Date of Award

Spring 2-2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Dr. Cynthia Bice

Second Advisor

Dr. William Emrick

Third Advisor

Dr. Terry Stewart

Abstract

Constant changes in legislation regarding monitoring student achievement levels have led schools to redevelop usage of instructional time in several core subjects. Legislation such as Missouri Senate Bill 319 specifically mandates that the school must intervene if a student is not reading at the appropriate level by grade four. Alternative measures to improve reading achievement levels, such as extending the school year into the summer, are being implemented within schools. The purpose of this action research study was to determine the effectiveness of the ABC School District’s Summer Reading Program in raising Title I students’ reading comprehension, fluency and vocabulary skills for Title I students who attended the program. The findings resulted in recommendations for changes to the current program based on study results and research of best practices. The research questions were 1. What are the best educational practices for teaching reading in an elementary Summer Reading Program? 2. How do the teachers who taught in the ABC School District perceive the Summer Reading Program’s effectiveness as an intervention to help students struggling in reading comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary? 3. What instructional techniques did the Summer Reading Program teachers of the ABC School District use to facilitate student learning? iii 4. Were the Summer Reading instructional techniques used by the teachers in the ABC School District effective in raising students’ reading comprehension, fluency and vocabulary levels? The effectiveness of the program was based on teacher observations and perceptions. In addition, the effectiveness was determined by the increase of student test scores in the area of Reading based upon the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test and the Missouri Assessment Program administered in 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. The surveys concluded that although the teachers believed the current Summer Reading Program was beneficial so students had the opportunity to continue reading, academically there were many areas of the program’s structure that needed improvements to best accommodate individual Reading improvement needs. The analysis of test scores concluded there was not a significant difference in reading achievement levels of the students who attended the Summer Reading Program compared to the students who chose not to attend.

Rights

Copyright 2010

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