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Title: The role of protagonist perspective in text comprehension.
Creator: Baldwin, Stella Bocholis., Florida Atlantic University, O'Brien, Edward J.
Abstract/Description: The present study examined two models of text comprehension. The first was the propositional representation proposed by Kintsch and van Dijk (1978), in which coherence is determined by coreference and consistency. The second model was a mental model which incorporates readers' world knowledge, goals, and plans in the comprehension of text. In Experiment 1, subjects were told to assume the protagonist perspective while reading a series of short passages. Results showed that when instructed to...
Show moreThe present study examined two models of text comprehension. The first was the propositional representation proposed by Kintsch and van Dijk (1978), in which coherence is determined by coreference and consistency. The second model was a mental model which incorporates readers' world knowledge, goals, and plans in the comprehension of text. In Experiment 1, subjects were told to assume the protagonist perspective while reading a series of short passages. Results showed that when instructed to do so, subjects formed an image that includes information regarding protagonist location. When this location information was violated, a slowdown in reading time of a target sentence occurred. Experiment 2 showed that when subjects are not instructed to assume the protagonist perspective, they apparently are not aware of inconsistencies in location information.
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Date Issued: 1988
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14457
Subject Headings: Reading comprehension, Reading, Psychology of
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GOOD/AVERAGE COMPREHENDERS AND POOR COMPREHENDERS ON RECALL OF EXPOSITORY MATERIAL AT EACH LEVEL OF USE OF TOP-LEVEL STRUCTURE AS AN ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY OF RECALL.
Creator: SMISEK, SHARON O'CONNELL, Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: Two basic problems were addressed in this study: (1) Was there a significant difference between good/average and poor comprehenders on level of use of top-level structure as an organizational strategy for recall of expository material? (2) Was there a significant difference in recall at each level of use of top-level structure for good/average comprehenders and for poor comprehenders? To investigate these problems, three phases of research were conducted: At Phase 1, a standardized reading...
Show moreTwo basic problems were addressed in this study: (1) Was there a significant difference between good/average and poor comprehenders on level of use of top-level structure as an organizational strategy for recall of expository material? (2) Was there a significant difference in recall at each level of use of top-level structure for good/average comprehenders and for poor comprehenders? To investigate these problems, three phases of research were conducted: At Phase 1, a standardized reading test was administered to determine the student's level of ability in comprehending literal and inferential types of questions and level of vocabulary. The student's level of prior knowledge of the strategy and his/her performance in free recall were assessed from protocols written in a pretest. At Phase 2 , an experimental manipulation was introduced in which all students received intensive training in the nature of top-level structure, in -how to find it in expository material, and in how to use it to organize written, free recall. Immediately following instruction, use of the strategy and free recall were assessed from protocols written.
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Date Issued: 1980
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11749
Subject Headings: Reading comprehension, Recollection (Psychology)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: KNOWLEDGE BASE EFFECTS ON THE MEMORY PERFORMANCE OF GOOD AND POOR READERS.
Creator: BERNHOLTZ, JEAN ELLEN., Florida Atlantic University, Bjorklund, David F.
Abstract/Description: Good and poor seventh grade readers were given a typicality rating task in session one. In session two subjects were given an incidental cued-recall task with item typicality individually defined. In session three subjects were given two free recall lists, with item typicality for the Self-Generated lists individually defined and item typicality for the Adult-Generated lists based on adult ratings. In session one, poor readers selected fewer items as appropriate category exemplars than did...
Show moreGood and poor seventh grade readers were given a typicality rating task in session one. In session two subjects were given an incidental cued-recall task with item typicality individually defined. In session three subjects were given two free recall lists, with item typicality for the Self-Generated lists individually defined and item typicality for the Adult-Generated lists based on adult ratings. In session one, poor readers selected fewer items as appropriate category exemplars than did good readers or adults, and correlations with adults were greater for the good readers for all twelve categories. Recall was equivalent for both groups for the incidental cued-recall and Self-Generated free recall tasks. Good readers recalled more only for the Adult-Generated free recall task. Poor readers have a different knowledge base than good readers resulting in differences in the extent to which semantic memory relations can be easily activated.
