Reading skill components and impairments in middle school struggling readers

Abstract

This study investigated how measures of decoding, fluency, and comprehension in middle school students overlap with one another, whether the pattern of overlap differs between struggling and typical readers, and the relative frequency of different types of reading difficulties. The 1,748 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students were oversampled for struggling readers (n = 1,025) on the basis of the state reading comprehension proficiency measure. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses showed partial invariance among struggling and typical readers (with differential loadings for fluency and for comprehension), and strict invariance for decoding and a combined fluency/comprehension factor. Among these struggling readers, most (85 %) also had weaknesses on nationally standardized measures, particularly in comprehension; however, most of these also had difficulties in decoding or fluency. These results show that the number of students with a specific comprehension problem is lower than recent consensus reports estimate and that the relation of different reading components varies according to struggling versus proficient readers.

Effectiveness of a Collaborative, Multi-Component Intervention for Adolescent Students with Severe Reading Disabilities

“…Although unable to distinguish which instructional model was the most effective (i.e., collaborative learning (Swanson, 1999), CWPT (Greenwood et al, 2007), direct, explicit, and intensive instruction (Carnine et al, 2006;Foorman & Torgesen, 2001), small group instruction (Elbaum et al, 1999), positive emotional support, and repeated practice (Lovett et al, 2000;Rashotte et al, 2001), we can say with some degree of certainty that increased opportunities to respond, engagement in cooperative groups, and the opportunity to practice skills to mastery led to the positive outcomes on standardized tests and to documented changes in reading skills of high school students with severe reading disabilities. These findings also validate the notion that teachers must use the most robust pedagogical components in order to begin to close the gap that exists between older readers who struggle with reading and good readers (Cirino et al, 2013;Faggella-Luby & Deshler, 2008;Roberts et al, 2008;Vaughn & Fletcher, 2012).…”

“…In order to reach this goal, we must look to prior research and build interventions that use the most robust pedagogical components (Faggella-Luby & Deshler, 2008) and that are "explicit and comprehensive, more intensive, and more supportive" than most students require (Foorman & Torgesen, 2001). Additionally, instruction that utilizes explicit/direct teaching (Carnine et al, 2006), integrate s accuracy, fluency, and comprehension (Cirino et al, 2013), provides positive emotional support, and repeated practice has led to powerful student outcomes (Calhoon et al, 2010;Lovett et al, 2000;Rashotte et al, 2001) for early readers with reading difficulties and may achieve similar outcomes when applied to older, struggling readers.…”

“…Despite the fact that there has been significant attention and focus on reading proficiency and education in elementary school, and emerging evidence in secondary, many adolescent students continue to struggle into their high school years (Cirino, 2013;Wanzek, et al, 2013). Researchers suggest this is due to the application of ineffective teaching methods combined with instructional strategies that do not have a sound research base (Moats, 2001).…”

Why Intensive Interventions Matter

“…This sample represented all students available for intervention who did not meet the TAKS criterion ( n = 1,025). In addition, 784 typically achieving students were randomly selected to facilitate understanding of whether the intervention reduced the gap in reading achievement and for additional studies involving assessment (Cirino et al, 2013). Students who were not taught in English and with educational needs that precluded significant general education placement were not included.…”

Using Advances in Cognitive Science to Improve Students Study Skills and Reading Comprehension

“…In other words, reading and learning are active processes that require effort, attention, motivation, and self-regulation (Goldman, 2004 ;Hacker, Dunlosky, & Graesser, 2009 ;McNamara, 2007 ;Schaffner, Schiefele, & Ulferts, 2013 ). These cognitive demands may be especially challenging for students with learning disabilities, as has been found in the existing literature (Catts, Tomblin, Compton, & Bridges, 2012 ;Cirino et al, 2013 ;Reed & Santi, 2015 ;Thiede, Anderson, & Therriault, 2003 ). Below, we describe some strategy instruction approaches and interventions that are designed to improve reading and learning through active processing.…”