This study examines the effects of the Breakthrough to Literacy (BTL) reading program on first grade African American males in two urban elementary schools in southeastern Virginia. The BTL computer enhanced reading program includes computer assisted instruction as a major component that research from the National Reading Panel (NRP) indicates is beneficial in the education of African American males (NRP, 2000). This is a comparative study utilizing quantitative methodology to report the reading outcomes of African American males in grade one and their teacher's perceptions of the BTL program. The study measures reading outcomes as well as teachers' perceptions of the BTL program. The treatment group consisted of the first grade populations from schools A and B who received the BTL treatment in kindergarten (2006-2007) and first grade (2007-2008). The treatment group was compared to schools C and D, the control group, who received the BTL treatment in kindergarten (2006-2007) only. The data were gathered to determine if there were mean gains from the treatment and control groups through pre and posttests. Frequency, mean, and standard deviation were calculated for each variable. Inferential statistics were used to determine mean differences and comparisons among both groups' reading results. To determine if there was a difference in the reading outcomes of African American males who received the BTL treatment as compared to other racial/ethnic groups and gender, ANOVAs were utilized. Overall results indicated higher level performance by the treatment group. The study also incorporated survey methodology to determine the utility of the BTL program on first grade students in the year 2007-2008 from a teacher's perspective. The teachers in the BTL treatment group were administered the Children's Software Evaluation Instrument Surveys (Children's Software Revue, 2008). Out of a 5-point Likert scale, teachers rated the overall value of the BTL program as good (Overall rating 4.0). The teachers also gave overall ratings of good (4.0) and excellent (5.0) in the following areas: Childproof; Ease of Use; Entertaining; Design Feature; and Educational. / Ph. D.

El presente estudio surgió con el objetivo de establecer la influencia del Programa de lectura interactivas en el desarrollo de los niveles de comprensión lectora de los estudiantes del Cuarto Grado “C” de la I.E. N° 10126 “Nuestra Señora de Fátima” - Jayanca, en el 2019. Para ello, se aplicó una metodología enfoque cuantitativo, de tipo cuasiexperimental. La población estuvo constituida por 150 estudiantes, seleccionándose a una muestra de 74 estudiantes, de los cuales 37 de ellos, correspondieron al grupo experimental y los otros 37 al grupo control. Los instrumentos usados fueron lista de cotejo y prueba de comprensión lectora. En el pretest se evidenció que, los estudiantes de los grupos experimental y control presentaron un nivel En Inicio de comprensión lectora con 5,65 y 7,14 puntos de promedio respectivamente; mientras que, en el postest, este puntaje mejoró en ambos grupos con un promedio de 15,51 y 11,22 puntos, destacando los del grupo experimental, quienes se situaron en el nivel Logro Esperado. Se estableció que el Programa de lecturas interactivas influye significativamente en el nivel de comprensión lectora de los estudiantes en estudio. / The present study arose with the objective of establishing the influence of the Interactive Reading Program in the development of the levels of reading comprehension of the students of the Fourth Grade “C” of the I.E. N ° 10126 “Nuestra Señora de Fátima” - Jayanca, in 2019. For this, a quantitative approach methodology was applied, of a quasi-experimental type. The population consisted of 150 students, selecting a sample of 74 students, of which 37 of them corresponded to the experimental group and the other 37 to the control group. The instruments used were a checklist and a reading comprehension test. In the pre-test it was evidenced that the students in the experimental and control groups presented an In Beginning level of reading comprehension with 5.65 and 7.14 average points respectively; while, in the post-test, this score improved in both groups with an average of 15.51 and 11.22 points, highlighting those of the experimental group, who were at the Expected Achievement level. It was established that the Interactive Reading Program significantly influences the level of reading comprehension of the students under study.

The local high school and school district have failed to achieve adequate yearly progress in reading due to the poor performance of 9th-grade and special education students on the annual state reading assessment. There may be numerous factors leading to the low scores, but researchers have suggested that students whose parents are engaged in their education have more academic success than students whose parents have minimal participation. An explanatory survey design was used in this quantitative study to identify the involvement activities of parents of 9th-grade students and determine if there was a relationship between their involvement and their child's reading achievement. The theoretical framework was Epstein's theory on parental involvement. Archival data from the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness-end of course English I/reading test of 65 9th-grade students were coded for anonymity and matched with their parents' total scores on the Parent Choice of Involvement Activities survey. Data analyzed using the Pearson product-moment correlation analysis yielded no significant relationship between parent involvement and students' reading scores. Descriptive analysis identified that parents were more involved with educational activities in the home, rather than participating at school. Therefore, a school-based parent development program was designed. Additional research is needed to explore other reasons for the poor reading outcome of the 9th-grade and special education students. Providing parents with strategies that empower them to become fully involved in the secondary education of their children can bring about positive social change by building strong relationships between the school, family, and community to support the academic achievement of high school students.

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