Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons^™

Computer Assisted Instructed Materials Dealing With Sound Effects In Poetry For Use In The English Tv Classroom, Peggy Y. Westbrook

Theses and Dissertations

This project includes a survey of the types of Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) available for use in secondary English classrooms, 1llustrating that the majority of such programs deal with grammar, vocabulary, and reading objectives. Muscogee County, Georgia, high schools now have Apple computers for use by teachers and students in the classroom and after school. However, most current commercial programs do not meet the specific objectives of the curriculum, especially the English IV curriculum with its emphasis on literature. This project presents a trio of programs based on a portion of the poetry-related objectives of the MCSD English IV curriculum. …

Computer Programs In Intermediate Language Arts For Use In A Rural School System, Wanda M. Stuckey

Theses and Dissertations

This project developed and field tested computer programs in language arts for use in a rural school system. A review of the literature compared the effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction(CAI) in various academic areas, specifically focusing on the English curriculum. Commercially available computer programs from Texas Instruments were reviewed for content and format. Two computer programs were then developed on a TRS-80 color computer; the programs were designed specifically to assist in remedial instruction in the intermediate grades. Two reading skills were reviewed: the concepts of literal versus figurative language and fact versus opinion. The graphics portion of a commercial computer …

Homogeneous Versus Heterogeneous Grouping Of Low Ability First Grade Students And The Effect On Reading Achievement, Velinda O. Hickey

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of homogeneous versus heterogeneous grouping on reading achievement with low ability first grade students. Using a modification of a posttest-only control group design and applying a t-test for independent samples', it was found that the 18 students placed in the homogenous group achieved significantly. higher reading levels in the Holt Basic Reading Management Program than the 18 heterogeneously grouped students. In addition, it was also found that students' placed in the homogeneous group achieved significantly higher means on two of the 23 reading skill subtests. In contrast, it was found …

Classroom Practices In The Teaching Of Writing, Rickey A. Cotton

Theses and Dissertations

This study was a descriptive investigation of current practices in the teaching of writing. The subjects were 327 eleventh grade English students and the six English teachers who taught them. The subjects were selected from three of eight high schools operating in a system of approximately 30,000 students in the southern region of the nation. The data gathering instrument for this study was a student writing questionnaire devised by the researcher. The questionnaire was pretested and administered in the spring of 1983. The results revealed both positive and negative aspects of writing instruction. Frequency and length of writing assignments emerged …

A Comparison Of The Effect Of The Language- Experience Approach And The Basal Approach On Reading Achievement, Larry L. Copeland

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to examine and compare through objective literary research the effectiveness of the basal method versus the language experience method on reading achievement. The review of the literature covered a wide variety of sources including several books, journals, dissertations, and reports by professional organizations.

Five questions were formulated to help guide the probe through the vast amount of literature and to narrow the scope and breadth of the research report. The questions asked about the significant differences of reading achievement by: (1) method of instruction, (2) socio-cultural background, (3) sex, (4) intelligence levels, and (5) …

[Improving Instruction In Reading Comprehension Utilizing Basal Readers], Patsy Carol Cada

All Graduate Projects

The specific purposes of this project were to:

1. Analyze the instructional comprehension questions suggested by the Houghton Mifflin teachers' manual for the basal reading series grades 1, 2, and 3. This included oral questions used to guide silent reading and post-story discussion questions.

2. Develop additional instructional resources to correlate with the Houghton Mifflin basal reading series grades 1, 2, and 3. Specifically created were alternative questioning strategies to aid early readers in the development of a process for comprehending written passages as they are reading.

These resources will be submitted for use in the author's local school district.

The Relationship Of Leisure Reading And Television Viewing Time To Reading And General Achievement Among Fourth Grade Students, Diane Goodrich

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship that exists between the amount of time spent reading in the home and achievement scores; and, the relationship that exists between the amount of time spent viewing television and achievement scores among fourth grade pupils in an Iowa community. More precisely, the questions that were asked are: Is there a significant relationship between the amount of time spent on reading in the home and the reading and comprehensive scores as measured by the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) among fourth grade boys and girls? Likewise, is there a significant …

Mt. Zion School District Gifted Elementary Reading/Language Arts Program, William D. Fancher

Masters Theses

Differentiated curricula for gifted and talented students are necessities for any school district which purports to serve the educational needs of all of its student population. During the 1980-81 school year, the Mt. Zion School District, Mt. Zion, Illinois, conducted a thorough investigation and began a total revision of its district-wide gifted program. Using a systems analysis approach to problem solving, a selected committee of administrators and professional staff conducted a needs assessment in order to determine the actual value of its existing program. Concluding that the existing program did not meet the needs of its gifted/talented youth, several alternatives …

Nova University Graduate Education Module (Gem) Master's And Educational Specialist Degrees Teaching English To Speakers Of Other Languages (Tesol) [No Date], Nova University

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice College Archive

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Structured Versus Unstructured Instruction On The Generalization Of Language Concepts In The Preschool Child, Cheryl A. Milford

