Education Commons^™

The Science Of Reading And The Use Of Decodable Texts In The Classroom, Anna Hudson

Honors Theses

This honors thesis includes a definition and explanation of the Science of Reading research, decodable texts and how they are used in the classroom, my creative process in writing my own decodable text, and a copy of my original decodable text "Can Meg Get In?"

One Font Doesn’T Fit All: The Influence Of Digital Text Personalization On Comprehension In Child And Adolescent Readers, Shannon M. Sheppard, Susanne L. Nobles, Anton Palma, Sophie Kajfez, Marjorie Jordan, Kathy Crowley, Sofie Beier

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Reading comprehension is an essential skill. It is unclear whether and to what degree typography and font personalization may impact reading comprehension in younger readers. With advancements in technology, it is now feasible to personalize digital reading formats in general technology tools, but this feature is not yet available for many educational tools. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of character width and inter-letter spacing on reading speed and comprehension. We enrolled 94 children (kindergarten–8th grade) and compared performance with six font variations on a word-level semantic decision task (Experiment 1) and a passage-level comprehension task (Experiment 2). …

Writing And Reading Connections: Giving Value To Both Sides Of The Same Literacy Coin, Zoi A. Traga Philippakos, Penelope Wiese, Adalea Davis

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

The purpose of this article is to comment on ways that writing-reading connections can take place enhancing reading comprehension and composition. Drawing from a genre-based instructional approach, examples are provided to explain such connections in the process of (a) a rhetorical analysis conducted on writing prompts and prior to reading, (b) examination of writing purposes and genres for writing and reading, (c) read alouds for retelling and monitoring meaning making, and (d) of critical reading for reviewing purposes and determination of clarity of written ideas. The article concludes with guidelines for classroom teachers and recommendations for the implementation of the …

Comprehension, Diagram Analysis, Integration, And Interest: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Courtney Hattan, Eunseo Lee, Alexandra List

Faculty Publications - College of Education

The current study examines a multidimensional set of outcome variables to understand whether different pre-reading scaffolds influence students’ text comprehension, diagram analysis, text integration, and interest; and investigates these constructs cross-sectionally to identify any progression as students move across grades. One-hundred fifty-six 3rd through 6th grade students enrolled in a public laboratory school were randomly assigned to one of three pre-reading conditions intended to activate or build students’ topic knowledge. Students completed a series of before, during, and after reading activities while engaging with grade appropriate texts about the topics of ecosystems and living things. Results indicate that there were …

Using Co-Teaching In Developing Reading Skills Among Female Students With Learning Disabilities And Their Regular Peers, Maha Hamad Alsheeha Phd

International Journal for Research in Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using co- teaching on developing reading skills for students with learning disabilities and their regular peers on a sample of fourth grade students at primary school in Riyadh. The subjects for this study were (74) female students distributed into two groups (control and experimental), each group consisting of (30) regular students and (7) students with learning disability. A pre and post-test was applied to both groups to measure their achievement in the reading skills: reading accuracy, speed and comprehension. The two groups were taught (40) lessons, each session lasting …

The Study Of Morphological Awareness For English Learners, Jane Beeninga

Dissertations, Theses, and Projects

English Learner (EL) students in American schools are becoming increasingly common, but there does not seem to be enough support for these students. This is causing EL students to fall behind in content areas such as reading (Richards-Tutor et al., 2016). The purpose of this study was to investigate what barriers are keeping EL students from succeeding in reading. After identifying a need for vocabulary instruction, the researcher will be conducting a morphological awareness intervention to improve EL students’ ability to figure out unknown words. Morphological awareness is the understanding of a word’s smaller units such as prefixes, suffixes, and …

Let's Read A Story!: Collaborative Meaning Making, Student Engagement, And Vocabulary Building Through The Use Of Interactive Read-Alouds, Shaya Helbig, Susan V. Piazza

Michigan Reading Journal

The interactive read-aloud has long been a practice during early literacy instruction in schools and in homes. Reading aloud to children provides a platform for teachers or caregivers to model meaning-making interactions with text. Students are able to collaboratively engage in conversations to create a collective understanding of texts. Interactions during a read-aloud can foster engagement, create meaning, and promote vocabulary acquisition. This article examines current research that supports the use of interactive read alouds to engage learners in meaning-making processes and translates research and theory into practical recommendations for effective interactive read-alouds.

