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Arising from the increasing demands of the twenty-first century workplace, concern over learner reading performance is at the forefront of national education. The increasing demands have raised the literacy bar for learners and subsequently, schools have been forced to accommodate instruction for these increased expectations. Successful reading requires the learner to incorporate a number of reading skills in appropriate ways. Oral reading fluency and reading comprehension are identified as components in effectively gaining meaning from text. A reciprocal relationship exist between the two that allows one to comprehend more thoroughly as one reads more fluently. Additionally, as one reads more fluently, one‟s ability to comprehend also improves. This is due to the fact that one‟s brain is more capable in processing text when one is able to read fluently. Therefore, when one automatically identifies words one is able to comprehend text more completely. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a linear relationship exists between Grade 4 learners‟ oral reading fluency on different types of tests and their reading comprehension. The study was conducted within a positivistic research paradigm. A one-shot crosssectional survey design was used to determine the relationship between oral reading fluency and reading comprehension of Grade 4 learners in selected schools in Kimberley in the Northern Cape Province. Five schools, representing the different quintiles, were selected to participate in the study. A total of 406 Grade 4 learners made up the study population. Two tests were developed and validated in order to assess the learners‟ oral reading fluency and reading comprehension. The data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics as well as Pearson product-moment correlations. The results indicate that learners in rural schools could only read at 52 words per minute (wpm) which meant that they could be grouped in the 10th percentile. With regard to reading comprehension the learners in the rural areas scored an average of 54% on the first reading comprehension test. Their results on the second comprehension test indicated that they experienced difficulties with inference questions. The results indicated that learners in urban schools read at 107.5 words per minute (wpm) which meant that they could be grouped between the 50th and 75th percentile. In their first reading comprehension test they scored an average of 78%. Their results on the second comprehension test indicated that they experienced difficulties with interpretation questions. Pearson product moment correlations indicated a practically significant difference between rural and urban schools on oral reading fluency and reading comprehension with urban schools outperforming rural schools. Overall, the results indicated a practically significant relationship of r = 0.69 between oral reading fluency and reading comprehension. The findings of this study should be noted by teachers as well as be addressed in interventions as a matter of urgency. / MEd (Learner Support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Arising from the increasing demands of the twenty-first century workplace, concern over learner reading performance is at the forefront of national education. The increasing demands have raised the literacy bar for learners and subsequently, schools have been forced to accommodate instruction for these increased expectations. Successful reading requires the learner to incorporate a number of reading skills in appropriate ways. Oral reading fluency and reading comprehension are identified as components in effectively gaining meaning from text. A reciprocal relationship exist between the two that allows one to comprehend more thoroughly as one reads more fluently. Additionally, as one reads more fluently, one‟s ability to comprehend also improves. This is due to the fact that one‟s brain is more capable in processing text when one is able to read fluently. Therefore, when one automatically identifies words one is able to comprehend text more completely. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a linear relationship exists between Grade 4 learners‟ oral reading fluency on different types of tests and their reading comprehension. The study was conducted within a positivistic research paradigm. A one-shot crosssectional survey design was used to determine the relationship between oral reading fluency and reading comprehension of Grade 4 learners in selected schools in Kimberley in the Northern Cape Province. Five schools, representing the different quintiles, were selected to participate in the study. A total of 406 Grade 4 learners made up the study population. Two tests were developed and validated in order to assess the learners‟ oral reading fluency and reading comprehension. The data was analysed by means of descriptive statistics as well as Pearson product-moment correlations. The results indicate that learners in rural schools could only read at 52 words per minute (wpm) which meant that they could be grouped in the 10th percentile. With