Oral reading

The purpose of this study was to examine an effect of read-alouds on the reading
achievement of middle grade students in a core intensive reading program in the School
District of Palm Beach County, the fourth largest school district in Florida. This was
accomplished conducting literature studies through read-alouds and sustained silent
reading with sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade intensive reading students as a supplement
to the READ XL® remedial program. Specifically, this study investigated the difference
on the achievement scores on the Florida State Fluency Probes (FORF), the Florida
Comprehensive Achievement Test in Reading (FCAT), the Florida Comprehensive Norm
Reference Test Scale Scores (FCAT/NRT), the Scholastic Reading Inventory Lexile
Levels (SRI), and the teacher created tests on the literature during the period 2006-2007. The study further examined the interaction of both grade level and gender with the readaloud
strategy and sustained silent reading.
A Factorial ANOV A (analysis of variance) was used to test the effect of each of
the treatments, read-alouds and sustained silent reading, on the dependent variables,
FORF, the FCAT, the FCAT/NRT, the Scholastic Reading Inventory Lexile Levels, and
the teacher created tests and the interactions with grade level and gender. Results
indicated a greater increase in fluency, as measured by the Florida State Fluency Probes,
from 2006 to 2007, for students in the read-aloud group (test) as compared with students
in the sustained silent reading group (control group), and for students in grades 6 and 7 as
compared with students in grade 8. Overall there was no difference in fluency as
moderated by gender.
The results of this study also found that read-alouds promoted increased
performance of female students on the teacher-created tests. This suggests that readalouds
may play a role in increasing the performance of middle school at-risk female
readers on similar instruments.

Struggling readers need guided and motivating instruction on a daily basis in order to improve their literacy skills in a significant way. One approach for providing this type of instruction is through the use of an at-home literacy program. In this study, parents were given training and feedback in the use of simple, inexpensive, yet motivating reading techniques which they used at home with their children. A comprehensive literature review on the Neurological Impress Method (NIM), oral reading fluency, and the connection between parent involvement and student achievement and/or literacy development was conducted. Based on information obtained from the literature review, the study examined the effect of the NIM, used in an at-home program on the oral reading fluency, and word recognition in struggling readers. The study followed an experimental design in which a treatment group and a control group simultaneously completed a ten week at-home program. At the end of the program, two parents in each group were interviewed, and a NIM questionnaire was given to parents in the treatment group. The study showed no significant difference in the gain in oral reading fluency, and increase in word recognition for struggling readers whose parents used the NIM compared to the struggling readers whose parents used the read aloud technique. Based on parent responses obtained from the interviews and the NIM questionnaire, the study also showed that parents demonstrated an attitude of interest and support for the at-home literacy program. The findings of this study can serve as a reference point for educators interested in creating at-home literacy programs, as well as a topic for further research. It appears that the at-home literacy program seemed to create opportunities for parent/child bonding. Since the at-home program offered parents an opportunity to spend one-to-one quality time with their children, it seems likely that the at-home program would have a positive effect on the parent/child relationship. Because this form of parent involvement could motivate children's interest in learning, and perhaps lead to increased literacy development and academic achievement, further research in this area should be conducted.