Relative Effectiveness of Reading Practice or Word-Level Instruction in Supplemental Tutoring

Abstract

In this quasi-experimental study, which is part of a series of investigations on supplemental reading tutoring variations, the relative effectiveness of more intense decoding instruction or text reading practice was examined. Fifty-seven first-grade students scoring in the lowest quartile for reading skills received either classroom reading instruction or one of two treatments: tutoring in word study with text reading practice, or word study tutoring alone. Individual instruction was provided by trained paraprofessional tutors. At the end of first grade, treatment students significantly outperformed their nontutored peers on measures of reading accuracy, reading comprehension, reading efficiency, passage reading fluency, and spelling. Differential treatment effects on passage reading fluency are examined, taking into consideration pretest skill levels and text reading practice characteristics.

Code-oriented instruction for kindergarten students at risk for reading difficulties: a replication and comparison of instructional groupings

“…Provided with a half day of initial training, manualized instruction, and ongoing coaching, paraeducators effectively delivered instruction to both individual and pairs of students. In this treatment comparison and in previous component analysis research on this type of intervention package (Jenkins, Peyton, Sanders, & Vadasy, 2004;Vadasy et al, 2005;Hatcher et al, 2006), lack of treatment differences suggests that core phonics content overpowers variations in treatment content and delivery. Although recently Simmons et al (2007) reported that increased time on instruction and design specificity were significantly advantageous for kindergarten students identified as most at risk for reading disabilities.…”

“…These tutors may be paraeducator teaching staff, volunteers, parent aides, or other paid hourly tutoring staff. Over the past decade, we have carefully examined the efficacy of phonics-based one-to-one tutoring for at-risk first graders (Vadasy, Jenkins, Antil, Wayne, & O'Connor, 1997a, b;Vadasy, Jenkins, & Pool, 2000;Vadasy, Sanders, Peyton, & Jenkins, 2002;Vadasy, Sanders & Peyton, 2005;Vadasy, Sanders & Abbott, 2008) and kindergarten students (Vadasy, Sanders, & Peyton, 2006). In this latter kindergarten study, paraeducator tutors provided 18 weeks of individual instruction in phonemic and alphabetic skills to students who averaged in the 10th-25th percentile at pretest in receptive vocabulary, phonological awareness, and reading accuracy.…”

Clusters of second and third grade dysfluent urban readers

“…There is also some support for the use of timed readings to promote the development of fluency (Sample, 2005), suggesting that timed exercises with words grouped by letter pattern might promote the development of efficient decoding skills (e.g., Great Leaps fluency program). With regard to the transfer of decoding skills to text reading, research has shown that one-on-one tutoring using systematic word study in combination with text reading practice resulted in greater gains in passage reading fluency and accuracy among first grade poor readers than systematic word study alone (Vadasy, Sanders, & Peyton, 2005). Consistent with this finding, Biemiller (1994) argued that it is not enough to provide children with new skills and competencies; we must provide them with opportunities to apply those competencies for true development to occur.…”

A College Tutoring Model for Learning through the Use of Instructional Materials

“…Vadasy, Sanders & Peyton (2005) probaron la efectividad de la práctica de la lectura bajo el apoyo de instrucciones complementarias en sesiones de tutoría; los resultados mostraron que la totalidad de los 57 estudiantes de primer grado universitario que recibieron el entrenamiento incrementaron de manera significativa su desempeño con relación a sus pares no tutorados, y obtuvieron mejores puntuaciones en precisión, comprensión de lectura, eficacia, fluidez en los pasajes y lectura en voz alta.…”