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Comprehensive Reading Instruction


File number :
PPEE-PC-05e

Bibliographic reference :
Wehby, J.H., Falk, K.B., Barton-Arwood, S., Lane, K.L., & Cooley, C. (2003). The Impact of Comprehensive Reading Instruction on the Academic and Social Behavior of Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 11(4), 225-238.

Abstract :

Study Objectives
By assessing the Comprehensive Reading Instruction program, the authors studied the effect of implementing reading intervention strategies on the academic achievement and social behaviour of grade school students exhibiting emotional and behavioural disorders. Their main objective was to enhance scientific expertise in this field by 1) implementing an intensive reading program adapted to the specific needs of students exhibiting emotional and behavioural disorders; and 2) measuring the effect of this program on reading achievement and social behaviour.

Methodology
The sample involved eight students enrolled in either of the two schools in the Southwestern United States for children with emotional and behavioural disorders. All the participants were boys 7 to 10 years of age referred for special education.

The reading intervention strategy combined adapted versions of the Open Court Reading and Peer-Assisted Learning Strategy (PALS) programs. These two program components were applied to students at specific times during school days. The intervention involved activities headed by teachers and peer tutoring activities. Prior to its implementation, each student’s language skills and prose literacy were determined with standardized measurements. In addition, specific skills were assessed individually with a series of examinations to monitor the students’ progress during the various stages of the intervention. The students’ behaviour was also observed on an ongoing basis.

Main Results and Conclusion
Results have shown the effectiveness of the intervention strategy through moderate improvement of the students’ performance in terms of particular reading skills, including the pronunciation of sounds, mixed words and invented words. Pre- and post-test analyses revealed an improvement in the phonological skills of kindergarten and first-grade students. The results also indicated variability in the performance of students in weekly exams. However, it was hard to determine what factors in the study may have led to this variability.

With regard to social behaviour, results were not clear-cut. Some students showed poor improvement in terms of average attention time observed during reading activities. However, there was no increase in inappropriate behaviour exhibited by students during those activities. Results obtained as part of this study have shown the importance of conducting more research on teaching reading to students exhibiting emotional and behavioural disorders.



Links :
This journal is also available in electronic format.

Key Words :
Behavioural Disorders, Emotional Disorders, Reading Intervention Strategies, Social Behaviour, Reading, Language Skills, Reading Skills, Phonological Skills, Tutoring, Open Court Reading, Peer-Assisted Learning Strategy, Quantitative Analysis, Behaviour Observations, Preschool, Junior Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Primary, Elementary