To English-As-A-Second-Language Students, Emma Kaye Penn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research was designed to describe, analyze, and interpret what reading strategies experienced kindergarten teachers believe are essential to instruct English-as-a-Second-Language learners how to read. Through in-depth interviews, experienced kindergarten teachers were given a voice to describe what they consider essential reading strategies to instruct English-as-a-Second-Language learners to learn how to read.

The participants were four licensed, non-probationary kindergarten teachers instructing reading in English to a minimum of 51% English-as-a-Second-Language population. Selected kindergarten programs were consistent in program design. Processes were influenced by the gateway approach. The stories teachers told about their experiences in teaching ELLs how to read was …

Use Of Kindergarten Screening Assessments For The Identification Of At-Risk Readers, Kathryn S. Gipe

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Early identification of students at-risk for reading problems has become a national priority. At the present time, the most commonly used kindergarten screening methods are self-made by local districts and are not considered effective methods of early detection for at-risk readers. This retrospective study involved third, fourth and fifth grade students enrolled in a suburban elementary school during the 2007-2008 school year. The first research question examined the relationship between at-risk status determined with the Kindergarten Screening measure prior to entry into kindergarten and at-risk status determined by Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills measures administered in the fall …

Cross-Linguistic Universals In Reading Acquisition With Applications To English-Language Learners With Reading Disabilities, Brenda K. Gorman

Speech Pathology and Audiology Faculty Research and Publications

There is a considerable gap in English reading achievement between English-language learners and native speakers in the United States. Differentiation of whether English language learners’ struggles are symptomatic of reading disability or related to second language acquisition is often challenging. These issues highlight the need for increased insight into reading development and disability in this population. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of cross-linguistic universals in reading acquisition, how reading disabilities manifest in various languages, and whether diagnostic and instructional approaches that are effective for native English speakers are also appropriate for English-language learners. Recommendations for …

The Use Of The Child Observation Record As A Tool For Predicting Early Literacy Skills In Preschool Children, Christopher R. Singer

Theses

Reading is an important part of a child's schooling. Identifying students with literacy difficulties early in the academic process can provide them with early intervention services to keep them from falling behind. The use of an observational assessment when dealing with preschoolers can yield vital information to help identify children who may be at risk for developing reading difficulties. The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS; Good & Kaminski, 2002) is a standardized assessment currently used to identify and evaluate students' reading abilities. The Child Observation Record (COR; High/Scope, 1992) is a preschool assessment tool used to assess …

Reading Development In At-Risk Kindergarten Students: A Tier 2 Response-To-Intervention Rti Program Using Research-Based Principles In Early Literacy, Kathleen T. Pickard

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Early identification of struggling readers and direct instruction for these readers are effective in the prevention and treatment of reading problems (Torgesen, 2002). The practice of "wait-tofail" is being challenged by the responsiveness to intervention (RTI) models, which promote early identification of at-risk students, progress monitoring, and implementation of researched-based tiered interventions. The prereading skills that have been identified as being necessary for future reading achievement include phonological awareness, letter identification, the alphabetic principle, orthography, and rapid automatized naming. The purpose of this CUl1'ent study is to examine the effectiveness of a Tier 2 intervention program that targets these essential …

Memory Functioning In Children With Reading Disabilities And/Or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Clinical Investigation Of Their Working Memory And Long-Term Memory Functioning., Michelle Y. Kibby, Morris J. Cohen

Publications

We examined memory functioning in children with reading disabilities (RD), Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and RD/ADHD using a clinic sample with a clinical instrument: the Children's Memory Scale, enhancing its generalizability. Participants included 23 children with RD, 30 with ADHD, 30 with RD/ADHD, and 30 controls. Children with RD presented with reduced verbal short-term memory (STM) but intact visual STM, central executive (CE), and long-term memory (LTM) functioning. Their deficit in STM appeared specific to tasks requiring phonetic coding of material. Children with ADHD displayed intact CE and LTM functioning but reduced visual-spatial STM, especially when off stimulant medication. Children …

The Effect Of A Rural High School Combination Supplemental Literacy Program On Emerging Readers’ Achievement, Engagement, And Behavior Outcomes, Mark L. Adler

Student Work

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Singing And Chanting On The Reading Achievement And Attitudes Of First-Graders, Kathy Cochran

