The major purpose of this study is to evaluate the progress in the general reading ability of a group of pupils taught by remedial methods of teaching, as compared with the progress of a group taught by the same methods plus vocabulary building through the definite study of word-clues and their meanings, to determine whether the word-clue method of vocabulary building aids general reading ability.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a significant relationship existed between teacher attrition and student success in middle school reading by conducting a quantitative analysis. Additionally, the inclusion of school demographic characteristics were included in the model to consider previous findings referencing the challenges schools face in attracting and retaining teachers in low performing urban schools with high populations of economically disadvantaged and minority students. In this analysis, the relationship between teacher attrition and student achievement in middle school as measured by the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) for reading among middle school students in Grades 6, 7, and 8, as reported on the Texas Academic Performance Reports (TAPR), were examined. The regression models used to analyze the three research questions addressed in the study include an examination of teacher attrition on campus pass rates, and grade level pass rates for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades as measured by the STAAR Reading assessment. The data utilized in this study were collected from seven North Texas middle schools in a fast growth school district together with their comparable campuses as identified by the Texas Education Agency for the school years 2013-2014 through 2015-2016. The results of the analysis indicate teacher attrition accounts for a significant variance in STAAR Reading pass rates among middle school students. Additionally, the school demographic characteristics defined as percentage economically disadvantaged, percentage English language learners, mobility rates, and percentage white students account for 83.4% of the variance in the average campus pass rates for STAAR Reading when combined.

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 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. / by Janice M. Russell. / Thesis (D.Ed.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2012. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

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Reading shows itself as a great contemporary educational concerning. And, in this context, school plays an important role, because it s knew that is insufficient teach pupils to read and write, but necessary improves reading practices. Recognized the importance of school in stimulating reading, it s given us to ask for: in what measure does the school contributes to motivate and to form reading pupils? In order to answer such a question, this study goals analyses the physical and pedagogical school conditions that can contribute to the formation of reading pupil. To this, was chosen a qualitative-type research, of ethnographical kind, with the case study approach. To the collect of data was used, as instruments, observation and semistructured interview. Therefore, the corpus of this work is constituted by the register from 14 Portuguese language lessons observed and from interviews to the teacher and pupils from the 3th series at Fundamental Teaching of the morning turn in a public school from Maceio s municipal system. It´s adopted the theoretical support from reading conceptions proposed by Leff (1996a), from reading strategies proposed by Kato (1985) and Kleiman (1989, 2004) and sustained by Silveira (2005) and by motivation for learning theory, with emphasis in Bzuneck (2001) and Guimarães (2001a, 2001b) studies. Collected data allows to establish three analysis axes: 1) the material and physical conditions of the reading room, 2) the Portuguese language lessons and the teacher incentive, and 3) the pupils aptitudes related to reading in school. The data analysis leads to conclude that in the school were the research was made; both the physical conditions and the pedagogical proceedings are not sufficient and adequate to the formation of the reading pupil. / A leitura se revela como uma das grandes preocupações educacionais atuais, e nesse contexto a escola tem importante papel, pois, sabe-se que não é suficiente alfabetizar os alunos, mas também favorecer a prática da leitura. Reconhecida a importância da escola no estímulo à leitura, cabemos perguntar em que medida a escola contribui para motivar e formar alunos leitores? Visando responder a tal questionamento, este estudo objetiva analisar as condições físicas e pedagógicas da escola que podem contribuir para a formação do aluno-leitor. Para isso, optou-se por uma pesquisa do tipo qualitativo, de cunho etnográfico, tendo como abordagem o estudo de caso. Para a coleta de dados utilizou-se como instrumento a observação e a entrevista semi-estruturada. Sendo assim, o corpus desse trabalho é constituído do registro de 14 aulas de Língua Portuguesa observadas e das entrevistas da professora e dos alunos da 3ª série do Ensino Fundamental do turno matutino de uma escola pública da rede municipal de Maceió. Conta-se com o suporte teórico das concepções de leitura proposto por Leffa (1996a), das estratégias de leitura propostas por Kato (1985) e Kleiman (1989, 2004) e defendidas por Silveira (2005) e pela teoria da motivação para aprendizagem, com ênfase nos estudo de Bzuneck (2001) e Guimarães (2001a, 2001b). Os dados coletados permitiram o estabelecimento de três eixos de análise: 1) as condições físicas e materiais da sala de leitura, 2) as aulas de língua portuguesa e o incentivo da professora e 3) as atitudes dos alunos em relação à leitura na escola. A análise dos dados levaram a concluir que, na escola onde a pesquisa foi realizada, tanto as condições físicas quanto os procedimentos pedagógicos não são suficientes e adequados à formação do aluno leitor.