The Impact Of Reading Intervention On Retained Elementary-Age Students, Elizabeth Lazar

Dissertations

Due to historically high rates of retained students, one low-performing school needed to fix the endless cycle of student failure. After implementation of a close reading program, participating students made growth on the state reading test. My main goal was to examine which key elements of this program supported retained third grade students resulting in learning gains. My data showed t-test findings with a statistically significant difference in both scale scores and achievement levels on the state reading assessment.

My recommended policy change provides elementary students with a district-wide close reading program to teach comprehension strategies. Through policy measures, I …

The Impact Of Read Aloud With Socratic Discussion On The Literacy And Critical Thinking Skills Of The Elementary Student Submitted On May 21, 2020 In Fulfillment Of Final Requirements For The Maed Degree Lesley Kirk Saint Catherine University St. Paul,, Lesley Kirk

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

This study aims to uncover a link between read aloud with Socratic discussion and its impact on literacy and critical thinking skills. In researching this relationship, both quantitative and qualitative data tools were used. Participants in the study included 60 students from a charter Montessori school in the Southwest United States ranging from grade 1 to 6. Students participated in a six-week intervention. The intervention included a 60-minute read aloud with Socratic discussion session conducted twice a week. The findings indicate that there is a general increase in literacy and reading comprehension skills. In addition, the study was also shown …

"What Are The Effects Of Goal-Setting On Motivation And Academic Achievement In A Fourth Grade Classroom?", Danielle Mcmillan

Masters of Arts in Education Action Research Papers

The purpose of this action research was to study the effects of goal-setting as a strategy on student motivation and academic achievement in a fourth-grade classroom. The study was performed at a rural public elementary school in South Carolina, consisting of eighteen students in a general education classroom. This study used a preassessment/post-assessment set-up in order to collect data for math achievement and reading comprehension. An attitude survey was used to collect data on student’s motivation towards academic work. The data shows that the goal-setting strategy had a positive effect on math achievement and motivation towards academic work and may …

Vocabulary Instruction: Impacts Of Using A Science Notebook In A Dual Language Setting To Teach Science Vocabulary And Content., Manuel Andazola

Department of Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Language learners and students in general often struggle to close the achievement gap in monolingual schools because they lose academic content due to lack of vocabulary. To combat this issue, programs such as dual language schools have been introduced and have gained popularity due to their ability to help students keep learning academic content in their native language while becoming literate in the second language and also maintaining literacy in the content areas. Although these programs offer different instruction models and teaching techniques that teachers are implementing to improve science literacy, many teachers still struggle to find creative and effective …

The Correlation Between Close Reading As An Instructional Strategy With Reading Comprehension In Elementary Schools, Daniel Angulo

Education | Master's Theses

The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the effects of close reading instruction on students’ reading comprehension. Close reading is an instructional strategy that allows students to dig deep into the reading and gain a profound understanding of the vocabulary, writing structure and author’s message. The study consisted of a total of twenty-one 6th grade students who received close reading as an experimental treatment. The treatment included several components of close reading: essential questions, graphic organizers to compare short non-fiction stories, written analysis of author’s point of view/theme and weekly tests. The treatment focused on having students reread, …

Lexical-Level Predictors Of Reading Comprehension In Third Grade: Is Spelling A Unique Contributor?, Kimberly A. Murphy, Laura M. Justice

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose:

Considerable research effort has focused on understanding reading comprehension and reading comprehension difficulties. The purpose of this correlational study was to add to the small but growing body of literature on the role that spelling may play in reading comprehension, by investigating the full range of lexical-level literacy skills and whether spelling makes a unique contribution. This study also explored whether these relations vary with the spelling scoring metric.

Method:

Data were collected from 63 children attending Grade 3 in a Midwestern state. In addition to measuring reading comprehension, word recognition, and vocabulary, 4 spelling scoring metrics were examined: …

Review Of Think Big With Think Alouds: A Three-Step Planning Process That Develops Strategic Readers, Susan J. Chambre

The Language and Literacy Spectrum

In Think Big with Think Alouds: A Three-step Planning Process That Develops Strategic Readers (2017), Molly K. Ness provides classroom teachers with a detailed three-step process for developing think aloud procedures during classroom literacy instruction. The book assists teachers in identifying stopping points in narrative and expository text. Ness also includes multiple scripted think alouds with comprehensive explanations for both narrative and expository text. Additionally, practical tips for promoting student adoption of higher order thinking skills are provided in the form of sentence starters and strategy symbols. The procedures outline in Think Big with Think Alouds will empower classroom teachers …

Reading With Understanding: A Global Expectation, Mary Shea, Maria Anne Ceprano

Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education

Abstract:

