Browsing by Subject "Reading (Elementary) -- Research"
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Item The Differences in Comprehension Between Students Who Select Independent Reading Books Based on Choice or Based on Determined Reading Levels(2018-07) Birus, John D.; Masters of EducationThe study will identify any differences in comprehension between students who select independent reading book based on choice or based on determined reading levels. Research has shown that there is great value in choice within the classroom. Through choice students can take ownership of what they learn and are thereby more engaged in the material. Students involved in the study were broken into two groups. One group selected an independent reading text by interest, while the other group selected based on reading level. The students then answered questions designed to ascertain their comprehension of the text they read. The results of the study found no significant statistical difference in comprehension between the two groups.Item Early Reading Intervention Word Families as a Strategy to Improve Decoding(2013-07) Panitz, Jessica; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to determine whether small group instruction on phonograms would positively affect the decoding skills of first graders who were identified as at-risk readers. The measurement tool was the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) Next Assessment. This study involved the use of a pretest/posttest design to compare student’s winter scores on the nonsense word fluency subtest (before the intervention was administered) to their spring scores (after the intervention was complete). The study showed numerical gains in the students’ pre and post-test scores compared to the control group that did not receive the intervention. There was no statistically significant difference between the performance of students who received word family instruction versus those students who received grade-level literacy instruction. Continued research in the effectiveness of phonograms to aid decoding is needed.Item The Effect of a Multisensory Approach on Increasing Sight Word Automaticity in First Grade Students(2015-07) Platt, StephanieThe purpose of this study was to determine if the use of a multisensory approach would impact the sight word automaticity of first grade students. The study consisted of a sample of three first grade students who received instruction of sight words through multisensory activities over a seven week time period. The measurement tool was the Dolch word list for the primer and first grade levels. This study involved the use of a pretest/posttest design to compare data before the intervention was administered and after the intervention was complete. The null hypothesis was supported because the students did not make statistically significant gains in sight word automaticity. Further research should continue in order to determine best practices for developing word automaticity and reading skills in primary students.Item The Effect of Close Reading on Reading Comprehension Scores of Fifth Grade Students with Specific Learning Disabilities(2014-07) Blouin, Erica; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of explicit reading comprehension strategies versus close reading strategies for aiding reading comprehension of similar historical fiction texts. The measurement tools were researcher-created assessments. The study involved a pre-experimental design with a convenience sample of a group of eight fifth grade students with specific learning disabilities that served as their own controls. The results of both assessments showed that there were no significant differences between the mean reading comprehension scores under the explicit (Mean = 66.63, SD = 6.41) and closed (Mean = 66.88, SD = 13.85) [t(7) = 0.06, p > .05] conditions. Implications and recommendations for future are discussed throughout the study.Item The Effect of Dialogue Journals on the Reading Comprehension Achievement of Fourth Graders(2014-07) Baker, Kevin W.; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to determine the impact of dialogue journals on student achievement in the area of reading comprehension for fourth graders. The participants of this study were fourth grade students in a Baltimore County Public School. The measurement tools for this study were the 2012-2013 Baltimore County Fourth Grade Fall and Winter Benchmark Assessments. This study used a pretest-posttest design with the Fall Benchmark being used as the pre-test and the Winter Benchmark being used as the post-test. The null hypothesis was supported for this study as there was no significant gains made by the group using the dialogue journals. Research in the area of reading comprehension interventions and effective writing strategies to help improve student achievement should continue to help provide further assistance to struggling students.Item The Effect of Explicit Reading Strategy Instruction on Second Grade Student Achievement(2014-05) Chaney, Jacqueline; Masters of EducationThe purpose for this study was to ascertain whether teaching explicit reading strategies from the Primary Comprehension Toolkit by Harvey and Goudvis would impact the reading comprehension of lower achieving second grade students. The study used a t-test for independent samples, which used a pre-test and post test design comparing the reading comprehension of two select groups of second grade students. Students were selected based on teacher observations, reading group placements, and ability and effort to participate. Both groups obtained the equivalent daily reading instruction within the traditional classroom setting. The treatment group of four students received five weeks of explicit reading strategy instruction during a half-hour biweekly lunch session, which met for 30 minutes. The control group consisted of four students who received no additional reading intervention support. Reading comprehension on the second grade Houghton Mifflin Content links administered prior to intervention and afterwards, disclosed no significant differences in achievement relating the treatment and control groups. Although there were no significant conclusions, observations, anecdotal notes and additional research propose that teaching specific reading strategies may enhance reading comprehension. Educational implications and classroom propositions for future research are discussed and analyzed.Item The Effect of Fluency Intervention on First Graders’ Reading Fluency(2018-05-06) San Juan, Mary Grace; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an additional fluency intervention on first graders’ reading fluency. Fluency Folders, Reader’s Theater and Ticket-to-Read were used in order to improve their fluency. The Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Reading Assessment System was used to identify the instructional reading level of the students. The measurement tool used each week was a fluency passage based on the student’s instructional reading level. The study involved the use of a posttest design to