Examining the online reading behavior and performance of fifth-graders: evidence from eye-movement data

Online reading is developing at an increasingly rapid rate, but the debate concerning whether learning is more effective when using hypertexts than when using traditional linear texts is still persistent. In addition, several researchers stated that online reading comprehension always starts with a question, but little empirical evidence has been gathered to investigate this claim. This study used eye-tracking technology and retrospective think aloud technique to examine online reading behaviors of fifth-graders (N = 50). The participants were asked to read four texts on the website. The present study employed a three-way mixed design: 2 (reading ability: high vs. low) 2 (reading goals: with vs. without) 2 (text types: hypertext vs. linear text). The dependent variables were eye-movement indices and the frequencies of using online reading strategy. The results show that fifth-graders, irrespective of their reading ability, found it difficult to navigate the nonlinear structure of hypertexts when searching for and integrating information. When they read with goals, they adjusted their reading speed and the focus of their attention. Their offline reading ability also influenced their online reading performance. These results suggest that online reading skills and strategies have to be taught in order to enhance the online reading abilities of elementary-school students

The Effectiveness of the Interactive E-Book on Developing Reading Comprehension Skills among Seventh Basic Grade Female Students

The study aimed at identifying the effectiveness of the interactive e-book in developing the reading comprehension skills among seventh basic grade female students. To achieve the aim of the study, a creative reading comprehension skills (reading fluency, reading flexibility, reading originality, and reading extension) test was prepared. The test consisted of (20) open ended questions. The subjects of the study consisted of (40) seventh basic grade female students from Beit Ids basic school in the first semester 2021/2022, conveniently selected. The subjects randomly divided into two groups, (20) students in the experimental group taught by interactive e- book, and (20) students in the control group taught by conventional method. The results of the study showed that there were statistically significant differences at the significance level (α = 0.05) between the performance means in creative reading comprehension skills, in the favor of the experimental group

The Impact of Guided Reading Instruction on Elementary Students\u27 Reading Fluency and Accuracy

This study examined the impact of Guided Reading instruction on elementary students’ ability to read with fluency and accuracy. A one-way analysis of covariance with pre and posttest design was performed and applied to determine the impact of Guided Reading instruction on elementary students’ reading fluency and accuracy. The sample of subjects included 108 elementary students in the fourth and fifth grade. To examine the impact of Guided Reading instruction, students’ Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA2) pre and posttest scores to include words per minute and accuracy percentage were compared. The analyses revealed proportionate differences in students’ fluency and accuracy. As direct implementation of Guided Reading was applied to student instruction, a significant difference was noted in the words per minute students read. However, as direct implementation of Guided Reading instruction was applied to student instruction, a significant difference was not noted in the accuracy rate of words per minute read. This research of Guided Reading instruction affords educators a multi-modality instructional strategy to impact the reading formation and foundation of elementary students. Recommendations to compliment this study to further benefit reading instruction could include the application of Guided Reading as it relates to and impacts student reading comprehension

The Result of Enhancing the Value of Careful Reading on Reading Achievement in Fourth Graders

