Reading--Remedial teaching

Much evidence suggests that readers assemble phonology in reading, yet little is
known about the structure of these phonological representations. Linguistic
research suggests that speakers represent prosodic structure via skeletal frames and
that unmarked frames are preferred to marked frames. Seven experiments explore
the role of the skeleton in reading focusing on these three questions: (a) do readers
assemble the skeleton of printed words? (b) do readers prefer certain frames to
others? (c) are skeletal preferences due to grammatical markedness and/or to the
statistical properties of the language? Experiments I and 2 showed that in a forcedchoice
task, readers favor non-words with unmarked eve and cvcc frames (e.g. ,
GOM/ TUSP) to non-words with marked VCC frame (e.g., ELM), regardless of
segment similarity. Li!<ewise, in Experiments 3 and 4, readers were slower and less
accurate in responding to non-words with unmarked CVC and CVCC frames compared to non-words with marked vee frame in both phonological and standard
lexical decision tasks. However, regression analyses revealed that readers'
preferences were due to the statistical properties of the items. Experiments 5
through 7 further investigated skeletal preference in a Stroop-like paradigm. There
was no evidence for the representation of skeletal frames in Experiment 5, a result
attributed to strategic suppression of processing the printed stimulus. Indeed,
Experiment 6 revealed that readers were sensitive only to the skeleton of nonwords
presented in the first half of the experiment; readers named the color "red"
(eVe) faster in the presence of skeletal-congruent eve non-words (e.g., TUP)
compared to both vee and eeve incongruent-skeletal non-words (e.g., UPT/
TWUP). Likewise, in Experiment 7, skeletal-congruent eeve non-words (e.g.,
GROP) facilitated the naming of the color "black" (eeve) compared to
incongruent-unmarked eve non-words (e.g., GOP), but not to incongruent-marked
vee items (e.g., OSP). Again, only the statistical properties of the items
contributed to these results. This demonstrates that readers can distinguish between
non-words with different frames and they favor non-words with unmarked frames
to those with marked ones. Such preferences seem to reflect linguistic knowledge
of the statistical distribution of specific consonant-vowel combinations, rather than
grammatical preferences concerning abstract frames.

The purpose of this study was to determine if a compensatory
reading program based on the language experience approach could raise
the reading level o f underachieving disadvantaged students in the
community junior colleges to a level commensurate with their ability
and high enough for subsequent success in college level academic
courses.
The literature indicates that this student has special needs
which must be met if he is to succeed in college level work. Programs
which meet these needs must be developed to implement the open door
policy and the concept of universal higher education. The community
colleges actively recruit students who would not attend college if such
programs were not promised. Statistics indicate, however, that only a
small percentage of these students succeed in college level courses.
It is suggested by this fact that the programs offered arc inadequate.
The failure of these students imposes a great burden on the students and on the colleges. The program which is the subject of this study was implemented
during the fall quarter, 1974, at Broward Community College, Broward
County, Florida, as part of its Special Services Program. Ninety four
entering freshmen needed compensatory reading instruction. Forty two
of these were enrolled in the Special Services Reading Component,
SRD 999. Fifty two were enrolled in the experimental program. All Ss
were administered the Nelson Denny Reading Test, form A, during the
first week of the quarter. They were also administered the Revised
Beta Examination and produced a projective drawing of a person. The
potential reading level of each student was calculated from the IQ
score of the Beta Examination. The drawings were evaluated on five
criteria as a measure of self concept. During the final week of the
quarter the students produced a second drawing and were administered
the Nelson Denny Reading Test, form B. Thirty six of the experimental
group and twenty six of the control group remained to complete the
post tests and earn a grade. An analysis of covariance showed there was no statistically
significant difference between the groups for the vocabulary subtest
of the Nelson Denny Reading Test. There was statistically significant
difference, at the .5% level of confidence, for both paragraph comprehension
and total reading.
Difference in persistence between the groups was tested by the
z-test of correlated proportions. It was not statistically significant.
The test of chi square, corrected for continuity, was applied to the
changes in self concept as measured by the projective drawings. There was statistically significant difference between the groups for
only one of five criteria.
The study was limited both in number of subjects and in time
allowed. The fifteen week quarter was further shortened by the
necessity of administering pre and post tests. Two weeks at the
beginning of the quarter and one week at the end of the quarter were
used for testing. The students met for threa hours a week. It was
concluded that replication of the study for a longer period of time
would be worthwhile. The students enrolled in the experimental program
were also enrolled in at least one other compensatory course and in
some cases in college level courses. Success in academic courses,
however, depends largely upon reading ability. It is suggested that
this program be implemented as a pre-college enrollment course.