337 research outputs found

    Getting in the zone: flow experiences of high school students in language arts

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    There are severe gaps in reading achievement among students based on ability, race, and income levels. As a result, many high school students with reading difficulties, particularly those who are minorities and living in poverty, are not able to read with the same level of skill as their peers, which can affect their chances of success later in life. Flow theory may offer guidance regarding how to engage and motivate these students in school, particularly when it comes to reading. When individuals have a flow experience, Csikszentmihalyi suggests that intrinsic motivation to participate in that activity will increase and more participation may translate to improved performance. In this mixed methods case study, participants included a language arts teacher and 22 10th-grade students attending language arts classes at a Title I public charter school. A reading assessment was administered along with surveys measuring self-efficacy, motivation, and flow. On three occasions, students’ flow scores were evaluated and compared. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including hierarchical linear modeling and mediation analysis. Follow-up interviews were conducted with 13 participants to better understand their flow experiences including what motivates and engages them across contexts. These data were analyzed via domain analysis. Results indicated that although there were no differences in flow across activities, there were differences based on individual characteristics, including intrinsic motivation to read and perceptions of skill/challenge balance. In addition, reading ability and flow together explained a substantial portion of variability in reading motivation overall. Interview data centered on students being driven to succeed. Other themes identified related to teacher attributes, motivation, engagement, reading, and flow. Implications and suggestions for practice are also discussed

    Oral Reading Fluency Scores as an Indicator of Reading Comprehension in Title I Schools

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    This study investigated the relationship between second grade students’ oral reading fluency scores as an indicator of reading comprehension achievement. A correlational design was used with a sample of 302 students from three South Carolina Title I schools. The students’ oral reading fluency (DORF) and overall, informational, and literary comprehension scores (MAP) were recorded. The researcher completed three bivariate linear regression analyses to determine if overall, informational, and literary comprehension could be predicted by students’ oral reading fluency rates. The researcher found that that there is a significant predictive relationship between the predictor and criterion variables. The statistical method used concluded a predicative relationship between oral reading fluency and overall reading comprehension, informational comprehension, and literary comprehension (p. \u3c .001). This research adds to the body of knowledge in the field by focusing on students in a Title I setting. In addition, it also shows the variability for each of the three criterion variables. More research needs to be done to investigate what other factors account for the remaining percentage of variability in predicting comprehension outcomes in addition to fluency. In addition, focusing on a different sample population such as special education students would also be beneficial

    Exploring the importance of vocabulary for English as an additional language learners’ reading comprehension

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    This exploratory study represents an attempt to investigate the factors that may affect the reading comprehension abilities of English as an additional language (EAL) learners. For this study, we examined a participant group of 31 (25 EAL and 6 first language English) learners studying at an international school in Japan. We assessed the participants according to four factors shown to influence reading comprehension: vocabulary knowledge, word decoding skills, reading fluency, and general linguistic ability. Our results show that differences in vocabulary knowledge show more variance in reading comprehension scores than the other factors examined in this study, highlighting the importance of vocabulary knowledge for reading comprehension. However, other factors such as reading fluency and general linguistic knowledge are also shown to be moderate to strong predictors of reading comprehension. Based on these results, we suggest that EAL learners need targeted language support to enhance academic text comprehension

    Measurement And Implications Of Reading Motivation For Diverse Subgroups Of Students

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    Prior research indicates a strong relationship between reading motivation and reading performance. However, most studies include predominately White samples, and limited research exists for young students of color. This dissertation attempts to address this gap in the research literature, and advance discussions about closing racial/ethnic and gender achievement gaps. Part one analyzes two large datasets to calculate self-reported reading motivation levels by student subgroup, and estimates predictive models to explore reading motivation’s relationship to achievement. Descriptive findings show average reading motivation levels are high among all children including children from in different racial/ethnic and gender subgroups. Predictive results show that the SDQ reading sub-scale (third-grade reading motivation) alone explains between three and five percent of the variance in fifth-grade achievement. However, after controlling for student background characteristics, early reading motivation is not a strong predictor of later achievement, but can still enhance a teacher’s understanding of how a student feels about and their perceived competence in reading. In Part two, I develop, pilot, and validate a reading motivation instrument for kindergarten students. Results indicate that it is a reliable instrument that measures two dimensions of reading motivation. However, the scale is not strongly predictive of concurrent reading achievement