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Date Issued: 1985
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/14271
Subject Headings: Reading--Ability testing, Reading comprehension
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An Exploratory Study of the Relationships Among the Cognitive Styles of Teachers, Students and Their Reading Materials in Second and Fourth Grade Classrooms.
Creator: Kuchinskas, Gloria A., Logsdon, James D., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: In this study, the relationships among cognitive styles of teachers, students and reading rnaterials were studied. Children in second and fourth grade classr:ooms were matched with their teachers on elements on their cognitive style maps. A construct of cognitive style developed by Dr. Joseph Hill of Oakland Community College was used. This construct examines the subject in four areas: 1) the subject's use of theoretical symbols, such as, words and numbers, 2) his reactions to qualitative...
Show moreIn this study, the relationships among cognitive styles of teachers, students and reading rnaterials were studied. Children in second and fourth grade classr:ooms were matched with their teachers on elements on their cognitive style maps. A construct of cognitive style developed by Dr. Joseph Hill of Oakland Community College was used. This construct examines the subject in four areas: 1) the subject's use of theoretical symbols, such as, words and numbers, 2) his reactions to qualitative codes, such as, sensory or kinesic information, 3) the cultural deterrninants of his actions and 4) the modes of reasoning he prefers. This study indicated that it was possible to map young children and their teachers and arrive at a comparison of teachers' and students' maps. Interaction did occur in the classroom based on the similarities and differences between students and teachers. Achievement in reading was affected by this interaction.
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Date Issued: 1974
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000674
Subject Headings: Cognitive styles, Cognition in children, Reading comprehension
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A COMPARISON OF THE READABILITY OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE SOCIAL SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS WITH STUDENT READING LEVELS AND THE EFFECT ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.
Creator: BERTALAN, JOHN J., Florida Atlantic University, Cook, Joseph B.
Abstract/Description: The purpose of the study was to determine the reading grade placement levels of junior college students in relationship to the readability grade placement levels of their assigned social science textbook, and determine the relationship of these variables with the grade in course.
Date Issued: 1977
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11698
Subject Headings: Textbooks--Readability, Reading comprehension, Academic achievement
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: AN EVALUATION OF A PARENT-DELIVERED DIALOGIC READING INTERVENTION IN THE HOME WITH YOUNG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.
Creator: Balsamo, Noelle, Duffy, Mary Louise, Dukes, Charles, Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Exceptional Student Education
Abstract/Description: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) commonly present with reading comprehension impairments that impede their academic achievement and independent living. Research suggests that intervening on listening comprehension deficits of preschool children with ASD may contribute to improved reading comprehension proficiency in the school aged years. Dialogic reading is an empirically supported shared reading method known to increase the oral language and listening comprehension of young...
Show moreChildren with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) commonly present with reading comprehension impairments that impede their academic achievement and independent living. Research suggests that intervening on listening comprehension deficits of preschool children with ASD may contribute to improved reading comprehension proficiency in the school aged years. Dialogic reading is an empirically supported shared reading method known to increase the oral language and listening comprehension of young children with and without language impairments prior to formalized schooling. This study utilized a single subject repeated acquisition design to evaluate the effect of a parent-delivered dialogic reading intervention on the independent and accurate responding of preschool children with ASD. Overall, results showed that the dialogic reading intervention was highly effective for increasing the independent and accurate responding for two of the three participants; however minimally effective for the third. Although the parent participants demonstrated varying levels of procedural fidelity to the dialogic reading procedures, they perceived the intervention to be both feasible and effective when implemented with their preschool children with ASD. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013285
Subject Headings: Children with autism spectrum disorders, Reading comprehension, Dialogic reading
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: WITHIN- AND ACROSS-LANGUAGE EFFECTS OF ORAL LANGUAGE SKILL AT SCHOOL ENTRY ON LATER ENGLISH AND SPANISH READING COMPREHENSION GROWTH AMONG EARLY BILINGUALS.
Creator: Giguere, David, Hoff, Erika, Florida Atlantic University, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology
Abstract/Description: Extensive evidence indicates that oral language skills at school entry predict later reading development among monolingual children. It is not clear if the effect is the same for bilingually developing children and whether their oral skills in one language can transfer to reading comprehension in the other. The current longitudinal study followed 72 Spanish-English bilingual children (42 girls, 30 boys) and examined the extent to which early oral language proficiency in English and in Spanish...