The theme of this work is related to the teaching of literature in school, especially in high school. This study had as a general purpose to assess to what extent the Literary Project that has being developed at the State School Tarcísio Soares Palmeira, located in São Miguel dos Campos - AL. has contributed to the development of reading among his students. More specifically, this research was carried out in order to analyze and evaluate the literary project conducted in 2008, to determine whether this project has contributed to the literary consciousness of students through the assessment revealed by teachers and students of that school. The survey is a case study, in which the author counted on with the participation of 265 students and 9 teachers. The methodology used three instruments to collect data: observation of the context of the practice of the Literary Project; questionnaires answered by the students and teachers, as well as interviews that were carried out in order cross data about the informants’ opinions and expectations. The research involved quantitative data, document analysis, tabulation and analysis of results. The results showed that the Literary Project developed by that school was a positive teaching and learning experience of reading and has contributed significantly to the development of the literary awareness among the students involved in the project. However, it was verified that there are still some issues considered critical that need to be reflected by the school community, to improve the development process of future projects. / O tema desta dissertação relaciona-se ao ensino da literatura na escola, especialmente no ensino médio. Este estudo teve como propósito geral avaliar em que medida o Projeto Literário que vem sendo desenvolvido na Escola Estadual Tarcísio Soares Palmeira, situada no município de São Miguel dos Campos - AL. tem contribuído para o desenvolvimento da leitura entre seus alunos. Mais especificamente, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo analisar e avaliar o projeto literário realizado no ano de 2008, no sentido de averiguar se o referido projeto tem contribuído para o letramento literário dos alunos através da avaliação revelada por professores e alunos dessa escola. A pesquisa realizada é um Estudo de Caso, que contou com a participação de 265 alunos e 9 professores. A metodologia utilizou três instrumentos para coleta de dados: a observação do contexto da prática do Projeto Literário, os questionários respondidos pelos alunos, professores e as entrevistas que foram realizadas para cruzar dados a respeito das opiniões e expectativas dos informantes. A pesquisa envolveu o levantamento quantitativo de dados, análise documental, tabulação e análise dos resultados. Os resultados apresentados mostraram que o Projeto Literário desenvolvido pela referida escola foi uma experiência positiva de ensino e aprendizagem da leitura, tendo contribuído significativamente para o desenvolvimento da consciência literária dos alunos envolvidos no projeto. Entretanto, foi verificado que ainda há algumas questões consideradas críticas que precisam ser refletidas pela comunidade escolar, para melhorar o processo de desenvolvimento dos futuros projetos.