Researchers and educators agree that reading comprehension and interest in reading are strong predictors of future success in academics. I studied the effects of establishing interest for reading (i.e. increased reinforcement value for reading) and reading achievement with 4th grade students. In Experiment I, I tested the correlations between a measure of reinforcement value for reading level (determined by a 20-min, 10s whole interval probe session) and reading achievement tests of 30 fourth-grade students. The reading achievement tests measured passage comprehension, literary comprehension, informational comprehension, and vocabulary. I found significant correlations between reinforcement value for reading and all reading achievement measures. In Experiment II, using a pre- and postintervention design with a multiple probe logic, I tested the effects of establishing a level of interest in reading (CR+ for reading) through a 4-step, peer-collaborative procedure on reading achievement outcomes for 6 fourth grade students. The 4-step procedure included 1) shared reading period, 2) vocabulary task 3) independent reading period, and 4) a comprehension drawing task. The establishment of CR+ for reading in all 6 participants resulted in grade-level increases from 0.8-4.1 in WJ-IV passage comprehension, -0.4- 2.3 in WJ-IV vocabulary, and 0.2-2.3 in Gray Silent Reading Tests (GSRT). In Experiment III, I conducted a component analysis to test the significance of the independent and shared reading component of the 4-step peer-collaborative procedure. Using a simultaneous treatment design with a built-in crossover, I studied the effects a Collaborative Independent Reading Treatment (CIR) and Collaborative Shared Reading Treatment (CSR) on establishing CR+ for Reading and the overall effect it had on reading achievement. The 4-step peer-collaborative procedure was the same except students were either exposed to only shared or independent reading and not the other. Participants were yoked into dyads across treatment conditions and completed intervention with a partner in the same treatment condition. Participants in the CIR treatment met CR+ for reading in 1 phase while participants in the CSR treatment did not meet CR+ for reading in 1 phase. The establishment of CR+ for reading in the CIR treatment group resulted in grade-level increases from 1.2 to 3.4 in the WJ-IV passage comprehension, 0.4 to 4.5 in the WJ-IV vocabulary, and -1.2 to 4.3 in the GSRT. Without the establishment of CR+ for reading in the CSR treatment group, grade-level increases for WJ-IV passage comprehension was -1 to 2.1, WJ-IV vocabulary was -0.9 to 0, and GSRT was -0.3 to 1.5). I conducted a crossover treatment where participants in the CSR treatment group underwent the CIR treatment procedure. All 4 participants acquired CR+ for reading in 1 phase of the intervention and increases were 0.6 to 2.2 for WJ-IV passage comprehension, 0.8 to 4.3 for WJ-IV vocabulary, and -0.5 to 2.7 for GSRT. The CIR treatment procedure was more effective in, not only establishing reinforcement value for reading, but also in increasing reading achievement in a very short amount of time

Best Practices in Literacy Achievement to Address Reading Failure for Elementary Schools in One School District

The local district in this study has not made adequate yearly progress in the past several years in language arts literacy on state assessments. Particularly problematic were poor reading skills among district students. Poor literacy skills negatively affect student learning across the curriculum. The purpose of this case study was to identify teachers\u27 and administrators\u27 perceptions of best literacy practices, professional development, and administrative decisions regarding literacy learning for primary students in reading at a strong performing elementary school in the district. The target school was selected to help address reading failure for the low-performing schools in this district. Bloom\u27s taxonomy of learning, which indicates that higher-level learning is based on foundational knowledge that is often provided at the primary level, was the framework for this study. A bounded case study was conducted that included a purposeful sample of 7 elementary teachers of language arts from Pre-K to 2nd grades and 2 administrators at the target elementary school. Classroom observations and interviews were used to collect data. NVivo was used to assist in coding, analysis of data, and identification of recurring themes. The findings indicated that an outcome-based curriculum incorporating Bloom\u27s levels of learning coupled with supportive district decisions regarding literacy were key components driving literacy success at the target school. The findings were incorporated into a policy paper as a project to propose and support elementary level reading curriculum changes and administrative decisions regarding literacy success for elementary students in the local district. Implications for positive social change might be far reaching as elementary school students in this district benefit from literacy skills that improve their academic success and ultimately their overall quality of life

Syntactic Complexity in Reading Comprehension: An Eye-Tracking Study of Text Processing Among Bilinguals and Monolinguals

For Chinese students, studying in a country with different cultural components and language structures is challenging. Compared to English, the Chinese prefers shorter and simple sentence structure and allows for two sentences to be stated side by side. Different sentence structures in Chinese may influence native-Chinese readers’ understanding of English sentences and even a whole text. This exploratory study examined whether there were any differences between English monolingual and Chinese-English children while reading varied English texts with simple or complex structures at different reading difficulty levels. This study explored the differences across texts and readers, as well as the possible effect of first-language transfer on text comprehension behavior. Behavioral and eye-tracking data, including accuracy of true/false questions, reading speed, and first fixation duration were analyzed. For true/false questions, both groups answered the questions with sufficient accuracy, indicating basic understanding of the brief passages. For reading speed and first fixation duration, as expected, monolinguals read faster with shorter fixations than bilinguals across all passages and monolinguals revealed faster reading speed for easy passages than for hard passages. However, no difference was found between easy and hard passage reading for bilinguals, which was surprising, suggesting that vocabulary difficulty may not have influenced reading speed. Additionally, the findings that no differences for reading difficulty or syntactic complexity between or within each group in first fixation duration were unexpected. To examine whether participants’ offline behavioral test scores (i.e., language, reading and cognitive capacity) influenced the relationship between first fixation duration and syntactic complexity or reading difficulty, the offline behavioral test scores were added into analysis. According to the results, monolinguals performed expectedly with stronger influence of reading and cognitive capacities on complex structure passages. However, bilinguals appeared to attend to the simple structure passages as expected, but not complex passages. Results suggest that English complex structures may have been too difficult for bilinguals to apply reading knowledge or cognitive ability for text processing or bilinguals were less responsive to the syntactic complexity due to their first-language transfer