Show moreExtensive evidence indicates that oral language skills at school entry predict later reading development among monolingual children. It is not clear if the effect is the same for bilingually developing children and whether their oral skills in one language can transfer to reading comprehension in the other. The current longitudinal study followed 72 Spanish-English bilingual children (42 girls, 30 boys) and examined the extent to which early oral language proficiency in English and in Spanish were related to later reading comprehension development within- and across-languages. Multilevel models revealed significant within-language relations between oral language skills at 5 years and reading comprehension growth from 6 to 8 years in both English and Spanish. Additionally, English oral skill predicted Spanish reading comprehension, whereas Spanish oral skill was unrelated to English reading comprehension. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013311
Subject Headings: Bilingualism--Research, Reading comprehension, Bilingualism in children
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: TEACHING SHORT STORY COMPREHENSION WITH TEACHER-POSED AND STUDENT-GENERATED QUESTIONS.
Creator: KAY, GARY JACK., Florida Atlantic University, Childrey, John
Abstract/Description: This researcher investigated the effectiveness of the use of a story scheme with either student-generated or teacher-posed questions as a means of facilitating community college students' comprehension of short stories. Three groups of community college students attending Broward Community College South Campus, south Florida, and enrolled in English 1102, Composition, constituted the sample for this study. The first experimental group, consisting of 15 students, read short stories with the...
Show moreThis researcher investigated the effectiveness of the use of a story scheme with either student-generated or teacher-posed questions as a means of facilitating community college students' comprehension of short stories. Three groups of community college students attending Broward Community College South Campus, south Florida, and enrolled in English 1102, Composition, constituted the sample for this study. The first experimental group, consisting of 15 students, read short stories with the use of the story scheme as an aid in generating their own questions on the stories they read. The second experimental group, consisting of 16 students, read short stories with the help of teacher-posed questions based on the story scheme. The control group, consisting of 13 students, read short stories with no instruction in how to read each; however, they were given instruction designed to improve their writing skills. Each group read six short stories over a period of two weeks. The results of six 15-item multiple-choice tests administered after each story was read disclosed the following: (1) Instruction in reading short stories with the use of a story scheme and self-generated questions did not significantly improve student comprehension of stories read. (2) Instruction in reading short stories with the help of teacher-posed questions based on a story scheme did, after three sessions of instruction, significantly improve student comprehension of the story they read. However, the significant comprehension gains that students derived from this instructional method were not sustained over subsequent sessions. (3) It took several sessions of instruction for the two instructional methods tested in this study to produce significant or even slight gains in student comprehension of stories. (4) Teaching students the story element Theme, as described in the story scheme of this study, did not significantly improve their comprehension of the story they read when that story element was taught. (5) Students in the self-generated question group did apply what they learned about a particular story element to the questions they asked concerning its role in the story. However, this process did not significantly improve their comprehension of the stories they read.
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Date Issued: 1983
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/11827
Subject Headings: Reading comprehension--Case studies, Supervised study--Case studies
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A comparison of the reading characteristics of college student poor readers with and without learning disabilities.
Creator: Warde, Beverly Aileen, Florida Atlantic University, Taylor, Ronald L., Smiley, Lydia R.
Abstract/Description: Fast, efficient reading skills are essential in college where the majority of learning comes from independent reading. However, reading college-level expository texts is a potential problem for college students with learning disabilities (LD) who classically have difficulty with reading. Since little is known about young adults with LD who attend college, the purpose of this study was to examine the reading abilities of this group. More specifically, reading comprehension scores, from both...
