Reading comprehension assessment and improvement for third-grade students

¶ … demands from students the ability to read and comprehend, adapt to changing conditions, and to continue learning in an effective and efficient manner in order to be a success in education, as well as in life. The data contained herein provides a starting point for many third-grade students facing a very transitional year in reading abilities.

The purpose of data analysis is to provide a foundation and reasoning for taking particular and specific steps or actions. The general purpose for data analysis is to compare the current data to previous data, validate (or invalidate) a hypothesis, and provide a rationale for further studies. The data in this specific study is pretty straightforward. Current data shows third-grade students are (comparatively speaking) in a transitional mode that provides a basis for reading and learning skills throughout the rest of their lives. Central City students present a picture that is considered normal regarding the percentages. As an average, third-grade students at Central City average a 75.2% inclusive of all four categories (literal/analysis/inference/vocabulary). In looking at the four categories, there is one that is relatively higher than the average (literal/explicit -- 86%) and one that is significantly lower (vocabulary -- 66%).

What the staff and teachers should decide is how to use the data in the best possible manner. One way to manipulate data, is by discovering whether a rise in one area represents a subsequent higher rate of comprehensive reading levels for the students. For example, since vocabulary is so low (66%), if the teachers were to concentrate their efforts on increasing the student's vocabulary; would that be more effective than increasing the literal/explicit (86%) category?

On the surface that question would be easily answered; since there is limited upside to the literal/explicit side of the coin when compared to the vocabulary side, then concentrating on the vocabulary side should reap better results. Tracking the data therefore is extremely important.

The entire staff will be responsible to the initial testing of all the third-grade students, and analyzing the results as a group. The questionnaires will provide a baseline for each student, and allow the individual teachers how to approach their particular class, as well as their individual students. Once the baseline has been established, it will be necessary to continue the process by periodically testing and tracking the students.

The group will be responsible for developing a program that will help to achieve the objectives; those objectives include helping the students to form a foundation in basic reading skills, develop fluency in reading and phonic awareness, and enhancing the student's word recognition skills. The main objective, of course, is to develop good reading traits for a lifetime, and it will be up to the group and each individual teacher to do so. As one recent study determined, "reading, however, cannot compete in a child's contemporary world only as a diversion; it must provide a bonus that other media don't" (Carter, 2010, p. 53). If the staff and teachers keep in mind that today's students are easily distracted by other forms of media, then perhaps the objective will be easier to reach. Tracking the data, comparing tinghe data, and watching the percentages change (slowly but surely), should be enough of an incentive for teachers to continue along the path.