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Foreign Language Exploratory Programs In Grades 5-8 In Kentucky's Public Schools 1975-1976, Lila Wells

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Surveys were sent to the 182 school superintendents in the public schools of Kentucky in order to identify the teachers of exploratory foreign language programs. The survey dealt with three areas: (1) the foreign language program in grades 5-8, (2) the foreign language program in grades 9-12, (3) plans to implement an exploratory program. 153 superintendents (842) returned the surveys and 25 districts (14%) were identified as having a foreign language program in grades 6-8. No foreign language program below grade 6 was identified. Seven new programs were initiated in the 1975-76 school year and five additional school districts plan …

The Cloze Procedure As A Testing And Teaching Device, Suzanne Gibbs

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Oral And Silent Comprehension Scores On An Informal Reading Inventory, Linda Leah Carlton

All Master's Theses

The study presented in this paper was designed to compare the comprehension scores of an informal reading inventory taken orally with the scores of an informal reading inventory taken silently to determine any significant differences. The final data analysis indicated that no significant difference existed when the scores where compared using the two-tailed t-test at the .05 level of significance.

Further study and testing with the informal reading inventory is recommended for additional information.

Effect Of Oral Reading Rate Improvement Program On Reading Rate, Comprehension, And Reading Level, Julianne Mickie Clise

All Master's Theses

This paper presents a control-experimental group study of a reading rate improvement program for a self-contained grade four classroom. The program was designed to improve oral reading rate and oral sound symbol rate using the principles of behavior modification. A t test of significance was used to compare statistically the progress of students in control and experimental groups in specific skills.

Recommendations include comparison of experimental program with other than the basal reading approach and suggestions for additional research.

A Study Of The Effect Of Varied Amounts Of Oral Reading On Reading Comprehension In A First Grade Classroom, Melinda Anne Dickson

All Master's Theses

In this study an experimental group was compared with a control group to determine what effect, if any, varying amounts of oral reading would have on the comprehension scores of first grade pupils. The two groups received identical reading instruction with the expectation of oral reading. The control group read aloud twice as much as the experimental group during each oral reading session. Using standard statistical procedure no significant difference was found between the two groups. Therefore, a reduction of the amount of oral reading could be initiated into the reading program described while still maintaining an acceptable level of …

A Diagnostic Procedure To Measure The Student's Ability To Use The Index Of A Textbook, William L. Miller

All Master's Theses

This thesis involved the construction of a 37-item true/false diagnostic test which measures the ability to use an index of a textbook. Sixteen separate indexing skills were identified and sequenced. The reading level of the test is third grade; however, it may be used through the high school level. The test was administered to 28 fifth grade students and statistically analyzed.

Recommendations include additional testing and refinement of test items and the construction of a larger sample index.

Students' Selected Reading Materials According To Interest And The Relationship To Comprehension, Carol Lynn Olson

All Master's Theses

It was hypothesized that there would be no significant difference between students' comprehension of a passage which was of high interest and students' comprehension of a passage which was of low interest.

Eighty-six high school students read two articles they indicated interest in and two they did not. Comprehension questions were answered on each of the four articles.

Of the 20 t tests conducted only two showed significant differences. This suggest that factors other than interest affect comprehension.

Strategies For Achieving Every Pupil Response, Royal Lucendia Payton

All Master's Theses

This paper presents the identification, development and assessment of Every Pupil Response (EPR), a teaching technique devised to promote individual instruction-- diagnostic teaching within reading group situations. The study included the development of five reading lessons utilizing the EPR technique which were taught to five groups of first through fourth grade students at Garfield Elementary School in Toppenish, Washington. The technique was evaluated by three trained observers who rated the technique high in its effectiveness.

Recommendations included additional EPR target studies and suggestions for additional research.

Personalized Reading Program For Intermediate Grades, Pamela Kay Kelly

All Graduate Projects

As the reading specialist in an elementary school, it was my responsibility to assist the classroom teachers with their reading program; specifically, with those students who were having difficulty. It was not feasible for me to meet with all who needed help; at the most, I could help forty-three students per week. The pace at which I had to function to assess and meet their individual needs became too great. In view of this situation, the following program was designed to stimulate every intermediate student's desire to read and to do so at his own pace.

An Evaluation Of The Value Of Physical Education In Helping The Slow Learner To Achieve, Donald B. Eldred

All Master's Theses

This study investigated the effects of daily and bi-weekly physical education on physical fitness and development of motor skills in mentally retarded boys. It also investigated the relationship of physical education and improvement in reading ability.

Twenty boys were selected from children attending special classes whose chronological ages ranged from nine to twelve and whose grade level was classified as fourth grade.