Show moreFast, efficient reading skills are essential in college where the majority of learning comes from independent reading. However, reading college-level expository texts is a potential problem for college students with learning disabilities (LD) who classically have difficulty with reading. Since little is known about young adults with LD who attend college, the purpose of this study was to examine the reading abilities of this group. More specifically, reading comprehension scores, from both oral and silent reading, as well as analyses of oral reading miscues were examined. Additionally, the influence of expository text structures on reading comprehension and oral miscues was explored. A total of forty undergraduate subjects from one state university participated in the study: twenty were upper class (junior/senior status) students with childhood diagnoses of LD in reading; twenty were upper class students without LD who were considered poor college readers. Four passages from a college textbook on social problems were selected for the reading assessment: two passages of an enumeration text structure, and two of an historical text structure. All subjects read two passages silently and two passages orally from each structure, The subjects' oral readings were analyzed for types of miscues. After reading each passage, the subjects then orally summarized the readings. A comprehension score was derived for each passage from the oral retellings. Results revealed that the college students with LD produced a greater total number of oral reading miscues and earned fewer comprehension points than their peers without LD. Text structure did not effect the comprehension scores of the students with LD; however, the type of text structure did effect the oral reading comprehension scores of the students without LD. The subjects with LD also produced a significantly higher percentage of miscues categorized as loss-of-meaning miscues. The results of this study indicated that college students with LD continue to have reading difficulties: difficulty decoding words; poor comprehension; and a lack of metacognitive awareness and use of strategies for comprehending various expository text structures.
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Date Issued: 1995
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12437
Subject Headings: Reading (Higher education)--Ability testing, Learning disabled youth--Education (Higher), Reading (Higher education), Reading comprehension, Reading disability
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The Effects of a Fluency Intervention on the Oral Reading Fluency of First Grade Students At Risk for Reading Failure.
Creator: Ming, Kavin, Smiley, Lydia R., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: Reading is an essential skill necessary for academic success. However, many children experience difficulties in acquirin,g essential reading skills necessary to support and enhance other areas of learning (Nes, 2003). One major area in which students fail to attain proficiency is in the area of reading fluency (Vaughn et al., 2000). Previous research has demonstrated that repeated reading is an effective intervention for increasing fluency in elementary age readers (Keehn, 2003; Rashotte &...
Show moreReading is an essential skill necessary for academic success. However, many children experience difficulties in acquirin,g essential reading skills necessary to support and enhance other areas of learning (Nes, 2003). One major area in which students fail to attain proficiency is in the area of reading fluency (Vaughn et al., 2000). Previous research has demonstrated that repeated reading is an effective intervention for increasing fluency in elementary age readers (Keehn, 2003; Rashotte & Torgesen, 1985). However, little research has specifically addressed the impact of repeated readings on first grade students. In addition, researchers have called for investigations of additional components (sight words and phonics) on repeated reading interventions (Vaughn et al., 2000). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of combining sight words and spelling pattern instruction with timed repeated readings on the word accuracy, words read correctly per minute and prosody of first grade students who are at risk for reading failure. An ANCOVA yielded significant effects on each of the three dependent variables, and these results demonstrated that the addition of components (sight words and spelling patterns) to timed repeated readings improved the oral reading fluency of low level readers, of which students at risk for reading failure are a part. The outcome of this study also confirmed that first grade students from low socioeconomic backgrounds can increase their oral reading fluency skills with research-based methods.
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Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000681
Subject Headings: Reading (Elementary)--Ability testing, Reading comprehension, Language arts (Elementary), Literacy--Study and teaching (Elementary)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Teaching reading strategies through science to middle school below-level readers and its implications for staff development.
Creator: Centrone, Elena Marie, Florida Atlantic University, Urich, Ted R.
Abstract/Description: This study investigated the effect of teaching reading through the content area of science on the reading achievement test scores of middle school below level readers when the science teachers received extensive staff development. Therefore, the staff development model developed and implemented by the researcher was an important part of this study. Participants were 811 seventh and eighth grade students who scored between the 21st and 50th percentile on a standardized measure administered...