All Dissertations

This research involves a mixed-methods case study of the reading instruction in a first grade class taught by Ms. Bing, a veteran of 29 years of first grade teaching. Analyses of classroom field notes and interviews of Ms. Bing provided insights into her methods of teaching reading, which focus largely on the use of song lyrics and chants instead of basal text. Occurring predominantly during the first semester of the school year, the study involved observations of reading instruction given to Ms. Bing's class, which initially numbered 23 students. While the school required all first grade teachers to employ Cunningham's …

Latino Middle School Students Read To Learn Critical Literacy: Social Justice Through Action Research, Jennifer Grenardo

LMU Theses and Dissertations

This action research study explored if changes in the reading curriculum, specifically implementation of critical literacy approaches that acknowledge bicultural students, increase student learning as perceived by teachers and students in a Catholic elementary school, where students have been chronically performing at the lowest level in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. By using critical pedagogy (Darder, 1991; Freire, 1970; Giroux, 1983; Macedo, 1994; McLaren, 1988) as a theoretical framework, this action research project investigated the effective elements of critical literacy (Cadiero-Kaplan, 2004; Shor & Pari, 1999) that promote academic learning for Latino middle school students in a low-income Catholic elementary …

What Can You Remember? An Approach To Reading, Laura Lagemann, Allison Schulte

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Reading comprehension can be affected by the reading method used, whether this is reading silently, aloud, or being read to by another. Our study measures the impact different reading methods has on the overall comprehension of a given passage. Our 90 subjects consisted of 58 women and 35 men. Subjects were randomly placed into three groups, for each of the three reading method variables being measured. Each group read the same passage. Our hypotheses for the study were that subjects reading the passage silently will recall more information about the passage than if they are read aloud to, or if …

A Synthesis Of The Literature On Reading Interventions To Improve Oral Reading Rates, Kelley Douglass

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The traditional model of identification and eligibility assessment in Special Education often is to refer-test-place, which is based on a "wait to fail" procedure. Research has shown positive outcomes for the use of a Response to Intervention (RTI) model of assessment as an alternative method of learning disability identification. However, challenges exist in the selection of high-quality, research-based, effective interventions. A review of the literature was conducted to identify reading intervention options based on Curriculum-Based Measurement outcomes that may be selected for RTI use within the model and the potential barriers of their use. Twenty-one studies were identified examining 31 …

How Spanish -Speaking Parents Understand Kindergarten And Support Their Children's Education Within The Context Of A School, Phyllis Barton Schlichter

Doctoral Dissertations

The intention of this study was to examine the experiences of nine Spanish-speaking families in a public kindergarten setting during the 2005-2006 school year to understand how individual agency of parents, access to a community's practices and events, and the resulting interrelationship, shape parent understanding of and participation in school practices and events and ultimately impact student achievement outcomes. In a nation that is becoming increasingly diverse, the Hispanic population is the largest minority group in the country. There are more than two million English-language learners in the U.S. K-3 classrooms with Spanish accounting for almost 80% of the non-English …

Case Studies Of Reading Performance Of Male Students And The Single-Sex Classroom, Eric Basilo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Data from standardized test scores shows boys are falling further behind in literacy each year. Thanks to countless hours of research, we can pinpoint some of the causes for this decline. The major challenge educators face is how to keep boys interested in reading while placed in classrooms not necessarily designed to meet their needs. One option being explored is the use of single-sex classrooms. For over 160 years in the United States, public school single-sex classrooms have existed. The thought is that by separating boys and girls for academic classes, certain distractions will be eliminated, the environment can be …

The Reading Span Test And Its Predictive Power For Reading Comprehension Among Young And Old Adults, Paul James Schroeder

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Although many researchers appear to agree on the usefulness of both simple and complex span tasks, many disagree on the specifics of how or why they measure working memory. The following paper considers competing theories of the relationship between working memory tasks and higher order cognitive function. Consideration is given to simple and complex measures of working memory, various theories about them, and theories based on research within the cognitive aging domain. Subsequent discussion reports the findings from a new study aimed at resolving disagreements about the relationship between lower and higher level cognitive abilities in college-age and older adults.