xvi, 120 p. : ill. (some col.) A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / Instructional use of the iPod Touch is increasing as evidenced by anecdotal reports of its efficacy as a learning tool. However, research documenting the impact of this technology has been limited. This study was based on the following research questions: (a) Does providing explicit reading comprehension strategy instruction using an iPod Touch increase students' reading comprehension outcomes based on standardized reading tests and multiple-choice probe measures when compared to a No Support comparison group? (b) Does providing different types of electronic text support increase students' reading comprehension outcomes, and if so, which type of support is most effective? (c) Does providing different levels of electronic text support influence students' attitudes toward the use of comprehension strategies as well as using an iPod Touch for this task? Participants included 155 sixth-grade students at a public middle school. Students were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups; (a) Notational Only support (a note-taking sheet), (b) Notational + Instructional support (embedded prompts), and (c) Notational + Instructional + Translational support (audio version of the text and prompts) and received reading comprehension strategy instruction and text support using an iPod Touch. An intact No Support ( N = 61) group that did not receive instruction or text support but read the texts using an iPod Touch was used as a quasi-experimental comparison group. Two standardized reading comprehension measures were employed at pretest and posttest as well as researcher developed probe measures that were used throughout the study. An ANOVA analysis determined that no statistically significant differences existed between the groups at pretest. An ANCOVA with pretest scores as a covariate found no statistically significant differences between groups on the standardized reading comprehension measures. Because of a high level of variation among the probe measure data, including significant missing data, these results were not analyzed statistically and were reported descriptively. Students responded positively to survey questions about using the iPod Touch for summarization strategy instruction and the text supports. / Committee in Charge: Dr. Edward J. Kame'enui, Chair; Dr. Kathleen Scalise; Dr. Louis Moses; Dr. Lynne Anderson-Inman

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T16:19:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Lucia Vagna Rafael Da Silva.pdf: 1087454 bytes, checksum: 526be2a6c9a5afbe991c66869e773939 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-03-05 / This research observes and analyzes the school practice of reading literary genre developed by students of Basic Education. To make this investigation were performed in class, during one semester, reading workshops from a selection of stories by Clarice Lispector, with a group of about thirty three high school students in a Public School from the States Schools of Goias, these young people where aged between 14 and 21 years. The aim was to investigate the school reading activity, noting the importance of the literary text as a genre that can enable a practice whose outcome leads to the reader s maturation, through the aesthetic experience offered by literature. To develop this study we sought to support theoretical researchers as Chartier (1985, 1998), Larrosa (2000), Candido (1972, 1995), Compagnon (2009), Nunes (1995). The outcome of the investigation showed that although students found difficulties in understanding the literary discourse, because of those genre complexities, it was possible the construction of meanings during reading practice, noting that the relationship between reader and text was motive, as statements, especially by the nature of the provocative approach of literary material proposed by Clarice Lispector. / A presente pesquisa observa e analisa a prática escolar de leitura do gênero literário, desenvolvida por estudantes da Educação Básica. Para efetuar essa investigação foram realizadas em sala de aula, durante um semestre letivo, oficinas de leitura de uma seleção de contos de Clarice Lispector, com um grupo de aproximadamente trinta e três alunos do Ensino Médio de uma Escola Pública da Rede Estadual de Ensino de Goiás, jovens na faixa etária entre 14 e 21 anos. O objetivo foi investigar a atividade leitora escolar, observando a importância do texto literário como gênero que pode possibilitar uma prática cujo resultado conduz ao amadurecimento do leitor, mediante a experiência estética proporcionada pela literatura. Para o desenvolvimento desse estudo buscou-se apoio teórico em pesquisadores como Chartier (1985, 1998), Larrosa (2000), Candido (1972, 1995), Compagnon (2009), Nunes (1995). O resultado da investigação demonstrou que, apesar de os alunos encontrarem dificuldades na compreensão do discurso literário, em razão da complexidade própria desse gênero discursivo, foi possível a construção de sentidos durante a prática leitora, observando-se que a relação leitor-texto foi motivada, conforme depoimentos, especialmente pela natureza provocativa da abordagem da matéria literária proposta por Clarice Lispector.

