Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston University

The problem of this study was to test the effectiveness of adapting the reading instruction to the level and ability of individuals or small groups of a particular group of second grade children.

Health literacy involves basic reading and numeracy, allowing people to function as health care consumers, reading, understanding, evaluating and using information in health documents. For thirty years, the gap between the reading level of most of the public, eighth grade, and the reading level of most written health information, above the tenth grade, has been perceived to prevent people from comprehending health instructions or educating themselves about health conditions.This study examined comprehension of health materials, using print environmental public health information about relatively obscure aspects of arsenic and ultraviolet light contamination. The research question was "to what extent are print materials for environmental health promotion comprehensible by the target audience of readers at the eighth grade reading level?" This study tested a hypothesis that materials written at the seventh grade level would be more comprehensible than those written at the twelfth grade level for individuals with an average reading level.Materials were located, assessed for reading level, rewritten to the seventh grade reading level, and vetted by environmental health experts. The mean reading level of the participants was eighth grade. The study used a pretest / posttest design with follow up interviews to asses some participants' perception of the reading materials and test. Data was analyzed using repeat measures ANOVA and content analysis.Contrary to anticipated results, the study showed when people with average reading ability read twelfth grade material, they were able to comprehend it as well as they did seventh-grade material. Two follow-up interviews provided anecdotal evidence indicating people with an average reading level would not voluntarily choose to read the twelfth grade material.Although the results of this small exploratory study found individuals, with average reading levels, can read and comprehend written information about environmental health topics, health literacy professionals cannot stop being concerned about the perceived mismatch between the reading levels of American adults and reading levels of environmental health information. It is important to undertake additional studies to better understand how much of an encumbrance hard-to-read information may be placing on individuals with a need to know about environmental hazards and their health.

The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between the reading level of parents of students in special education and the readability level of special education documents/forms. A related purpose was to determine whether a difference between reading level and the readability of documents/forms was related to parental involvement. The sample consisted of 30 parents of students in special education who were enrolled at Mosheim Elementary School in 2002. Parents were tested using the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery: Part Two-Tests of Achievement, developed by Richard W. Woodcock and M. Bonner Johnson. Subtest 13, 14, and 15 were administered to parents. Subtest 13 is a Letter-Word Identification subtest, Subtest 14 is a Word Attack subtest, and Subtest 15 is a comprehension subtest. Parents were asked to complete a short survey that elicited information on education level, actual years of school completed, annual household income, work schedule, and household members. Parents were also asked five questions concerning their knowledge of their childÆs IEP. At the conclusion of the session, parents were interviewed concerning their feelings about attending IEP Team Meetings at the school. The findings from this study showed the average reading level of parents was at the 9.0 grade level. Special education documents/forms had readability levels that ranged from 9.9 to 12.0 grade levels. These scores showed parents were generally reading three grade levels lower than the reading level required to read the special education documents/forms. Parents also demonstrated a limited understanding of their childrenÆs IEP. Only 13.3% answered all five questions correctly and 26.7% answered four questions correctly. Sixty percent of the parents could only answer one, two, or three questions correctly. The study also showed that 93.3% of the parents surveyed attended their childÆs IEP Team Meeting at the school during the year. Only two of the 30 parents in the sample did not attend their childÆs IEP Team Meeting. The results highlight the difficulty that many parents have in reading the various forms used in special education, including the Individual Education Program for their child/children.