Show moreThis study investigated the effect of teaching reading through the content area of science on the reading achievement test scores of middle school below level readers when the science teachers received extensive staff development. Therefore, the staff development model developed and implemented by the researcher was an important part of this study. Participants were 811 seventh and eighth grade students who scored between the 21st and 50th percentile on a standardized measure administered each spring. Four hundred and five students served as the experimental group and 406 students served as the control group. The control group received reading instruction in separate reading classes taught by certified reading teachers. There were 16 teachers from 10 middle schools who volunteered to be a part of this study. The 10 science teachers received 60 hours of staff development that included modeling, coaching, and feedback. There were four full days of training prior to school opening, after school seminars, on site assistance with lesson planning, modeling of lessons, coaching, and feedback. A 2X2 ANCOVA was used to determine statistical relationships between the method of instruction (reading taught through science and reading taught in separate classes) and the grade level of the students (seventh and eighth grades). Informal qualitative data was gathered on the teachers' knowledge base for teaching reading and teacher attitudes regarding their responsibility for teaching reading. A pre- and posttest of teacher knowledge and a pre- and post survey of teacher attitudes were administered to each teacher involved in this study. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in the reading achievement test scores of seventh and eighth grade below-level readers who received reading instruction in science and those who received reading in separate classes of reading taught by certified reading teachers. The informal data showed that the science teachers who were involved in the study did significantly increase their knowledge base about teaching reading through their content area. This was reflected in the difference between their pretest and posttest scores on the test of teacher knowledge. There was also a change in their attitudes about the responsibility for teaching reading. On the pre survey they indicated that the science content should be their main instructional responsibility. On the post survey they indicated that teaching reading should be a major focus of their instruction.
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Date Issued: 1996
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12478
Subject Headings: Reading (Middle school), Science--Study and teaching, Reading comprehension, Teachers--In-service training, Reading teachers--Training of
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Reading strategies in secondary social studies: teacher reported practice and professional development.
Creator: Newstreet, Carmen L., College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description: This quantitative study investigated the relationship between high school social studies teachers' reading professional development through Project CRISS: Creating Independence through Student-Owned Strategies (CRISS) and the implementation of active reading strategies in the classroom. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey in order to provide a comprehensive picture of high school social studies teachers' self-reported classroom practices relating to the use of active...
Show moreThis quantitative study investigated the relationship between high school social studies teachers' reading professional development through Project CRISS: Creating Independence through Student-Owned Strategies (CRISS) and the implementation of active reading strategies in the classroom. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey in order to provide a comprehensive picture of high school social studies teachers' self-reported classroom practices relating to the use of active prereading, during-reading, and postreading strategies. Additionally, the survey asked teachers to self-report their observations of student independent implementation of the same active reading strategies. These data were used to provide an in-depth look that expanded on high school social studies teachers' self-reported classroom practices relating to reading. The results of this study indicated that there was no significant relationship between teachers' reading professional development through CRISS and their self-reported classroom practices in the implementation of active pre-, during, and postreading strategies. Further findings indicated no significant relationship between teachers' reading professional development through CRISS and their self-reported observations of student independent implementation of the same active reading strategies. Lastly, there were no correlations that indicated that years teaching in the classroom moderated these relationships. Implications and suggestions for future research were offered for future reading professional development for secondary teachers and educational researchers who intend to utilize survey instruments.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3333061
Subject Headings: Social studies, Study and teaching (Secondary), Reading, Psychology of, Teacher effectiveness, Achievement in education, Content area reading, Reading comprehension, Reading (Secondary)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Teaching Reading Comprehension Skills Using A Science Textbook In A Charter School.
Creator: Mikes, Lisa, Kumar, David D., Florida Atlantic University
Abstract/Description: The present experimental study examined the effects of using a science textbook for the purpose of teaching reading comprehension skills to a sample of 99 fourth grade students from four classrooms at Pembroke Pines/Florida State University Charter School in Broward County, Florida. Ninety-nine students were assessed twice in word recognition, oral reading, silent reading, spelling, and word meaning using the Diagnostic Assessment of Reading. Approximately half of the students in the sample ...
Show moreThe present experimental study examined the effects of using a science textbook for the purpose of teaching reading comprehension skills to a sample of 99 fourth grade students from four classrooms at Pembroke Pines/Florida State University Charter School in Broward County, Florida. Ninety-nine students were assessed twice in word recognition, oral reading, silent reading, spelling, and word meaning using the Diagnostic Assessment of Reading. Approximately half of the students in the sample (n=49) were in the control group with the remainder (n=50) in the experimental group. Overall there was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups based on MANOVA, which tested an optimized composite of dependent variables. Scores for all subtests for both groups increased from the pretest to the posttest, and the highest scores were for the oral reading subtest. Upon individual ANOVA, statistically significant effect for time was found for word recognition, oral reading, spelling, and word meaning subtests, but no statistically significant group effect or interaction was observed.
