published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Science in Information Technology in Education

The purpose of the study was to examine the use of a prediction technique during the reading of short stories with surprise endings. Investigated were the effects of instructional setting and content familiarity upon interest, overall reading comprehension, literal comprehension, and inferential comprehension. Verbal predictions and supportive evidence generated at the midpoint and prior the story climax was also examined. The subjects, 54 Chapter I remedial readers in a metropolitan school district in Tucson, Arizona, were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups. The study spanned three days. During this time, the students in the individualized treatment read three stories--one of familiar content, one of neutral content, and one of unfamiliar content. Each subject in this treatment generated hypotheses and support for predictions at both the story midpoint and climax. After each story, individual students completed an interest questionnaire and a comprehension assessment. Those in the group treatment followed the same procedure, with predictions and supportive evidence shared in a small group setting of three. Those in the control group read without predicting. The data analysis yielded these findings: (1) Overall comprehension and literal comprehension were not affected by the prediction treatment or story familiarity. (2) The control group surpassed the interest group on the number of inferential questions answered correctly; both the control group and the group prediction treatment subjects performed better than the individualized prediction treatment subjects on the inferential comprehension items. (3) Both the familiar and the neutral selection were more interesting to the students than the unfamiliar selection. (4) Interest scores for the control, familiar group were substantially higher than those for the group familiar treatment, the group, unfamiliar treatment, and the control, unfamiliar treatment. (5) A relationship did not exist between the interest scores and the total comprehension scores of the three stories. (6) Most predictions at the midpoint and prior to the story climax were inaccurate. (7) Predictions, though diverse, could be categorized into approximately 14 groups at the midpoint and 14 groups at the climax. (8) Most predictions were supported either with textual information or scriptal evidence; seldom were script and text ideas combined.

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A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of Eduction University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Education. Johannesburg November 1983

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains ix, 117 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 109-111).

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 1983.

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This study investigated whether or not the use of specific task motivational instructions, delivered without hypnotic induction, would improve the reading performance of elementary school students reading on a remedial level. The task motivational instructions consisted of two components: fantasy trips and suggestions designed to improve the subject's self-confidence and increase his/her reading performance. Twenty-one students who read on a remedial level, grades two to six, were assigned randomly to one of three experimental groups: Group I (Relaxation plus Task Motivational Instructions), Group II (Task Motivational Instructions only) and Group III (Control). Subjects were seen for one baseline session and six experimental sessions. During baseline and each experimental session, three measures of reading performance (reading comprehension, reading speed, and word recognition) were obtained. A portable EMG system was used to record the forehead muscle tension of each subject. During experimental sessions, Group I received both relaxation training and specific task motivational instructions designed to improve reading performance. Group II received the same specific task motivational instructions, but without the relaxation. Although Group III received neither relaxation training nor task motivational instruction, the subjects in Group III were tested weekly on the three reading measures. The results of the study were as follows: (1) Subjects receiving both relaxation training and task motivational instructions showed (1) a significant increase in reading comprehension scores, (2) a significant increase in the number of words read per second, and (3) no significant increase in word recognition scores. (2) Subjects receiving only task motivational instructions showed (1) a significant increase in reading comprehension scores, (2) a significant increase in the number of words read per second, and (3) no significant increase in word recognition scores. (3) Subjects receiving neither of the experimental treatments showed (1) no significant increase in reading comprehension scores, (2) no significant increase in the number of words read per second, and (3) no significant increase in word recognition scores. (4) Data for all subjects participating in the study showed a significant increase in forehead EMG scores following reading. The results of this study support these conclusions. First, the treatment used resulted in significant increases in reading comprehension and the number of words read per second. Second, children appear to enjoy the treatment activities involving the fantasy trips and the motivational instructions. Third, children do not seem to enjoy the relaxation training method used. Fourth, children who have difficulty reading show greater forehead muscle tension following reading. Fifth, an EMG recording of forehead muscle tension does not appear to be a satisfactory method to measure relaxation in elementary school children. In summary, the results of this study indicate that elementary school children who read on a remedial level appear to increase their reading performance faster when remediation includes task motivational instructions.

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