measure the data collected from the weekly readings including Words Correct Per Minute (WCPM), accuracy, and overall fluency score. Findings from the intervention indicated an overall increase in reading fluency scores for students who were initially below grade level or near grade level.Item The Effect of Group Size on Reading Fluency(2014-05) Taylor, Lauren; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to determine whether a smaller reading group size would improve the reading fluency of first grade students. The participants of this study were enrolled in an Anne Arundel County Public School for the 2013–2014 school year. The small group consisted of three on-level students, and the other, larger group contained six on-level students. The same amount of reading fluency instruction was given to both groups five days a week over an eight- week period. The instruction took place for approximately 20 minutes each day. During instruction, students in both groups read their Treasures guided reader book for the week and worked on a variety of reading fluency strategies. At the end of the eight weeks, the measurement tool the teacher used to posttest the nine students was the Fountas and Pinnell (2011) Benchmark Assessment System. The hypothesis was supported in this study since there was no significant difference in reading achievement between the two groups. Research in the area of group sizes and reading fluency should continue to support the best practices needed for first grade students.Item The Effect of Increased Sight Word Knowledge on the Comprehension of Below Level Third Grade Readers(2014-05) Serio, Nanette; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to determine whether increasing sight word knowledge in below level third grade readers impacts their comprehension of a simple text. The intervention implemented was the repeated use of flash cards with the first through third grade Dolch words, 20 minutes of daily guided reading instruction, interactive games and websites students practiced with during independent time, and homework assignments focused on the sight word practice. The measurement tools used were the 128 Dolch words from first, second, and third grade lists and a passage containing all 220 common Dolch sight words for a pre- and post-test comprehension assessment. This study involved the use of a quasi-experimental, pretest/posttest repeated measures design to compare data from before the intervention was implemented in February 2014 to data from after the intervention was implemented in April 2014. Achievement gains in sight word knowledge were apparent for all students involved in the study. Findings of the study may have been influenced by intervening factors such as changes in classroom schedules, parent involvement at home or questions of validity with the assessment. Research in the area of sight word knowledge should continue given the relationship between the sight word recognition and increased reading comprehension.Item The Effect of Preschool Experience on First Graders’ Reading Achievement(2011-05) Clark, Erica; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to compare the reading achievement of first graders with and without preschool experience. The participants used in this study were three classes of first grade students. The measurement tool used in this study was the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). A causal-comparative design was used to compare the first grade reading achievement of students with and without preschool experience. After conducting an analysis of variance (ANOVA) comparing nonsense word fluency and oral reading fluency by preschool experience, no significant results were found. Further research is needed with larger sample sizes and more grade levels to determine whether preschool has an effect on reading achievement.Item The Effect of Read Alouds on the Reading Motivation of Fourth Grade Students(2010-05) Sullivan, Marcie B.; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study is to determine the effect bi-weekly teacher read alouds had on the reading motivations of fourth-grade students. The sample consisted of 15 students; 8 students were in the control group and 7 students were in the treatment group. The study took place over four weeks and the study utilized the pre-measure/postmeasure quasi-experimental design. The pre- and post-measures included the Motivations for Reading Questionnaire (MRQ) and the number of Steps earned at home (one Step being 15 minutes of reading). It was determined that the read alouds do not impact students’ motivation to read and the null hypothesis was retained.Item The Effect of Research-Based Reading Interventions On At-Risk, Second Grade Student Ability to Fluently Decode Grade-Level Text(2014-07) Douglass, Hannah Lamontagne; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to determine whether or not participation in research-based reading interventions effects at-risk, second grade students’ ability to fluently decode grade-level text. The measurement tool was DIBELS: Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, Sixth Edition. This study involves the use of a pretest/posttest design to compare data from January of 2014 (before the intervention was administered) to data from May of 20014 (after the intervention was completed). Students participated in a research-based reading intervention, SIPPS-Extension, four times per week for thirty minutes. The hypothesis of this study was supported because the hypothesis predicted that student participation in research-based reading interventions would not affect at-risk, second grade students’ ability to fluently decode grade- level text. Statistical results from the dependent t-tests showed that there was no significant difference in words read per minute or in reading accuracy with the implementation of the research-based reading intervention. Research in the area of reading fluency and reading interventions should continue given that there was no significant difference between pretest/post- test results.Item The Effect of Sight Word Instruction on the Reading Fluency of First Grade Students(2015-07) Scilipote, KristyThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sight word vocabulary on fluency for first grade students. The participants in this study were enrolled in first grade at an elementary school in Baltimore County, Maryland in the 2014-2015 school year. All of the research subjects were divided into small groups. The treatment group received regular whole group instruction, read independent leveled texts 15 minutes per day as well as sight word instruction and repeated readings of texts. While both the control and treatment groups showed some improvement in their independent reading levels, the hypothesis that sight word instruction would improve reading fluency was not supported upon data analysis. Research in this area should continue to determine if increasing sight word instruction will improve oral reading fluency.Item The Effect of the Kodaly Music Methodology on Reading Fluency in Second Grade