Date of Award
Winter 5-2010
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Education
First Advisor
Dr. Cynthia Bice
Second Advisor
Dr. Deb Ayres
Third Advisor
Dr. Jennifer Tiller
Abstract
A middle school created an intervention called the Summer Literacy Program to increase reading comprehension levels. The middle school believed that by exposing students to fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension strategies in a positive school culture, reading comprehension levels would improve. The program was created due to a high number of students reading below grade level. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the four-week Summer Literacy Program designed to provide extra interventions for struggling readers. The study is significant because it demonstrated that a four-week summer program can improve reading comprehension levels. The statistical analysis for the study was the difference between two means: small dependent samples t-test to determine if the increase in mean scores from pre to post test data was statistically significant. The hypothesis was, The implementation of a four-week Summer Literacy Program will significantly increase comprehension levels of the participants when measured by the Scholastic Reading Inventory Test. The main research question was, Was the Summer Literacy Program successful for the participants? Three research sub-questions follow: I. Was there an overall increase in the reading levels of participants? 2. How did the implementation of the intervention affect subgroups? 3. Did the survey and questionnaire reveal a positive reaction to the culture of the program? The effect on the culture was measured by a survey given to the participants upon completion of the reading program. Participants rated the components of the program, as well as the effect the intended culture had on reading confidence levels by completing a Likert Scale survey. The quantitative data were the Lexile scores of the population before the program compared to the Lexile score of the population upon completion of the program. The results indicated a significant increase in Lexile scores for the population from to pre-test to post-test. Every subgroup, with the exception of one, increased comprehension levels. The survey results showed a majority of participants felt the positive effects of the intended culture on comfort and confidence levels. The success of the program has great implications for future use. iii
Recommended Citation
Haug, Jeffrey Joseph, "A Summer Literacy Intervention for Struggling Readers at the Middle School Level using Strategies in Comprehension, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Positive School Climate to Improve Reading Comprehension: An Evaluation Study" (2010). Dissertations. 643.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/dissertations/643
Rights
Copyright 2010