This article outlines the complexity of reading with understanding, what is required for full and deep comprehension, the state of affairs with regard to reading comprehension in developed countries, possible etiologies for low performances, and suggestions for instruction in specific skills and strategies to improve students’ demonstrated achievement in daily lessons as well as on global assessments. Recognizing the commonality of this concern among nations, a need to examine universally accepted tenets for successful reading comprehension as well as local etiologies that impede it becomes increasingly important. Such tenets are skills and strategies that address all of Irwin’s micro …

An Examination Of The Relationship Of Oral Reading Fluency, Silent Reading Fluency, Reading Comprehension, And The Colorado State Reading Assessment, Christy L. Bloomquist

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how measures of oral reading fluency and silent reading fluency compare as predictors of reading comprehension and how these vary as a function of proficiency level for fourth- and fifth-grade students. Additionally, the study sought to examine the relationship between measures of ORF, SRF, reading comprehension, and the TCAP with these students. As silent reading fluency is utilized more in the classroom as grade level increases, a silent reading fluency measure might be a better predictor for maturing readers to determine reading proficiency, monitor student progress, and guide instructional practices.

A correlational …

All The World's A Stage...The Effect Of Reader's Theater On The Reading Fluency Rates, Comprehension Levels And Attitudes Of Second Graders, Cheryl Lynn Parker

Education Dissertations and Projects

Second-grade students of the targeted school were performing below a level of proficiency in reading fluency and comprehension. Many students were reluctant to read. This dissertation is designed to study the effects of Reader’s Theater on the reading fluency rates, comprehension scores, and attitudes of second-grade readers. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent using Reader’s Theater affects the reading fluency rates, comprehension levels, and attitudes of second-grade readers, thus answering the question, “To what extent does the use of Reader’s Theater affect the fluency rates, comprehension levels, and attitudes towards reading of second-grade readers?”

The …

Ten Steps To Conducting A Large, Multi-Site, Longitudinal Investigation Of Language And Reading In Young Children, Language And Reading Research Consortium, Kelly Farquharson, Kimberly A. Murphy

Communication Disorders & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose: This paper describes methodological procedures involving execution of a large-scale, multi-site longitudinal study of language and reading comprehension in young children. Researchers in the Language and Reading Research Consortium (LARRC) developed and implemented these procedures to ensure data integrity across multiple sites, schools, and grades. Specifically, major features of our approach, as well as lessons learned, are summarized in 10 steps essential for successful completion of a large-scale longitudinal investigation in early grades. Method: Over 5 years, children in preschool through third grade were administered a battery of 35 higher- and lower-level language, listening, and reading comprehension measures (RCM). …

Linguistic Cohesion In Middle-School Texts: A Comparison Of Logical Connectives Usage In Science And Social Studies Textbooks, Diego Román, Allison Briceño, Hannah Rhode, Stephanie Hironka

Faculty Publications

Learning from textbooks is challenging because students must understand novel concepts while also comprehending the language used to convey those concepts. In the domain of science, one posited reason for the perceived difficulty in the reading comprehension of science texts is the low frequency of logical connectives (words that signal relationships between sentences and ideas). To test this claim and discuss its potential effects on the reading comprehension of texts used at the middle school level, this study measured whether the usage of logical connectives (e.g., therefore, so) differed between science and social studies textbooks. Our findings from a large …

Passion And Compassion : Teaching First Graders Reading Comprehension Through Kindness And The Works Of Kevin Henkes, Salvi Muzio

Graduate Student Independent Studies

A literature review in the field of reading comprehension combined with a research-based curriculum created based on the experts and the author's personal experiences both in the classroom as a teacher and a student.

Using Literature Circles To Engage Students With Informational Texts, Theresa Marie Anderson

All Graduate Projects

The focus of this project was to review the available research on literature circles as a method of engaging students with informational texts and to create an implementation guide for teachers. The results of the research show that there is a need for effective nonfiction instruction and that including this instruction at the elementary level provides tremendous benefits for students. Literature circles are an effective way to engage students with these informational texts, because they offer an authentic literacy experience and provide students with the kinds of informational text interactions they will encounter in the real world. The project includes …

The Importance Of Phonemic Awareness: Developing Phonemic Awareness In First Grade Students Through A Backpacking Program, Shannon Kaye Sanger

All Graduate Projects

The role of phonemic awareness in beginning reading acquisition was researched. Studies suggested that the presence of phonemic awareness in young children facilitates learning to read. Research also suggested a positive relationship between parental involvement and reading acquisition. A handbook containing activities designed for use in a backpacking program was created. The activities involve parents in developing phonemic awareness in their children. These activities are to be sent home with students and completed with the assistance of their parents. The handbook also contains assessments and instructions for teachers regarding the implementation of this backpacking program.

