<p> A large body of research has established the existence of a gap in vocabulary knowledge that occurs largely along socioeconomic lines, is evident prior to age two, and continues to widen as children age. Because research has shown that early vocabulary knowledge supports present and later text comprehension, interventions for supporting preschoolers&rsquo; vocabulary development are being explored through research and in classrooms.</p><p> The present study sought to build upon prior research to explore the impact of two intervention conditions, <i>rich instruction</i> + <i> more rich instruction</i> (RI) and <i>rich instruction</i> + <i>play</i> (+P), on preschoolers&rsquo; knowledge of targeted Tier 2 vocabulary words selected from read-alouds of children&rsquo;s literature. The study included 28 preschool students in two full-day, state-funded classrooms, mean age=4.32. A within-subjects design was used to allow all students to experience both conditions by randomly assigning target words to each condition.</p><p> Findings suggest that participation in both the <i>rich instruction </i> + <i>more rich instruction</i> (RI) and <i>rich instruction </i> +<i>play</i> (+P) conditions increased preschoolers&rsquo; learning of targeted Tier 2 vocabulary words. Furthermore, students demonstrated deeper word learning in the +P condition as compared to the RI condition. There is some evidence to suggest that preschoolers may have been more engaged in the classroom activities in the +P condition than when they were in the RI condition. Implications for choosing target words for preschool students are also discussed.</p><p>

<p> The ability to read proficiently is a comprehensive skill necessary for success at all academic levels. Students who consistently read below grade level continue to struggle throughout their school years with little chance of recovery. The administrative leaders of the Ocean View School District (a pseudonym) noticed a decline in reading scores and recognized a need for a significant shift in its instructional practices to reach its struggling readers. </p><p> The purpose of this study allowed school leaders an opportunity to investigate the effectiveness of the Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR) reading strategy within the structure of the Missouri Reading Initiative Program (MRI) regarding student achievement in reading at a small mid-western urban elementary school. During the study, the small mid-western urban school&rsquo;s Reading Specialists utilized two gradual release models, a Three-Step gradual release method and a Four-Step gradual release method in Grade 3 through Grade 5. The Primary Investigator collected secondary data in the form of reading and Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores, to evaluate student outcomes. </p><p> The implementation of Reader&rsquo;s Workshop at the Valley Breeze Elementary School (a pseudonym) led to a discussion of the effectiveness best practices, balanced literacy, and small group instruction on student achievement and reading levels. Increase in student reading levels was gauged by an increase as assessed by the Fountas and Pinnell (F&amp;P) Reading Assessment. </p><p> The Primary Investigator formulated two hypotheses organized around the following questions: (1) How do reading scores differ in comparison to the implementation of two different models of Gradual Release of Responsibility within the Missouri Reading Initiative program? (2) How do ELA MAP scores differ in comparison to the implementation of two different methods of Gradual Release of Responsibility within the Missouri Reading Initiative program? </p><p> Overall, the Primary Investigator determined the results of the study as inconclusive. However, trends in growth due to student moving levels during a given school year, as well as, a positive average growth percentage of reading scores was noted. The Primary Investigator recommended another form of assessment to validate the increased achievement of student readers.</p><p>

<p> Early identification and intervention for struggling readers increased the likelihood of students identified as proficient; ultimately leading to future success. The researcher sought to evaluate the Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) program in a Midwest urban school district, to help close the achievement gap between students&rsquo; reading levels and students reading on grade level. The purpose of the study was to investigate the difference in STAR reading scaled scores between struggling 2nd grade students who received LLI and peers who did not receive LLI. The researcher also examined the possible relationship between the increase in students&rsquo; literacy skills and fidelity of implementation of LLI. Finally, the researcher examined the perception of LLI teachers and School Leadership Team (SLT) members on the implementation of LLI. The researcher selected a mixed-methods approach and analyzed qualitative and quantitative data, including LLI teacher survey data, LLI teacher and SLT member interview responses, fidelity of implementation tool, and pre- and post-STAR reading scaled scores to determine a possible increase in struggling students&rsquo; literacy skills. The results of the study showed no statistical difference between the LLI students and the non-LLI students. Furthermore, the study indicated no relationship existed between student outcomes and fidelity of implementation. However, the study revealed teachers who implemented LLI with fidelity, LLI teachers, and SLT members believed students&rsquo; literacy skills improved. As a result, the researcher recommended further studies on the implementation of LLI in urban settings.</p><p>

