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Reading Comprehension: Effects of Individualized, Integrated Language Arts as a Reading Approach with Struggling Readers

2008; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 29; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/02702710701853625

1521-0685

Dana G. Thames, Carolyn Reeves, Richard Kazelskis, Kathleen C. York, Charlotte J. Boling, Kavatus Newell, Ying Wang,

Education Methods and Practices

This study examined the effects of individualized, integrated language arts as a reading approach on struggling readers' comprehension scores obtained from oral narrative, silent narrative, and silent expository passages at three levels: below-grade, on-grade, and above-grade levels. Students (N = 93) in grades four through eight, who were reading below grade level, participated in the study. Treatment group students (n = 51) received individualized, integrated language arts as a reading approach once a week in place of basal reading instruction. Comparison group students (n = 42) received basal reading instruction for the duration of the study. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to analyze posttest Analytical Reading Inventory (ARI) comprehension scores. Several statistically significant (p < .001) differences in comprehension performance were found for on-grade-level scores and for above-grade-level scores, but few differences were found between treatment and comparison groups on below-grade-level scores. All statistically significant differences favored students in the treatment group. The findings of the study strongly suggest that the use of individualized, integrated language arts as a method for teaching reading is an effective approach for improving the reading comprehension performance of struggling readers.