A single-case research design was used to test the effectiveness of combining three
instructional strategies to improve the word recognition, reading comprehension, and
reading fluency of one post-primary child with a history of reading difficulty. The
strategies selected, phonological decoding, metacognitive thinking, and rehearsal were
shown throughout the literature to be effective on their own and in various combinations
for supporting children with reading difficulty. The ten-year old female subject was given
instruction in using these strategies in an intensive 1 : 1 setting. The subject met with a
Research Assistant for three, 1-1 54 hour sessions each week over a ten week period.
Prior to collecting baseline data, pre-testing was conducted using standardized
instruments, the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test 11 (2002) and the Slosson Oral
Reading Test (1 963) and a non-standardized instrument, the Classroom Reading
Inventory (Silvaroli, 1982). Graded word lists and passages taken from the Diagnostic
Reading Program, an inventory prepared for the Alberta Ministry of Education, Student
Evaluation Branch (1 986) were used to assess the subject's skills in word recognition,
comprehension, and fluency.
During Session #9, the intervention, a combination of phonological decoding,
metacognitive thinking, and rehearsal strategies were taught prior to testing and data
collection. At Session #15, the intervention was applied to comprehension. Although data
was collected for fluency scores throughout the study, the intervention was not directly
applied to this variable. Post testing revealed the subject's word recognition and
comprehension skills improved after the intervention was introduced, demonstrated by
the generally positive trend on the multiple baseline whereas fluency scores actually
dropped as she slowed her reading down to use the strategies for decoding unknown
words. The quantitative data collected during post-testing with the WIAT I1 indicates an
increase in percentile and age level scores that the subject's scores in word recognition
(13%, 1 year), comprehension (57%, 4.4 years), and pseudoword decoding (lo%, 1 year)
and scores on the SORT demonstrate a grade level equivalent growth of 1.2 years.
Qualitative data in form of daily field notes by the Research Assistant signifl an
overall positive change in the subject's view of herself as a reader. The strategies gave
her more confidence, she abandoned her key strategy of guessing in favor of
metacognitive thinking and decoding strategies, and focused on meaning, all of which
contributed to higher post-testing scores for word recognition and in particular,
comprehension as well as generally positive trends in baselines. After the study was
completed, the subject was observed by her classroom teacher to have improved her
performance and participation in the reading program and most significantly, was
presenting a more positive and enthusiastic attitude toward reading.
It is acknowledged by the researcher that although provision of intensive 1 : 1
instruction in the use of reading strategies is not always feasible for schools attempting to
provide quality instruction and programming for students with a wide range of abilities,
these strategies, when applied, can significantly improve the word recognition and
reading comprehension skills of a post-primary student with a history of reading
dificulty although they caused a reduction in reading fluency scores.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/743 |
| Date | 10 April 2008 |
| Creators | Thring, Shelley Marion. |
| Contributors | Dyson, Lily Li-Chu. |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Detected Language | English |
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