    THE CONTRIBUTION OF BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE TOWARD READING COMPREHENSION AT THE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS OF SMAN 1 KUNDUR KARIMUN REGENCY

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    In this research, the researcher found that the students of SMAN 1 Kundur, Karimun regency still had problem in their reading comprehension. Besides, this school used KTSP as a curriculum to teaching learning process and every teacher was experienced in teaching learning English. Nevertheless, in the real condition showed that many students have low ability in comprehending the reading text. The main purpose of this research is to find out whether there is any significant contribution between background knowledge and reading comprehension at the second year students of SMAN 1 Kundur Karimun Regency or not. The subject of this research was the second year students of SMAN 1 Kundur, Karimun Regency. The total of the population was 154 students consist of 5 classes. In this research the researcher took 20% from each class, they are 30 students as a sample. In choosing the sample the researcher used proportional random sampling. The object of this study was to identify how is students Background Knowledge, how is students reading comprehension and is there any significant contribution between background knowledge and reading comprehension. In collecting the data, the researcher used test. Then in analyzing the data the researcher used Simple Regression by using SPSS version 17. After conducting the research, analyzing, and calculating the data, the result showed that the coefficient score is 0.000 which is lower that 0.05, it means that Alternative Hypothesis is accepted. And the coefficient correlation was 0.818, which categorized into good category and the contribution of background knowledge toward reading comprehension 66.9%. The conclusion is there was positive significant contribution between Background Knowledge and Reading Comprehension at the second year students of SMAN 1 Kundur Karimun Regency

    Chronic and temporarily activated causal uncertainty beliefs and stereotype usage

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    In 3 studies, we examined the hypothesis that the effects of stereotype usage on target judgments are moderated by causal uncertainty beliefs and related accuracy goal structures. In Study 1, we focused on the role of chronically accessible causal uncertainty beliefs as predictors of a target's level of guilt for an alleged academic misconduct offense. In Study 2, we examined the role of chronic causal uncertainty reduction goals and a manipulated accuracy goal; in Study 3, we investigated the role of primed causal uncertainty beliefs on guilt judgments. In all 3 studies, we found that activation of causal uncertainty beliefs and accuracy concerns was related to a reduced usage of stereotypes. Moreover, this reduction was not associated with participants' levels of perceived control, depression, state affect, need for cognition, or personal need for structure. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for the model of causal uncertainty and, more generally, in terms of the motivational processes underlying stereotype usage

    Reading Achievement in Grades Three, Four, and Five when Instruction in Grades One and Two was Determined by Method Preference

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    Early years learning and development : literature review

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    Perceptions of Nursing Education Administrators Regarding the Relationship of Admission Criteria to Student Graduation

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    This research investigated admission criteria of baccalaureate nursing students related to their success in a multi-state sample of peer universities in the United States. The researcher used mixed methods to collect data that were analyzed using descriptive and phenomenological approaches. The sample of the study was chairpersons from peer institutions of nursing. Data were collected based on the lived experiences of the chairpersons. The purpose of the study was to identify admission criteria that the schools in the study were using and to identify the criteria that predicted success as defined by graduation. The premise of the study was that if more students could graduate, the nursing shortage that is predicted could be mitigated. The findings of the study revealed that it is most likely that a combination of admission criteria predict student success in baccalaureate nursing programs. This study found that the criteria likely to predict success were overall college grade point average, college science grade point average, perseverance, and hardiness

    Butterfly effects in reading? The relationship between decoding and comprehension in Grade 6 high poverty schools

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    Using the metaphor of butterfly effects, this paper considers how literacy inequalities in comprehension performance amongst Grade 6 learners in high poverty schools can be linked to skills that should have been developed in earlier stages of reading development. The reading comprehension skills of Grade 6 learners in the home language, NorthernSotho, and in English in two disadvantaged primary schools were assessed over a 2-year period, using large group pen-and-paper tests. A smaller sample of learners were then also tested individually for decoding skills each year to see if decoding competence could shed light on the comprehension levels and differential reading effects amongst learners. Strong correlations were found between three measures of decoding skilland reading comprehension. Oral reading fluency emerged as a strong predictor of comprehension. The pedagogical implications of these findings for early reading instruction in South African classrooms are briefly discussed.Key words: Grade 6 reading, decoding, comprehension, academic literacy, high poverty school
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