<p> In this mixed methods study, the researcher analyzed three school years of third through fifth-grade students&rsquo; reading scores on the NWEA MAP reading test to determine possible differences in students&rsquo; reading growth relative to the instructional delivery model used to provide Corrective Reading as supplemental reading intervention. Students received Corrective Reading intervention with the classroom teacher, the after-school teacher (both large groups), or in small-groups with the Title I Reading Teacher. </p><p> Five elementary school principals and 15 teachers answered interview questions related to experiences with Corrective Reading, perceptions of student academic and behavioral outcomes, and perceptions of the three instructional delivery models. Teachers and principals agreed Corrective Reading improved students&rsquo; academic and behavioral outcomes. Classroom and after-school teachers believed students demonstrated greater reading growth in small groups. Title I Reading Teachers agreed, but desired the ability to show academic gains with a larger number of students. </p><p> The researcher conducted an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test on reading growth scores from the three groups. The <i>p</i>-value of 0.0026 indicated a significant difference among the means, so the researcher rejected the null hypothesis. Students in all the reading intervention groups showed some reading growth. However, both the Tukey and Scheffe post hoc analyses revealed the mean of the Title I Reading Teacher group was significantly higher than the mean of the after-school group. As a result of the findings, the researcher recommends educational leaders staff buildings with reading intervention specialists to provide small-group intervention to struggling readers.</p><p>

<p>Preschool children hold immense writing potential that is rarely realized in traditional classrooms. This mixed-methods, quasi-experimental study focused on how best to teach these emergent writers. By comparing the effects of interactive writing, writing workshop, and traditional instruction, the study provided a clearer picture of how these instructional approaches influence students? writing achievement and processes. The quantitative results of the study pointed to the effectiveness of both writing workshop and interactive writing for improving students? foundational writing skills. The qualitative results supported these findings and highlighted how students differed in the extent they identified as authors and played in their writing. Based on these findings, both writing workshop and interactive writing might be effectively applied in preschool classrooms by empowering emergent writers and providing opportunities to write.

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of the reading platform Actively Learn affected the reading engagement, reading comprehension, and vocabulary achievement of secondary students. The area of secondary reading achievement has seen no significant improvement over the past four decades (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2017). The research questions were designed to use quantitative pre-test and post-test data from the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI) and the Standardized Test for the Assessment of Reading (STAR) to determine if the use of Actively Learn, combined with the use of embedded questions to encourage metacognitive strategies and timely feedback from the instructor, affected secondary reading engagement and achievement. The data demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in student perceptions of reading engagement strategies on the MARSI from pre-test to post-test after application of Actively Learn. However, data from the STAR reflected no significant difference in student achievement in the areas of reading comprehension or vocabulary after using Actively Learn. </p><p>

<p> Reading has been found to not only build student motivation but to increase community involvement in education (Hudson &amp; Williams, 2015). Children who grow into lifelong readers were less likely to be incarcerated, became more successful members of society, and created greater futures for themselves and their families (Obama, 2013). With exposure to early childhood education opportunities, children found a greater propensity to attain foundational reading skills; therefore, positive habits for education lead to thriving outcomes in the future (DeHaan &amp; Leuven, 2016). This study analyzed variations in preschool programs in order to detect curricular, facility, and instructor distinctions (DeHaan &amp; Leuven, 2016). Educators, parents, and community members were predominantly favorable of financing and supporting early childhood education (DeHaan &amp; Leuven, 2016). Globally, early childhood education is continually trying to maintain a more prevalent stature in society (DeHaan &amp; Leuven, 2016). Early childhood education can seemingly take an indirect step backwards in school districts due to to other educational necessities (DeHaan &amp; Leuven, 2016). In this study, the researcher analyzed early childhood education opportunities and the impact on students&rsquo; reading comprehension in third grade.</p><p>