The Importance Of Phonemic Awareness In Initial Reading Acquisition And How You Can Support It In Your First Grade Classroom: A Handbook For Educators, Jan Pearson Golob

All Graduate Projects

The significance of phonemic awareness in initial reading acquisition was researched. The research suggests that those children without phonemic awareness will struggle with learning to read. A handbook for educators was created to compliment existing curriculum. This handbook contains songs and activities either extracted from or modeled after those that had already been field tested in many classrooms.

Comprehension Strategy Lesson Plans For Third Grade Teachers Incorporating Informational Science Trade Books, Trinidad M. Rivera

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project is to create a set of lesson plans for teachers useful in teaching comprehension strategies to monolingual third grade students. Research on comprehension strategies and the effects they have on children's reading comprehension was explored. Effective comprehension strategies were defined. Lesson plans were created to aid educators as they teach comprehension of informational material to third grade students.

Regrouping For Instruction In Reading: Effective Practices, Leslie Jane Rogers

All Graduate Projects

It is the intent of this project to create a handbook providing information about a plan for regrouping for instruction in reading at Long Beach Elementary School. It will be presented to parents, teachers and administrators at workshops concerning regrouping for instruction in reading. The handbook will provide practical applications of curricular adaptation and instructional techniques that may be used to facilitate improvement in reading for students. The policies and procedures described in the manual will provide the following information:

• Assessment

• Placement

• Transitions

• Pace and Skill Levels

• Curricular Adaptations

• Teacher Collaboration and Consultation

• …

Involving Parents Through Workshops To Promote Reading, Diane Kay Caldwell

All Graduate Projects

Three workshops were designed to assist parents in improving their children's reading development. These workshops focused on the significance of parents participating in their children's reading. The importance of reading aloud and techniques on how to do so were discussed. Specific activities parents could use to promote their children's reading, and the detrimental effects of television on developing minds were also described. The workshops were designed for parents of fourth grade children.

Prereading And Postreading Activities For Children's Multicultural Trade Books, Sandra Gail Beardsley

All Graduate Projects

A review of literature was completed to support the need for, and value of, using multicultural literature within the elementary classroom. The criteria for selecting multicultural literature was also reviewed. The project consisted of a booklist and prereading and postreading activities for twenty-five multicultural trade books. The purpose of the project was to heighten student's awareness of the multicultural community in which they live and appreciation of cultures throughout the world. The strategies and activities developed for these books were based on the whole language philosophy. The twenty-five trade books were divided into four themes: 1. Grandparents, 2. Folktales and …

Student Lessons To Enhance Reading Comprehension In The Social Studies Content Area, Dianne Marie Daily

All Graduate Projects

This project consists of lessons designed to increase reading comprehension of fifth grade students in the social studies content area. The lessons are developed based upon a review of research which indicates improved reading comprehension of expository text among students who are taught to use comprehension enhancing strategies. The activities include vocabulary development, text structure awareness, advance organizer usage, and study and reading guide strategy lessons. Additionally, a teacher's guide accompanies the lessons. These lessons are created specifically for use with the Civil War Unit entitled, "A Nation Divided," as found in Macmillan/Mcgraw-Hill's 5th grade social studies text entitled, United …

Integrating Drama Into The Basal Reading Program, Belinda Jo Mccormack

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a means of integrating drama into the basal reading program. This was accomplished by adapting Silver-Burdett & Ginn and Scott Foresman basal stories into plays at the second grade level. The benefits of engaging children in drama were studied. The literature suggests that drama is a fun and effective instructional tool: it effectively develops reading comprehension and language skills in young readers; drama has proven to be an excellent teaching strategy when used to motivate and interest reluctant readers. Drama can be an excellent supplement to traditional basal reading instruction by adding …

Preventing Reading Failure: A Handbook For Understanding Reading Recovery, Marianne Nash

All Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project was to create a handboook designed for use by primary teachers who are interested in learning more about Reading Recovery. The handbook covers the following issues: 1) a brief description of Reading Recovery, 2) how to get a program started, 3) how to select, plan for, and when to discontinue students from Reading Recovery services, 4) Reading Recovery teaching procedures, 5) where training sites are located, 6) a bibliography of suggested books, and 7) obtaining books through mini-grant applications and book orders.