Improving Reading Outcomes for Children With Learning Disabilities: Using Brief Experimental Analysis to Develop Parent‐tutoring Interventions

Abstract

The present study assessed the effects of summer parent tutoring on 3 children with learning disabilities using empirically derived reading interventions. Brief experimental analyses were used to identify customized reading fluency interventions. Parents were trained to use the intervention strategies with their children. Parents implemented the procedures during parent-tutoring sessions at home and results were measured continuously in high-word-overlap and low-word-overlap passages to determine whether generalization occurred. Parent and child satisfaction with the procedures was assessed. Results demonstrated generalized increases in reading fluency in both high-word-overlap and low-word-overlap passages as a function of parent tutoring. Also, acceptability ratings by children and their parents indicated that they viewed the interventions as acceptable and effective. Results are discussed in terms of structuring reading fluency interventions that promote generalization and maintenance of treatment effects.

Interventions in Specific Learning Disabilities Through Families

“…The results of the studies reviewed support the need for a comprehensive assessment and intervention for students with LD (Gortmaker, et al, 2007;Polloway, et al, 2001). Intervention with the students themselves and treating their problems is necessary, but it is also necessary to take their family into consideration.…”

“…This is especially important if s/he presents problems in learning and requires specific personal measures and materials (Gortmaker, Daly, McCurdy, Persampieri, & Hergenrader, 2007;Polloway, Bursuck, & Epstein, 2001). Also, regarding treatment, it is important to start intervention as soon as possible in order to guarantee higher efficacy.…”

“…Based on the same perspective, Gortmaker, et al (2007) carried out a program to increase reading fluency of high and low frequency words in three students aged 9 with LD-R through parental collaboration. As in the previous case, there were three steps in parent training: 1) Oral explanation of the program, including its different aspects and solving any initial questions 2) Expert acted as a model acting out the tasks with the child with the parent present 3) The parent carried out the procedure with the child while the expert corrected and gave feedback until it was carried out perfectly.…”

The Family Environment of Students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD

“…Interest in LD and ADHD has been gradually shifting towards more holistic perspectives in terms of analysis and treatment, where not only the person is considered, but also all the social agents surrounding her/him (Dyson, 2010;Gortmaker, Daly, McCurdy, Persampieri, & Hergenrader, 2007;Mautone, Lefler, & Power, 2011;Polloway, Bursuck, & Epstein, 2001). However, despite progress in this area, there have been few and inconclusive results up to now (Dyson, 2010;Hegarty, 2008;Heiman & Berger, 2008;Xía, 2010).…”

The Involvement and Satisfaction with Education of the Families of Students with and without Specific Learning Disabilities // La implicación y satisfacción educativa de las familias de alumnado con y sin dificultades específicas de aprendizaje

“…This was so both for the general and scholastic development of the pupils, and for the building up in them of attitudinal and motivational states that were optimal for successfully taking on the task of learning (Bodoski & Youn, 2010;Liu & Wang, 2008;Regner, Loose, & Dumas, 2009;Rodríguez, Droguett, & Revuelta, 2012;Urdan, Solek, & Schoenfelder, 2007). Hence, this element, family context, takes on particular relevance in those cases in which pupils evince problems in learning, as is usually the case of children with SLDs, and thus need specific measures in terms of personal and material assistance (Gortmaker, Daly, McCurdy, Persampieri, & Hergenrader, 2007;Martínez & Pé-rez, 2006;Sirvani, 2007). In such situations, it is likely that co-ordinated academic support from family and school in concert, together with an adequate level of parental collaboration on academic tasks in the home, will contribute to stimulate learning by pupils (Martínez & Álvarez, 2005).…”