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Date Issued: 2007
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000680
Subject Headings: Reading comprehension--Study and teaching, Lesson planning, Language arts (Elementary), Motivation in education
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The impact of fluency intervention on the oral reading and fluency comprehension of middle school students with learning disabilities.
Creator: Russell, Janice M., College of Education, Department of Exceptional Student Education
Abstract/Description: Proficient reading is a necessary skill for a quality life. While educators would like to believe that most students master the art of reading and can understand what they read, national reports indicate that learning to read and becoming a skilled reader is not mastered by all (No Child Left Behind Act, 2001 ; NICHD, 2000a). One component of successful reading is the ability to read a text with appropriate speed, accuracy, and prosody. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (Pinnell...
Show moreProficient reading is a necessary skill for a quality life. While educators would like to believe that most students master the art of reading and can understand what they read, national reports indicate that learning to read and becoming a skilled reader is not mastered by all (No Child Left Behind Act, 2001 ; NICHD, 2000a). One component of successful reading is the ability to read a text with appropriate speed, accuracy, and prosody. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (Pinnell et al., 1995) reported that 44% of the nation's fourth grade students were not able to read at an acceptable level of fluency that was considered necessary for comprehension. Since the publication of that report, research has shown that with direct instruction and remediation of fluency, students in the elementary grades can increase their reading rate. One of the most common fluency intervention techniques is repeated readings (Samuels,1979). However, most of the studies completed include ele mentary students and were focused on increasing their reading rate. Some students are arriving at the secondary level with reading problems which include fluency and comprehension. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of repeated readings on the rate, accuracy, and comprehension of students with disabilities at the secondary level. This study involved a total of 35 students with learning disabilities in grades 6-9. A quasi-experimental design was used for this study. The treatment group received a total of 20 sessions of repeated reading with immediate feedback., goal setting, and independent practice with graphing of reading rate. The comparison group continued their reading instruction with no fluency intervention.The results indicate that this combination of repeated readings had a significant influence on reading rate only., The other two variables, accuracy and comprehension, did not improve significantly in the treatment group when compared to the comparison group.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3352833
Subject Headings: Reading (Middle school), Remedial teaching, Learning disabled children, Education, Reading comprehension, Language arts (Middle school), Content area reading, Study and teaching (Secondary)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The effect of skill-focused minilessons on students' independent use of reading skills during literature circles.
Creator: Kennedy, Gail., College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description: Increased accountability in contemporary public elementary schools requires that teachers provide evidence they are using research-based strategies that reinforce skills assessed on standardized tests. There is a need to provide empirical evidence that literature circles can reinforce skills assessed on these tests. A literature circle is a research-based strategy that is common in language arts classrooms. This study investigates the connection between these skills and student discussion...
Show moreIncreased accountability in contemporary public elementary schools requires that teachers provide evidence they are using research-based strategies that reinforce skills assessed on standardized tests. There is a need to provide empirical evidence that literature circles can reinforce skills assessed on these tests. A literature circle is a research-based strategy that is common in language arts classrooms. This study investigates the connection between these skills and student discussion that takes place during literature circles. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of skill-focused minilessons on students' independent use of reading skills. The study investigated whether application of skill-focused minilessons prior to literature circles would have an effect on students' independent use of reading skills within student discussions during literature circles. Sixteen students participated in the study. The study also investigated the impact that minilessons prior to literature circles had on students' scores on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in reading. Students were randomly assigned to the researcher's fifth grade class in the 2008/2009 school year. All students read the same material and received the same treatment. During the course of the study, students first took the FCAT diagnostic in reading and then engaged in five literature circle meetings, each preceded by a minilesson. Students then engaged in five literature circles with a different book and without skill-focused minilessons, followed by the administration of the reading FCAT. The data, which included content analyses of transcriptions of students' discussion and the collection of FCAT scores, yielded several findings., The two skills most commonly used by students in independent literature circles were analyzing character and discussing plot. The two least commonly used skills were describing conflict and using context clues. Each skill within student discussion.The way in which students transferred the use of these skills to literature circles not preceded by skill focused minilessons varied. Multiple modes of transfer were identified for each skill. A dependent t-test for the FCAT scores did not indicate a statistically significant increase in the use of the five skills identified for this study when minilessons preceded literature circles.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/2705076
Subject Headings: Group reading, Book clubs (Discussion groups), Reading (Primary), Guided reading, Educational tests and measurements, Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests, Achievement in education
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Effects of an interactive computer-based reading strategy on student comprehension.