The Development E-Book Balancing Ecosystem Based on Education Character for Students’ Elementary School

Elementary school students need to preserve nature by maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. Nature conservation efforts in protecting the ecosystem is one form of character education and knowing the feasibility of these media. This article was to develop a character education-based ecosystem balance e-book. This study used the research and development method of Borg and Gall theory which was only carried out with ten development stages consisting of research and information gathering;  planning; develop preliminary form product; preliminary field test;  main product revision; main field testing; operational product revision; operational field testing final product revision; dissemination and implementation. Data analysis used during development was descriptive analysis, percentage techniques, and classical completeness. In the validation stage the expert showed the average percentage value of material experts was 87%, media experts were 88.2%, linguists were 89.4% very feasible criteria. And the average practicality value is 3.55. Based on this, the products produced in this study are said to be suitable for use in learning. Keywords: Development E-Book, Ecosystem Balance, Education Characte

Effects of Training on Early Childhood Special Education Paraeducators' Use of Early Literacy Strategies During Book Reading

Research has consistently shown a need for paraeducator training in tasks they are expected to perform under a licensed teacher's supervision. This study employed a single-subject design to examine the effects of teaching paraeducators shared book reading strategies. Participants included early childhood special education paraeducators and preschoolers. The intervention consisted of computer-based instruction on shared book reading and performance feedback by e-mail. Videotaped book reading sessions were coded to yield measures of (a) the paraeducators' strategy use, (b) the affective quality of the paraeducator-child book reading interactions, and (c) the children's engagement. Significant increases were shown in book reading knowledge on post-quiz scores. The paraeducators' strategy use also increased after they completed the HTML lesson. Moreover, the results revealed overall gains in the children's engaged responses. Paraeducators indicated a favorable attitude toward both components of the intervention procedure. Implications include ways to strengthen and support early literacy professional development

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Readers and Science Comics: A Mixed Methods Investigation on Process

Deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students bring diverse language and literacy backgrounds to the task of academic reading, which becomes increasingly complex and abstract in the upper grades. Teachers often differentiate their instruction by providing multimedia resources, of which students interact with verbal and pictorial information. A growing body of research supports multimedia learning; however, most of the studies have focused exclusively on learning outcomes, leaving teachers in the dark about the cognitive processes underlying these effects. This mixed methods study addresses this gap by using a nonfiction comic to investigate the reading processes of DHH 7th -12th grade students. Eye tracking and cued retrospective protocol were employed in a concurrent nested design to answer the question, how do DHH students read and learn from multimedia science texts? This study was guided by the cognitive theory of multimedia which states that reading comprehension is better supported when learning from words and pictures rather than words alone, especially when readers cognitively integrate the two representations to form a coherent mental model. Temporal and sequential eye tracking results revealed that readers’ transitions between related words and pictures were a statistically significant variable in explaining factual knowledge learning outcomes. These strategic shifts in attention were further explained by readers’ retrospective verbal reports of their thinking. Students’ descriptions of their vii reading processes were interpreted into the following themes: repairing, connecting representations, passive transitions, and connecting to self. The integration of quantitative and qualitative methods at the interpretation stage revealed that although the theme of repairing was equally distributed across all student reports, the theme of connecting representations was largely present in the reports from students who made high counts of integrative transitions. The major findings of this study align with the cognitive theory of multimedia, that students’ learning outcomes were significantly predicted by the deliberate strategies to cognitively integrate words and pictures to form and maintain a coherent mental model. The discussion includes ways in which teachers can capitalize on explicit modeling of these behaviors and employ students’ “think alouds” to better understand and support the development of effective multimedia reading processes