The Impact Of The “Universal Voyager Literacy” Reading Program On Reading Achievement And Instructional Practices In An Urban School District, Shanika L. Hope

Theses and Dissertations in Urban Studies

Founded in 1994, Voyager Expanded Learning is a provider of K-3 in-school reading programs, as well as K-8 reading intervention programs for school districts throughout the United States. Voyager Universal Literacy's systematic, precise framework fully addresses the five elements of reading instruction, through an explicit succession of ability growth. Voyager Universal Literacy was developed to be a comprehensive program encompassing the subsequent requisites: in-school broad reading program, progress monitoring methods, extensive-day and summer activities, home learning syllabus, implementation monitoring, and on-going professional development. Voyager Universal Literacy Program activities are organized to provide a thorough range and progression for reading instruction. …

Phonemic Awareness And Sight Word Reading In Toddlers, Alicia Tonya Mcinnis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigated emerging phonemic awareness skills and printed sight word recognition abilities in two-year-old toddlers using plain text and MorphoPhonic Face words on flash cards. MorphoPhonic Face words were used to determine if this learning process is enhanced when words are iconically represented to show the first sound and the word's meaning (purposefully creating idiosyncratic cues) using pictures superimposed into the letters. Sixteen (16) age-matched toddlers were assigned to alternate treatment groups and received exposure to both printed and MorphoPhonic pictured words three times weekly for six weeks. During each session, children were taught 16 sight words (8 in …

The Great Reading Project (Gifted Readers Enhance Academic Talent): A Gifted-On-Gifted, Cross-Age Tutoring And Mentoring Intervention, Douglas Scott Samson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The GREAT (Gifted Readers Enhance Academic Talent) Reading Project is a quasi-experimental, between-group study that evaluated a 13-week before-school student tutoring/mentoring reading and literacy program. The study examined the effects of the intervention on reading achievement for each group involved, including high-ability gifted fifth grade mentors, high-ability gifted first grade protégés, and above-average first grade “Scholastic Academy” protégés. Its primary goal was to improve academic achievement for above-average students in order to help them formally qualify for gifted services. The secondary goal was to promote and assess academic growth for high-ability students already in the gifted program. Mentor/protégé pairs met …

Literacy Education In School : Research Perspectives From The Past, For The Future, Peter Freebody

Australian Education Review

AER 52 aims to expand our understanding of the nature of literacy at a time when public and private lives have become increasingly literacy-dependent, and literacy demands more complex and sophisticated. This review of the research literature is guided by the view that what passes for effective literacy education will differ depending on language, culture, history and the technologies of communication and knowledge production. Section 1 describes the large body of research relating to the teaching and learning of literacy that emerges from a wide range of discipline bases. It details the complexities associated with defining literacy, and it outlines …

The Development Of A Literacy Curriculum For Adult Liberian Refugees, Kristen Marie Kohler

Theses and Dissertations

From 2003 to 2006, Tucson, Arizona became the new home of many Liberian refugees. Because of civil war in their homeland and ensuing years spent in refugee camps, these refugees had not had many opportunities for literacy development. Tucson had several literacy and ESL programs available; however, none of these programs was meeting the Liberians' particular needs. For my project, I designed and implemented a literacy curriculum for the Liberian refugees in Tucson. In preparation for developing my curriculum, I not only took coursework but also thoroughly reviewed the literature on literacy learning and instruction for first language learners, second …

Prediction Of English And Spanish Early Literacy Skills Of English Language Learners In The Primary Grades, Giselle Sanchez

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how language, emergent literacy, and reading skills in both English and Spanish develop with a group of English language learners (ELLs) (n = 267). Specifically, the researcher investigated what early language and literacy skills were the most important predictors of reading abilities as indicated by the Book Task in prekindergarten through first grade. Early language and literacy skills were assessed utilizing subtest from the Woodcock Language Proficiency Batter - Revised, the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery - Revised - Spanish Form and the Phonological Awareness Task. Participants came from households where Spanish was one of the languages spoken. …

Holy Cross Magazine, Vol. 41, No. 3, Summer 2007, College Of The Holy Cross

Holy Cross Magazine

The Joy of Reading
While the “death of the book” has been prophesized for years, the dawn of the digital age has brought renewed worry to bibliophiles everywhere. Holy Cross faculty, administrators, students and alumni weigh in on the future of the book—and offer suggestions for a summer full of reading.
By James Dempsey
Illustration by Karen Shilad

“Mr. Holy Cross”
Football star, Marine and steward of the alumni body. After four decades of service, Pat McCarthy ’63 steps down as director of alumni relations.
By Michael Reardon

Flashback: The Triumvirate
By Rev. Anthony J. Kuzniewski, S.J.

Journey to the …