Students(2014-07) Confair-Weimer, Erica; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the Kodály Music Methodology on the reading fluency of second grade students. The participants in this study were enrolled in a Baltimore County Public School for the 2013-2014 school year. All of the students received the Baltimore County Public Schools Music Curriculum while the treatment group was instructed primarily in the Kodály Methodolgy. The treatment group also participated in a take home study that focused on music literacy, sight reading, and pitch exploration all outlined by the Kodály Method. The study lasted over the course of 6 weeks with the participants receiving 50 minutes of instruction once a week, and then at home practice that was monitored by parents. While both groups increased their score on the post-test, the null hypothesis was retained.Item The effect of voyager passport reading intervention on fourth grade reading comprehension(2010-05) Harner, Rosanne; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of the Voyager Passport Reading Intervention Program would positively affect the reading comprehension achievement of special education students in a selected fourth grade classroom. The Qualitative Reading Inventory Test was the measurement used for this study. To examine the effectiveness of the Voyager Passport Reading Program on comprehension, this study utilized the pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design. The treatment, Voyager Passport reading intervention program, took place for a five month period of time. A slight significant improvement was observed based on the pre and the post-test results; therefore, the hypothesis was supported. Future research is recommended using a larger group with a sample of students who are all at the same educational performance level.Item The Effectiveness of Literature-Based Instruction as an Instructional Tool in Teaching Reading Comprehension to First Graders(2011-07) Wooster, Melissa; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to examine the difference between literature-based instruction and traditional reading instruction in promoting reading comprehension among first graders. The measurement tool was DIBELS, Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. This study involved the use of a pretest/posttest design to compare data from January 2011 (before implementation of literature-based instruction) to May 2011 (after the posttest was given). Reading comprehension gains were not significant, though results could be attributable to a number of intervening factors. Further research should continue in the area of literature-based instruction given the more current research of best teaching practices and student needs.Item The Effects of a Reader’s Theater Program on Fourth Graders’ Fluency(2011-07) Jamison, Megan E.; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to determine if augmenting the Houghton Mifflin reading program with a Reader’s Theater program would improve the fluency of fourth grade students . The measurement tool was the Fountas & Pinnell Benchmark System. This study involved use of a pretest/posttest intervention design. A pre-test was administered in May 2011. Subsequently, the intervention took place over a period of four weeks. At the conclusion of the intervention, a posttest was administered. Analysis of the data suggested some support for the effectiveness of the intervention program.Item The Effects of a Reading Intervention System in Heterogeneously Grouped Fifth Grade Reading Classes(2010-05) Simon, Jennifer; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study is to determine whether a targeted reading intervention could improve the reading performance levels of heterogeneously grouped fifth grade reading students. It was hypothesized that the intervention would have a significant impact on the reading performance of the fifth grade reading students. A quasi-experimental design with a pre-test and post-test was used for this study. Forty fifth-grade students from two heterogeneously grouped reading classes were selected for this study. One reading class, comprised of 19 students, served as the control group and the other reading class, comprised of 21 students, served as the experimental group. The reading intervention was implemented with the experimental group for a period of 16 days during the instruction of a fifth-grade reading unit. Although the results indicated that the experimental group earned higher scores on the post-test after the intervention, a number of factors affected the significance of the data. Further research over a longer period of time is needed to measure the effectiveness of the reading intervention.Item The Effects of Brain-Based Instructional Strategies on Third Grade Vocabulary Retention(2011-05) Burns, Meaghan; Masters of EducationThe purpose of this study was to determine whether the use of brain-based instructional strategies would positively impact third graders’ vocabulary acquisition. Brain-theorists propose that using physical movement during instruction engages the brain and allows for optimal learning to occur. Although this theory is widely supported in the field of brain-based education, there is little empirical evidence to support the use of movement to improve vocabulary retention. To examine the effectiveness of the brain-based strategy of movement, this study utilized a pre-test/post-test design. A sample of 9 third-grade students received traditional vocabulary instruction and was pre-tested. The same group of students then participated in a Brain Gym exercise prior to vocabulary instruction and was post-tested. The t-test results revealed a statistically significant difference between student performance on the pre-test and the post-test. This indicates that incorporating movement prior to vocabulary instruction is beneficial in improving student vocabulary acquisition. Therefore, the researcher concluded that brain-based instructional strategies have a positive impact on vocabulary learning.Item The Effects of Fluency Strategies on Below-Level Fourth Grade Readers(2015-07) Rowley, ChandeaThe purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Repeated Readings versus Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics and Sight Words (SIPPS) for below-level readers in fourth grade. This pre-experimental study used a pre- and post-test design to compare students’ scores. Participants were measured in their oral reading fluency rate using the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS™) assessment of oral reading fluency. Half of the participants were given the intervention of SIPPS, while the other half received Repeated Readings over the course of six weeks. While participants increased in their oral reading fluency rate, the hypothesis was supported for this study as there was no significant difference when looking at the pre- and post-test between strategies used. Research in this area should continue as there is little information on strategies other than Repeated Reading to help intermediate students increase their fluency rates.