Introduction: A mercury fact sheet that contains essential information and can be clearly understood by majority of adults is needed. In Fiscal Year 2009, EPA responded to more releases related to mercury than any other release. Since 2003, EPA has responded to more than 200 mercury releases. The American Association of Poison Control Centers estimate more than 50,000 people have been exposed to mercury vapors from 2003 to 2008, and 19,000 mercury cleanups have occurred from 2006 to 2008. Purpose: To determine what information needs to be included in a mercury fact sheet and how it should be created to inform adults who may be important in preventing and limiting exposure during accidental mercury release in the United States. Methods: The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level Formula Data and the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) tool were used to determine readability and appropriateness of twelve fact sheets related to elemental mercury. Length of fact sheets and illustration coverage percentage were also assessed. In addition, surveys were performed with four people who were involved in response to mercury releases in 2007 to 2009. The information they provided was also summarized to determine important elements that should be included in the fact sheets. Results: Information in a fact sheet should include the background of mercury, procedures in the event of a release, and ways to prevent releases. Based on the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, the literacy levels required to comprehend the 12 facts sheets was 11.4 on average. The majority of adults cannot comprehend the twelve fact sheets evaluated. Based on the evaluation of the material using SAM, none of the fact sheets scored higher than adequate with SAM. Only two fact sheets were written on one page and none of the fact sheets used relevant, simple illustrations with captions. Discussion: An effective mercury fact sheet needs to be about one page long and focuses on background, procedures, and prevention of exposure during a mercury release. Information obtained from interviews found that people focused the majority of their attention on the first page only. The fact sheet needs to be written at a sixth grade reading and to be able to receive a superior rating when assessed with SAM. This will ensure that the fact sheet is readable and comprehendible by the majority of adults and include the necessary information that the public must know regarding mercury. A new fact sheet was developed and assessed using both Flesch-Kincaid level and SAM and was found to have a 6.6 reading grade level and received a superior score under SAM. This fact sheet will be used by EPA along with the existing more comprehensive fact sheets at state agencies, and poison control centers for future releases and will be given to schools to educate and prevent future releases.

Independet silent reading - Out of old habit or a lesson with purpose?  The aim of this study was to examine whether teachers use the method of independent silent reading purposefully or if they do it out of old habit. The research focuses on what purpose the teachers have and which working methods they use when working with silent reading. I investigated who it is that chooses the books to be read and what factors are determining this choise. Finally, I wanted to find out how the silent reading time is used by the pupils and the teachers. In order to investigate this, observations were made in classes during silent reading time and semistructured interviews were conducted with teachers and students. The results show that most teachers have a clear purpose with silent reading and that they work with different reading strategies to teach the children to become independent silent readers. However, an important part of succeeding in silent reading is that it happens on a regular basis, preferably every day.     Finally, I would like to thank my supervisor Yvonne Knospe, university lecturer at the Department of Language Studies, Umeå University for all the feedback and guidence during the work process. It has been a pleasure to have you as a supervisor. Thank you!

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The purpose of this study is to analyze a relationship between adult, male inmate's criminal attitudes and reading level. Data is derived from the secondary assessments, Criminal Sentiments Scale-Modified (CSS-M) and the reading scores from the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE). The sample size is 112 adult, males incarcerated at California State Prison, Solano (CSP-SOL). A general understanding of an association between reading level and criminal attitudes, and how age and race may influence this association, provides insight into the interaction of risk factors associated with programming and treatment needs, as well as general and specific responsivity. This study examines the association and variance between reading level, criminal sentiments, and race and age. Based on the results, there is insufficient evidence to support that reading level and criminal sentiments are associated, or that reading level or criminal sentiments vary with race or age, even when a moderation analysis is conducted. The relationship between criminal sentiments and reading level; however, approaches statistical significance for those under 29 years of age, suggesting that as reading levels increase, criminal sentiments decrease for this age group.

Literature indicates that there is a national outcry about learners who read below the required levels and that poor matriculation results are, in part, due to the low levels of learners’ reading skills. The focus of this study is reading difficulties experienced by learners in the Foundation Phase in inclusive schools in Makapanstad. The researcher used a qualitative method for the study. The case study research design was adopted for the study. Three schools in Makapanstad were sampled for the study. Empirical investigation was conducted through literature study, observations, interviews and document analysis. There is a worldwide concern with regard to learners’ low reading levels. The study explores the extensive models, methods and theories on reading, the strategies that could be used to teach reading in the Foundation Phase to alleviate or improve reading difficulties experienced by learners, as well as the findings and recommendations towards minimising the reading difficulties in primary schools. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

(in English) This thesis discusses the methodology of teaching reading comprehension and using text in the process of teaching Czech for foreigners. It is aimed at developing an approach to teaching reading skills in language classes on the basis of contemporary literature on the subject and in offering structured exercises for utililizing this approach. The theoretical section of this thesis offers a complex analysis of the topic, approaches to evaluating text and developing reading competence in the process of teaching. The practical chapter Cvičení a aktivity (Exercises and Activities) illustrates, through example exercises and activities, how to teach particular aspects of reading competence on the basis of types of reading and reading strategies described in the theoretical and methodological framework of the thesis.