This study offers an account of reading clubs as a literacy intervention in a grade 8 English class at a former ‘Coloured’ high school in South Africa. Using Margaret Archer’s social realist methodology, it examines different practices of ‘reading’ used by learners in talking and writing about text. Archer’s analytical dualism and morphogenetic model provided an explanatory framework for this study. Analytical dualism allows for the separation of the parts (structural and cultural elements) from the people (the grade 8 learners) so as to analyse the interplay between structure and culture. The morphogenetic model recognises that antecedent structures predate this, and any study but that through the exercise of agency, morphogenesis, in the form of structural elaboration or morphostasis in the form of continuity, may occur. This study used a New Literacies perspective based on an ideological model of literacy which recognises many different literacies, in addition to dominant school literacies. Learners’ talk about books as well as personal journal writing provided an insight into what cultural mechanisms and powers children bring to the reading of novels. Understandings of discourses as well as of Gee’s (1990; 2008) construct of Discourse provided a framework for examining learners’ identities and shifts as readers. The data in this study, which is presented through a series of vignettes, found that grade 8 learners use many different experiences and draw on different discourses when making sense of texts. Through the separation of the structural and cultural components, this research could explore how reading clubs as structures enabled learners to access different discourses from the domain of culture. Through the process and engagement in the reading clubs, following Gee (2000b), learners were attributed affinity, discoursal and institutional identities as readers. It was found, in the course of the study, that providing a safe space, scaffolding, multiple opportunities to practice and a variety of reading material, helped learners to access and appropriate dominant literacies. In addition, learners need a repertoire of literacy practices to draw from as successful reading needs flexibility and adaptability. Reading and writing inform each other and through gradual induction into literary writing, learners began to appropriate and approximate dominant literacy practices. Following others who have contributed to the field of New Literacy Studies (Heath, 1983; Street, 1984; Gee 1990; Prinsloo & Breier, 1996), this study would suggest that literacies of traditionally underserved communities should not be considered in deficit terms. Instead these need to be understood as resources for negotiating meaning making and as tools or mechanisms to access dominant discourse practices. In addition the resilience and competition from Discourses of popular culture need to be recognised and developed as tools to access school literacies.

L’ingresso nella scuola primaria costituisce per il bambino un evento di grande impatto sulla costruzione dell’immagine di Sé. In quest’ambiente il bambino si confronta con nuovi compiti di apprendimento, rispetto cui dovrebbe sviluppare curiosità, interesse, motivazione e fiducia nelle proprie capacità, con ricadute positive sul suo stato di benessere. Tuttavia, di fronte alle richieste dell’insegnante spesso emergono sentimenti d’inadeguatezza, ansia e rifiuto. Questo può essere particolarmente evidente nel caso di difficoltà nell’apprendimento del linguaggio scritto, poiché imparare a leggere e scrivere è una delle abilità su cui i bambini e i loro genitori elaborano maggiori attese all’inizio della scuola. In ottica sistemica, la scuola è un luogo in cui s’incrociano molte storie e che spesso si trasforma in una cassa di risonanza di numerosi malesseri. In un ambiente così ricco di sfide i bambini possono mettere in gioco risorse che è bene potenziare e sostenere. Sulla base di queste premesse, 3 studi sono stati condotti con l’obiettivo di: a) esplorare in ottica quali-quantitativa l’esperienza di benessere dei bambini (studio 1); b) individuare i fattori che possono incidere sull’esperienza di benessere nel contesto scolastico, attraverso uno studio integrato delle caratteristiche del bambino e dei suoi dei genitori (studio 2); c) implementare e valutare un intervento di potenziamento delle abilità scolastiche e del benessere dei bambini in età scolare (studio 3). / The transition to primary school constitutes an event of a great impact on the construction of children’s Self-image. In this environment, children are confronted with new learning tasks, which should develop curiosity, interest, motivation, and confidence in their own abilities, with positive effects on their well-being. However, in the face of the teacher's demands, feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and refusal often arise. This can be particularly noticeable in the case of difficulty in learning, as learning how to read and write properly is one of the abilities on which children and their parents have greater expectations at the beginning of school. In such a challenging environment, children can develop resources that it is good to support. Based on these assumptions, three studies were conducted with the aim of: a) exploring the child's experience of well-being in a quali-quantitative way (study 1); b) identifying the factors that can affect the child's experience of well-being in the school context, through an integrated study of the characteristics of the child and his/her parents (study 2); c) implementing and evaluating a program to enhance literacy abilities and well-being of school-age children (study 3).