regard to reading comprehension the learners in the rural areas scored an average of 54% on the first reading comprehension test. Their results on the second comprehension test indicated that they experienced difficulties with inference questions. The results indicated that learners in urban schools read at 107.5 words per minute (wpm) which meant that they could be grouped between the 50th and 75th percentile. In their first reading comprehension test they scored an average of 78%. Their results on the second comprehension test indicated that they experienced difficulties with interpretation questions. Pearson product moment correlations indicated a practically significant difference between rural and urban schools on oral reading fluency and reading comprehension with urban schools outperforming rural schools. Overall, the results indicated a practically significant relationship of r = 0.69 between oral reading fluency and reading comprehension. The findings of this study should be noted by teachers as well as be addressed in interventions as a matter of urgency. / MEd (Learner Support), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:56:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Sandra Puliezi.pdf: 2112077 bytes, checksum: 65039a7eb052fad7e1682ee760969c50 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-10 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Current studies about reading show that there is a strong relationship between comprehension and reading fluency, to the extent that one influences another. In order to contribute to the growth of this knowledge, we conducted a study to investigate the relationship between reading comprehension and reading fluency of Brazilian children who attend the 4th year of elementary school. Objectives of this research were: verify the effects of an intervention in comprehension; verify the effects of an intervention in reading fluency; and create a series of activities for the improvement and stimulation of reading fluency and comprehension. To accomplish these objectives, we created two intervention groups (one in fluency and the other in comprehension) and a control group. At the beginning of the school year all the groups completed two tests: an assessment of fluency (accuracy, speed and prosody) and an assessment of comprehension. The intervention lasted three months. At the end of that time, every group completed the same assessments of fluency and comprehension, plus a test to evaluate inferential comprehension. We then analyzed the data to compare student performance between the three groups. The results showed that interventions helped to improve the performance of students in the skills that were being targeted, but not the other skill. Pearson's correlations allowed us to see that high performance in comprehension is accompanied by high performance in fluency, highlighting the importance of the two skills for success in reading. Our study indicated the need to direct teaching in order to fully develop the three dimensions of fluency and the different levels of comprehension, leading us to conclude that the teaching of one of these skills alone does not ensure success in the other / Estudos atuais sobre leitura mostram que existe uma relação muito forte entre compreensão e fluência na leitura, a ponto de haver influência de uma sobre a outra. Com o intuito de contribuir para o crescimento desse conhecimento, conduzimos um estudo para investigar relações entre a compreensão de textos e a fluência na leitura de crianças brasileiras que cursam o 4º ano do ensino fundamental. Os objetivos foram: verificar os efeitos de uma intervenção em compreensão; verificar os efeitos de uma intervenção em fluência e criar uma série de atividades para a melhoria e estimulação da fluência de leitura e da compreensão. Para tanto, foram constituídos dois grupos de intervenção (um em fluência e outro em compreensão) e um grupo controle. No início do ano letivo todos os grupos passaram pelo pré-teste que continha duas provas: uma para avaliar a fluência (precisão, velocidade e prosódia) e uma para avaliar a compreensão. A intervenção durou três meses. Ao fim desse tempo, todos os grupos passaram pelo pós-teste, constituído pelas mesmas provas do pré-teste, acrescido de uma prova que avaliou a compreensão inferencial. Na análise dos dados foram comparados o desempenho dos alunos dos três grupos. Os resultados mostraram que as intervenções ajudaram a melhorar o desempenho dos alunos nas habilidades que estavam sendo treinados, mas não na outra. As correlações de Pearson nos permitiram ver que o bom desempenho em compreensão é acompanhado do bom desempenho em fluência, evidenciando a importância das duas habilidades para o sucesso na leitura. Nosso estudo indicou que é preciso haver um ensino direcionado para podermos desenvolver ao máximo as três dimensões da fluência e os diferentes níveis de compreensão, fazendo-nos concluir que apenas o ensino de uma dessas habilidades é insuficiente para o sucesso da outra

