Diagnostic Reading Study This Study

¶ … Diagnostic Reading Study This study is designed to measure the learning needs of 6th Grade students currently assigned to intensive reading class. The criteria for their assignment to a remedial reading program was a score of 1 or 2 on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. The FCAT measures four component reading skills among Grade 3 to 10 students: Words & Phrases in Context Main Idea Plot & Purpose Comparison and Cause & Effect This study consists of classes averaging18 6th Grade students who scored substantially below grade level on the FCAT.

Their scores were as follows: Words & Phrases in Context: 40% Main Idea Plot & Purpose: 35% Comparison and Cause & Effect: 13% Reference & Research: 14% Scale Scores as follows: Mean: 277 Median: 275 Mode: 263 Discussion of FCAT Results: Clearly, the subjects of this study are achieving well below grade level across the spectrum of component reading skills. While improvement is necessary in all four measured reading skills, the results also indicate substantially poorer performance at the comprehension-based component skills than at the mechanical reading component skills.

Additionally, the 22-point discrepancy between the Main Idea & Purpose component skill and the other two comprehension-based component skill requires further study to identify the cause of the relative inability of subjects to make better academic use of their reading material. Additional analyses might also help identify any causal relationship between relative performance on individual component skills intend to collect additional assessment data by administering the Gates- Macyntire Reading Test.

The Gates-Macyntire Test is designed partly to diagnose the need for special instruction, and is capable of measuring reading achievement skills over time, to quantify reading program effectiveness. It measures the entire comprehension continuum, from listening skills to adult reading comprehension. By combining the FCAT results with the Gates-Macyntire results, I hope to determine which specific component reading skill areas are interdependent and whether remedial efforts should focus more on sub-elements of particular component skills.

By identifying possible interrelationships between and among the individual component skills, I hope to design a program of instruction that maximizes each student's potential for improvement by targeting component skills where deficiency undermines performance in other component skills. In addition to providing traditional hard copy data collection methods, Gates Macyntire also includes post-assessment results in an online format for individual students as well as population displays and disaggregation features.

Generally, I will focus on the same assessment measures as quantified by the FCAT, but I hope that the combination of these two sets of data will suggest additional reading skills improvement programs most appropriate and beneficial to facilitating the long-term goal of improving usable academic skills rather than mechanical reading skills. Possible Avenues for Subsequent Diagnosis and Reading Improvement: The development of reading skills is a function of many factors, including general intelligence as measured in IQ points, as well as motivation.

While motivated students may exceed expectations based on their IQ, the greater relevance of the relationship between motivation and reading development is that poor motivation often results in unexpectedly low reading skill development relative to higher IQ scores. To isolate instances of motivation-based poor reading performance in the study group, I intend to design an investigation using elements of hands-on, active learning study programs, such as the Full Option Science System (FOSS).

While FOSS is not specifically designed as a diagnostic reading program, incorporating one or more of the learning exercises will help identify students whose unsatisfactory reading performance scores relate to motivational issues, rather than issues addressable by merely providing intensified reading instruction. Though science-based, the FOSS teaching materials use post-lesson tests that also measure module subject matter comprehension and lesson retention. I intend to administer grade-appropriate science lessons, because the nature of the FOSS materials relies more on lecture than on reading material.

However, instead of administering the accompanying FOSS written tests, I will devise comparable questionnaires at a reading level appropriate to the subject groups.

Three groups will receive the following types of instruction: Group 1 - FOSS Geology 6th Grade Hands-on Science Module with prior performance level-appropriate questions Group 2 - FOSS Geology 6th Grade Science Module material delivered by lecture with prior performance level- appropriate questions Group 3 - FOSS Geology 6th Grade Science Module material delivered by text-based lesson using prior performance level-appropriate written materials By presenting the same material in three different formats, I hope to determine what role motivation and interest.