Creator: Worrell, Jamie L., College of Education, Department of Exceptional Student Education
Abstract/Description: The computer-based testing mode has received limited research as a task condition for elementary students as it relates to comprehension for both narrative and expository text. The majority of schools now use computer-based testing to measure students' progress for end of the year exams. Additionally, schools are also delivering state-wide assessments like the Florida Comprehension Assessment Test through computer-based testing instead of paper-pencil testing. There is little research to...
Show moreThe computer-based testing mode has received limited research as a task condition for elementary students as it relates to comprehension for both narrative and expository text. The majority of schools now use computer-based testing to measure students' progress for end of the year exams. Additionally, schools are also delivering state-wide assessments like the Florida Comprehension Assessment Test through computer-based testing instead of paper-pencil testing. There is little research to indicate whether computer-based assessments are an effective way to measure student progress. This study investigated the effects of an interactive computer-based reading strategy on student comprehension for both expository and narrative passages. The intervention evaluated students' percentage of learned strategy use and comprehension accuracy for expository computer-based passages. Additionally, the intervention measured whether students generalized the learned strategy when given a paper-pencil narrative passage and whether generalization of strategy use improved comprehension vi accuracy. This study used an A-B-A-B design across participants, with a follow-up phase. The results from the data showed that all students made significant increases in strategy use from baseline to follow-up. Additionally, all the students had an increase in comprehension accuracy from baseline to follow-up for both computer and paper-based passages. All students were able to generalize successfully the strategy use to narrative passages, and improved their comprehension accuracy of narrative passages. The effects of the study suggest the value of teaching students the interactive computer-based reading strategy for students who struggle with passage comprehension.
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Date Issued: 2011
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3322518
Subject Headings: Reading comprehension, Computer-assisted instruction, Educational tests and meausrements, School improvement programs, Academic achievment, Reading, Ability testing, Computer-assisted instruction
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: A Case Study of the Reported Use of Metacognitive Reading Strategies by Postsecondary Instructors of Developmental Reading Courses With Struggling Adult Readers to Increase Comprehension.
Creator: Drayton, Audrita, Baxley, Traci P., Florida Atlantic University, College of Education, Department of Curriculum, Culture, and Educational Inquiry
Abstract/Description: This qualitative research study examined developmental reading instructors' reported use of metacognitive reading strategies as well as what other approaches they used to improve and increase the reading comprehension of their struggling adult readers. The researcher collected data using two interviews per participant and document analyses. Although studies have deemed metacognitive reading strategies effective in increasing the reading comprehension of struggling readers, the results...
Show moreThis qualitative research study examined developmental reading instructors' reported use of metacognitive reading strategies as well as what other approaches they used to improve and increase the reading comprehension of their struggling adult readers. The researcher collected data using two interviews per participant and document analyses. Although studies have deemed metacognitive reading strategies effective in increasing the reading comprehension of struggling readers, the results indicated that the participants did not typically instruct their struggling adult readers in the use of metacognitive reading strategies. The implications for the study were related to instructional practice in developmental reading courses, policy changes, and struggling readers.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004586, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004586
Subject Headings: Metacognition--Case studies., Reading comprehension--Case studies., Learning strategies--Case studies., Motivation in education--Case studies., Action research in education--Case studies., Cognitive learning--Case studies.
Format: Document (PDF)

Reading comprehension (13)	+ -
Achievement in education (2)	+ -
Content area reading (2)	+ -
Language arts (Elementary) (2)	+ -
Reading (Middle school) (2)	+ -

Reading, Psychology of (2)	+ -
Study and teaching (Secondary) (2)	+ -
Ability testing (1)	+ -
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