The modern computerised era in which we live means that all areas of society are subjected to information technology. Children are increasingly exposed to and have access to computers, which necessarily have an influence on their education and development. Seeing that children are the most receptive group when it comes to exposure to new technology, this may have enriching effects on computer literacy, which is often considered part of general literacy. With regards to literacy, reading is one of the skills which pose a high challenge. It is also a key skill that opens the world of information, as most information is received through reading. Any reading stimulation via electronic or printed media that encourages learners to read is considered to improve reading ability, reading speed, reading comprehension and phonetic awareness. The aim of this study was to determine whether there was a correlation between early computer exposure and experience (both computer access and use) and reading ability of grade 1 learners. In this study a one shot cross-sectional survey design was used. Schools with grade 1 learners in the Umvoti district of Kwa Zulu Natal were selected to participate in the study - stratified sampling was used. The grade 1 classes were selected on the basis of random sampling. The selected classes (N=4; 85 learners) participated 'intact' in the study. The data was analysed using descriptive as well as inferential statistics (e.g. MANCOVA). / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

The modern computerised era in which we live means that all areas of society are subjected to information technology. Children are increasingly exposed to and have access to computers, which necessarily have an influence on their education and development. Seeing that children are the most receptive group when it comes to exposure to new technology, this may have enriching effects on computer literacy, which is often considered part of general literacy. With regards to literacy, reading is one of the skills which pose a high challenge. It is also a key skill that opens the world of information, as most information is received through reading. Any reading stimulation via electronic or printed media that encourages learners to read is considered to improve reading ability, reading speed, reading comprehension and phonetic awareness. The aim of this study was to determine whether there was a correlation between early computer exposure and experience (both computer access and use) and reading ability of grade 1 learners. In this study a one shot cross-sectional survey design was used. Schools with grade 1 learners in the Umvoti district of Kwa Zulu Natal were selected to participate in the study - stratified sampling was used. The grade 1 classes were selected on the basis of random sampling. The selected classes (N=4; 85 learners) participated 'intact' in the study. The data was analysed using descriptive as well as inferential statistics (e.g. MANCOVA). / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

[pt] Essa dissertação investiga uma possível relação entre comprometimentos no domínio sintático e dificuldades de leitura. Mais especificamente, busca-se verificar se dificuldades na compreensão oral de estruturas altamente custosas – interrogativas QU mais N de objeto (OWH mais N) e relativas de objeto (ORCs) – preveem problemas na compreensão leitora, quando tais estruturas estão envolvidas. 78 alunos (idade média: 12) do sexto ano de três escolas públicas do Rio de Janeiro participaram desse estudo. Suas habilidades sintáticas foram inicialmente testadas. Dois grupos foram criados para participarem dos testes de leitura: com possível comprometimento sintático (SI) (n igual 25) e controle (CT) (n igual 53). Um teste de reconhecimento de palavras e outro de leitura de palavras/pseudopalavras isoladas foram elaborados e realizados, uma vez que a fluência em leitura requer que dificuldades nessas habilidades sejam superadas. Novos grupos (SI e CT), sem problemas nesse nível, foram definidos (com 12 participantes cada). Dois experimentos foram conduzidos, buscando testar suas habilidades de fluência (velocidade, precisão e prosódia) em leitura com OWH mais N e ORCs em sentenças isoladas (tarefa de identificação de imagens) e no discurso (tarefa de leitura automonitorada). No último caso, o sujeito interveniente foi manipulado quanto à complexidade estrutural (DP completo ou pronome). Um aspecto da prosódia (uso adequado de pitch) distinguiu os grupos, com menor desempenho no grupo SI em ambas as tarefas. Um aspecto da precisão (número de disfluências) também os distinguiu quando as sentenças investigadas foram apresentadas no discurso (mais disfluências no grupo SI). A compreensão foi particularmente afetada quando as sentenças foram lidas isoladamente. Fatores relacionados à escolha lexical, bem como fatores discursivos podem criar demandas diferenciadas para as sentenças no discurso e isso pode ter minimizado efeitos de grupo. O efeito de intervenção foi obtido na direção prevista nas interrogativas QU mais N (OWH mais N), em que uma demanda maior foi observada nas condições de DP completos. Já no caso das relativas de objeto (ORC), um efeito significativo não foi obtido, possivelmente devido a dificuldades