Analysis of the data indicated that the experimental group made significant gains over the control group in the Washington State Physical Fitness Test and Johnson's Fundamental Motor Skill Test for Elementary Children. The gains on the Informal Reading …

Remediation Of Deficit Automatic Level Functions As Related To Second Grade Reading Achievement, Jack R. Hall

All Master's Theses

This paper presents a study designed to determine if remedial procedures suggested by the authors of the ITPA would improve specific psycholinguistic functions and reading achievement. The Ss were 18 second grade children placed in matched pairs. They received 15 minutes of instruction per day for 60 days. The results did not indicate a significant improvement by the experimental group when compared to the control group

Recommendations include repeating the same experimental procedures using Ss with greater psycholinguistic deficits.

A Study Of The Effect Of A Concentrated Program Of Attitude Improvement On Reading Skills, Jo Ann M. Greer

All Master's Theses

This study investigated the effects of a concentrated program of attitude improvement on reading skill. Seventeen low-achieving students participated. The year's instruction was divided into three phases: developmental reading during the first and third phases, and an attitude improvement program during the second.

Results from Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test and Roach Van Allen's An Inventory of Reading Attitude indicated accuracy, speed and comprehension decreased significantly during the attitude program. Vocabulary and attitude did not show significant gains. Upon reinstatement of the developmental reading program, comprehension increased and vocabulary decreased, both significantly.

A Study Of Visual Perception In Reading, Michael Lee Hoffner

All Master's Theses

This paper presents an experimental study, using an experimental group and control group, of the effects of visual perception training on the reading ability of eighth grade students. The Michigan Tracking Program and MKM Hunting Trails were the perceptual training programs used in the experiment. A null hypothesis was assumed and retained based on the statistical results of a t test at the .05 level of significance.

Recommendations included further investigation of the relationship of perceptual training to reading on a longitudinal base and employment of a larger population sample.

A Study Of An Individualized Reading Program In An Intermediate Classroom, Stanley Christian Jangard

All Master's Theses

This paper presents a study of an individualized reading class in an intermediate classroom. The study investigated differences in skills and change in positive attitude toward reading. The individualized class was evaluated by the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test as a pre-test and post-test. Attitude toward reading was tested using the "Scale of Reading Attitude Based on Behavior" developed by C. Glennon Rowell, with the experimental group.

Recommendations included some changes in evaluation and suggestions for future research.

Prevalence Of Reading Disabilities In Delinquents Compared To Prevalence Of Reading Disabilities In Non-Delinquents, Kenneth C. Vanderhyde

All Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of reading disabilities in delinquents compared to the prevalence of reading disabilities in non-delinquents of the same age, sex, grade, and socio-economic background. The subjects where ninth and tenth graders enrolled at Mount Vernon High School, Mount Vernon Washington, during 1971-72 school year. They were divided into two major groups, delinquent and non-delinquent. The results indicated no significant difference between the reading scores of the two groups.

The Theory Of Neurological Organization In Historical Perspective, Nancy Hartman, Robert K. Hartman

Education Faculty Publications

The treatment program for speech and reading disorders employed by the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential is discussed and relevant research and opinion cited. Questions related to the viability of the theoretical formulations and efficacy of the treatment procedures are raised. The authors conclude that the theory of neurological organization and the remedial principles based on that theory are scientifically unsubstantiated.

The Cloze Procedure And Informal Reading Inventory: A Correlative Study, Robert D. Elzenga

All Master's Theses

This study compared the cloze procedure and informal reading inventory at reading levels ranging from third through seventh grade. Twenty-four elementary students, judged by their teachers as not having reading difficulties, were selected from fourth, fifth, and sixth grade classes and. administered the two test instruments. The correlations, at each reading level were not significant at the .01 level as determined by the Pearson Product-Moment formula. Recommendations included the use of more subjects and suggestions for additional research.

Effectiveness Of The Edl Study Skills Library In A Seventh Grade Reading Program, Robert Winn Elfers

All Master's Theses

This paper presents an evaluation of a study skills program used in a seventh grade reading class. This program is designed to teach study skills on an individualized basis, allowing the student to work at his own pace and on his own level. Two groups of students were involved. The group using the program showed slightly higher improvement on the post-tests. Recommendations included using the program in a reading class and that the teacher closely follow the progress of each student.

The Effect On Reading Achievement Of A Special Grade-One Program In The Othello Schools, Ruth A. Danielson

All Master's Theses

Distar, Play Therapy, and Elemode, a perceptual-motor program, were used with small groups to increase reading achievement. Subjects scored 50 or below on the Metropolitan Readiness Test in 1970-71.

Evaluation of the treatments and their effect on the total first-grade class was based on each pupil's achievement score obtained from the Metropolitan Readiness Test and Stanford Achievement Test raw scores. The comparisons, using the 1968-69 class as a baseline group, showed no significant differences in reading achievement.

The Effect Of Diagnostic Prescriptive Instruction Using Team Teaching Of Language Arts, John Edward Gilmore

All Master's Theses

This study attempts to determine the effect or using diagnostic prescriptive instruction under the organization of team teaching. The study was designed to evaluate the academic progress of students in a pilot program using team teaching. The results indicate that students having team teaching do not score significantly higher than students receiving conventional instruction. During the study the author developed and fieldtested a semantic differential attitude scale that will be used to determine attitudinal differences among groups of students.