<p> Pre-service teachers (PST) clinical experiences are critical for transfering theory to practice (e.g., Brownell, Ross, Col&oacute;n, and McCallum, 2005) and these experiences require effective mentoring, coaching, and supervision from university supervisors and cooperating teachers (e.g., Leko, Brownell, Sindelar, &amp; Murphy, 2012). Yet, many special education teachers enter the field feeling under-prepared to teach effectively, especially in reading (e.g., Brownell et al., 2009). One solution is to maximize support provided by cooperating teachers (CTs).</p><p> CTs receive little or no training on how to provide mentoring, coaching, and supervision to PSTs (Gareis &amp; Grant, 2014). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of elbow coaching on the CT&rsquo;s ability to provide online, in-ear <i>e</i>Coaching to the PST during literacy based clinical experiences. Specifically, I investigated how elbow coaching influenced the CT&rsquo;s provision of online, in-ear <i>e</i>Coaching to the PST; how coaching the PSTs (i.e., in-ear <i>e</i>Coaching plus side-by-side coaching) influenced the PSTs delivery of effective reading instruction; and how coaching the PST positively influenced student outcomes (i.e., student engagement, opportunities to respond, correct responses).</p><p> Participants for this single case research design included three CT/PST dyads, and their K-1 students with and without disabilities. Social validity and procedural fidelity were measured and IOA was conducted in accord with prevailing standards. Quality standards for SCRD were met without reservation (Kratochwill et al., 2013). Data was analyzed visually based on mean, level, trend, and latency of change (Kratochwill et al., 2010), and effect size was based on Tau-U (Vannest, Parker, &amp; Gonen, 2011). Results indicated that the elbow coaching was effective in modifying CTs&rsquo; <i>e </i>Coaching behaviors, PSTs&rsquo; provision of effective reading instruction, and student opportunities to respond, correct responses, and behavioral engagement. Results also confirmed the efficacy&nbsp;of an online module plus coaching as an effective way to support CTs as they provide instructional support to PSTs, serving students with and without disabilities. Limitations, implications, and future directions are discussed.</p><p>

<p> National assessments have shown that the majority of students in the United States cannot read at grade level by fourth grade. These results are alarming because students who are not proficient readers by third grade suffer long-term consequences and are more likely to drop out of high school. Feeling pressure to improve reading outcomes, schools have responded by implementing a wide range of interventions. One approach is ability grouping, a system in which students of similar ability levels are grouped together for instruction. </p><p> This study consisted of a quantitative program evaluation of a literacy program designed to accelerate reading achievement. The literacy program placed students reading below grade level into ability-grouped classrooms with reduced class sizes. Quantitative analyses were conducted on secondary student assessment data. First, the performance of students in the literacy program was compared against the performance of a pair-matched group of their peers not in the literacy program via an independent-samples <i>t</i> test. Then, the students&rsquo; performance during the literacy program was compared to their performance in the previous school year via a dependent-samples <i> t</i> test. Finally, a chi-square test of independence was conducted for disproportionality of student subgroups. </p><p> The program evaluation found that, when students in the literacy program were compared to the pair-matched comparison group, the literacy program either had no effect or small, but statistically significant, negative effects. In contrast, the literacy program had positive effects when students in the literacy program were compared to their own prior performance. However, post-hoc analyses showed that all students, regardless of instructional placement, experienced significant growth during the same period. Therefore, it was not possible to attribute the growth to the literacy program. Finally, results showed that English learner students and students in special education were overrepresented in the literacy program. The study concluded that the literacy program was not substantively effective. The findings suggest that ability grouping did not improve student outcomes, concurring with existing literature. This conclusion, combined with potential implications for students, urges school leaders to reexamine ability grouping interventions.</p><p>

Research has found that, on average, deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students graduate from high school reading at the fourth grade level (Allen, 1986). Additionally, DHH children of deaf parents (Charrow & Fletcher, 1974) and those with strong American Sign Language (ASL) proficiency (Strong & Prinz, 1997) tend to outperform DHH students without parents who are proficient in ASL. The Simple View of Reading (SVR; Gough & Tunmer, 1986) suggests that reading comprehension is a product of decoding and language proficiency. Many DHH students have limited auditory access, and may struggle to acquire English, especially the more demanding academic English characteristics of school texts (Mayer & Wells, 1996). Academic English has been identified as a strong predictor of reading comprehension among hearing children (Uccelli et al., 2015). Guided by a modified SVR model, in this study I investigate DHH secondary school students’ reading comprehension as predicted by receptive ASL proficiency, word reading fluency/decoding, and academic English proficiency. Guided by prior research on DHH and hearing students, I investigate the hypothesis that for secondary school DHH students enrolled in ASL/English bilingual/bimodal schools for the deaf, academic English proficiency is a significant predictor of reading comprehension alongside ASL proficiency. In this study, a sample of secondary school DHH students were tested in ASL proficiency, academic English proficiency, word reading fluency (a proxy for decoding), and reading comprehension. Using linear regression, an interaction between academic English proficiency and word reading fluency was detected, such that the lower the level of academic English proficiency, the higher the impact of word reading fluency on reading comprehension. ASL skills predicted reading comprehension across all models. Findings support a model in which socio-demographic factors, ASL proficiency, and word reading fluency are predictors of reading comprehension for secondary DHH students. This study is innovative in assessing three sets of language and reading skills essential for DHH students’ reading comprehension. The continued adaptation of instruments that target these constructs, as well as studies with larger samples, are critical to further explore the innovative theoretical model of reading comprehension for DHH students proposed in this study. / Human Development and Education