na atribuição de força ilocucionária interrogativa às perguntas SIM /NÃO. Uma amostra de sentenças com diferentes estruturas e com pontuação variada foi examinada, a fim de se obter uma análise geral de fluência em leitura. Novamente o pitch é indicativo de comprometimento sintático. Comprometimentos na interface sintaxe-prosódia podem explicar esses resultados. / [en] This dissertation intends to verify whether syntactic impairment, as detected in in the oral comprehension of costly structures - object WH plus N questions (OWH plus N) and object relative clauses (ORCs) -, predicts difficulties in reading fluency and comprehension. The syntactic abilities of 6th graders from three public schools in Rio de Janeiro were evaluated, giving rise to syntactically impaired (SI) and control (CT) groups. Those who satisfied criteria at the word level in word-recognition/reading tasks proceeded. Two experiments assessed reading fluency (rate, accuracy, prosody) and the comprehension of each of the target structures in isolation (picture-identification task) and in discourse (self-paced reading task). In the latter, the intervening subject was manipulated for structural complexity (full nominal phrase and pronoun). One aspect of prosody (pitch contour) distinguished the groups, with lower scores in the SI group in both tasks. An aspect of accuracy (number of disfluencies) distinguished them in the discourse task (more disfluencies in the SI group). The comprehension of the target-sentences is isolation was harder for the SI group. Lexical/discourse factors can create differential demands for sentences in discourse, minimizing group effects. The effect of intervention was in the predicted direction for OWH plus N sentences (more demands for full nominal phase subjects). As for RC, this effect was not significant, possibly due to difficulties in the ascription of illocutionary force to YES/NO questions. In an overall analysis of reading fluency in discourse (different structures/punctuation marks), the pitch contour indicates syntactic impairment. Impairment at the syntax-prosody interface can account for these results.

LIMA, Maria José Leite. Consciência fonológica e as relações grafofonêmicas: uma proposta para o desenvolvimento da fluência e precisão leitoras de alunos com distorção idade-série. 2016. 208f. – Dissertação (Mestrado) – Universidade Federal do Ceará, Programa de Pós - Graduação em Letras, Fortaleza (CE), 2016. / Submitted by Gustavo Daher (gdaherufc@hotmail.com) on 2017-02-01T14:58:50Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_dis_mjllima.pdf: 10661762 bytes, checksum: 3499eae86c956276b2a581dfdabb6cba (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Márcia Araújo (marcia_m_bezerra@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-02-01T16:45:42Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_dis_mjllima.pdf: 10661762 bytes, checksum: 3499eae86c956276b2a581dfdabb6cba (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-02-01T16:45:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_dis_mjllima.pdf: 10661762 bytes, checksum: 3499eae86c956276b2a581dfdabb6cba (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016 / This work aimed to investigate aspects of phonological awareness and graphophonemic relations in the development of reading fluency and accuracy of students with age-grade distortion. The study was divided into four stages: pilot test, pre-test, intervention and post-test. A total of 94 students from the 5th grade of Elementary School I of a municipal public school in Fortaleza, CE, participated in the pilot test. From the pilot test, students with age-grade distortion were identified. Of these, 16 students formed two research groups: Study Group, GE (8 students) and Control Group GC (8 students). In order to perform the Pre-test and Post-test two instruments were used: Precision Test and Reading Fluency based on Carvalho and Pereira (2009) and a Phonological Consciousness Test: Sequential Assessment Tool - CONFIAS (MOOJEN, 2011). Deficits in reading fluency and accuracy were identified, as well as poor performance in the phonemic manipulation skills of students with age-grade distortion, with higher proportions than in students without distortion. Fifteen workshops were organized and conducted with procedures aimed at the development of phonological awareness and the explication of the graphophonemic relations to the students of the experimental group. After the workshops, the post-test was administered in order to compare the performances of the students from the experimental and control groups, reaching a reciprocal relation between the low level of phonological awareness and the low performance in reading fluency and accuracy. It was observed that the methodologies focused on the reflection of phonemic mechanisms and the explanation of the grapho-phonological relations contributed to improve reading skills of the students in the experimental group, who obtained more expressive gains in fluency, accuracy and phonological awareness than the other students. From these conclusions, a teaching proposal was elaborated with instructions of application to teachers, aiming to aid their work in the classroom. The proposal contains a sequence of 15 workshops with activities aimed at understanding the graphophonemic relations and the development of skills of phonological awareness. Its application is indicated both for students who are in the initial phase of reading acquisition as well as for students with deficits in reading fluency and accuracy. / Este trabalho objetivou investigar aspectos da consciência fonológica e as relações grafofonêmicas no desenvolvimento da fluência e da precisão leitoras de alunos com distorção idade-série. O estudo foi dividido em quatro etapas: teste piloto, pré-teste, intervenção e pós-teste. Participaram do teste piloto 94 alunos do 5º ano do Ensino Fundamental I de uma escola pública municipal de Fortaleza, CE. A partir do teste piloto, foram identificados os alunos com distorção idade-série, destes, 16 alunos formaram dois grupos da pesquisa: Grupo de Estudo, GE (8 alunos) e Grupo Controle GC (8 alunos). Para realização do Pré-teste e Pós-teste foram empregados dois instrumentos: Teste de Precisão e Fluência Leitora com base em Carvalho e Pereira (2009) e um Teste de Consciência Fonológica: Instrumento de Avaliação Sequencial – CONFIAS (MOOJEN, 2011). Identificaram-se déficits na fluência e na precisão leitora, assim como baixo rendimento nas habilidades de manipulação fonêmica dos alunos com distorção idade/série, em proporções maiores do que nos alunos sem distorção. Foram organizadas e desenvolvidas 15 oficinas com procedimentos voltados para o desenvolvimento da consciência fonológica e a explicitação das relações grafofonêmicas dos alunos do GE. Após as oficinas, aplicou-se o pós-teste a fim de comparar os desempenhos dos alunos do GE e do GC e chegou-se a uma relação recíproca entre o baixo nível de consciência fonológica e o baixo desempenho na fluência e precisão leitoras. Percebeu-se que as metodologias voltadas para reflexão acerca dos mecanismos fonêmicos e a explicitação das relações grafo-fonológicas contribuíram para melhorar habilidades de leitura dos alunos do GE, os quais obtiveram ganhos mais expressivos em fluência, precisão e consciência fonológica do que os demais alunos. A partir dessas conclusões, foi elaborada uma proposta didática com instruções de aplicação aos professores, objetivando subsidiar o trabalho em sala de aula. A proposta contém uma sequência de 15 oficinas com atividades voltadas para a compreensão das relações grafofonêmicas e o desenvolvimento de habilidades de consciência fonológica, sua aplicação é indicada tanto para alunos que se encontram na fase inicial da aquisição da leitura, bem como para alunos com déficits em fluência e precisão leitoras.

xv, 109 p. : col. ill. / The current study investigated variability in student performance on DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency (DORF) Progress Monitoring passages for third grade and sought to determine to what extent the variability in weekly progress monitoring scores is related to passage-level factors (e.g., type of passage [i.e., narrative or expository]), readability of the passage, reading rate for words in lists, passage specific comprehension, background knowledge, and interest in the topic of the passage) and student-level factors (e.g., the student's initial skill and variability across benchmark passages). In light of recent changes in IDEIA legislation allowing for the use of Response to Intervention models and formative assessment practices in the identification of specific learning disabilities, it was intent of this study to identify factors associated with oral reading fluency that, once identified, could potentially be altered or controlled during progress monitoring and decision-making to allow for more defensible educational decisions. The sample for analysis included 70 third grade students from one school in Iowa. Results of two-level HLM analyses indicated significant effects for background knowledge, interest in the passage, type of passage, retell fluency, readability, and word reading, with type of passage and readability demonstrating the largest magnitude effects. Magnitude of effect was based upon a calculation of proportion of reduction in level 1 residual variance. At level 2, initial risk status demonstrated a significant effect on a student's initial oral reading fluency score, while the benchmark variability demonstrated a significant effect on a student's growth over time. Results demonstrate support for readability as an indicator of passage difficulty as it relates to predicting oral reading fluency for students and suggest that consideration for the type of passage may be warranted when interpreting student ORF scores. Additionally, results indicated possible student-level effects of variables such as background knowledge and word list that were not investigated within the current study. Limitations of the study, considerations for future research, and implications for practice are discussed. / Committee in charge: Roland Good, Chairperson/Advisor; Laura Lee McIntyre, Member; Joe Stevens Member; Robert Davis, Outside Member; Scott Baker, Member