Self‐Determination to Increase Oral Reading Fluency Performance: Pilot and Replication Single‐Case Design Studies

Abstract

We report findings from multiple baseline design studies examining the effects of a program ("Data Mountain") to improve the oral reading fluency (ORF) performance of 12 third-grade students with significant reading difficulties. The Data Mountain program guided students through self-monitoring, goal setting, and motivation training related to their reading performance. In the pilot study, these components were introduced across two experimental phases (self-monitoring and goal setting, followed by motivation training) to observe potential additive effects. In the replication study, the full Data Mountain program was introduced in one experimental phase. Between-case standardized mean difference effect sizes yielded moderate effects across studies (ES = 0.53, 0.63). Visual analyses of data revealed that students demonstrated increased levels of words read correctly per minute (wpm). In the pilot study, students' fluency increased to an average of 22 wpm in the self-monitoring and goal-setting phase, and to a further 9 wpm in the motivation training phase. In the replication study, students increased an average of 18 wpm with the Data Mountain program. These results provide evidence to suggest that self-determination and motivation training have the potential to support the ORF performance of students with significant reading difficulties in the elementary grades. Students with or at-risk for reading disabilities (RD) have difficulties with reading fluency, a foundational reading skill interconnected with other skills (e.g., comprehension) essential to reading proficiency (National Reading Panel [NRP], 2000). Given the value placed on reading as one of the key indicators of school success, it is not surprising that there are a host of negative long-term consequences associated with poor reading skills, including dropout, unemployment or underemployment, and involvement in the criminal justice system (Cortiella & Horowitz, 2014). Students with RD have difficulties with naming speed, sight word recognition, decoding, and phrase reading, all of which leads to deficits in reading fluency (Chard, Vaughn, & Tyler, 2002). Additionally, students who struggle with reading demonstrate low levels of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Lee & Zentall, 2012), making efforts to improve reading outcomes especially challenging. Methods to improve students' willingness to engage in reading tasks through psychosocial behavior skills, such as self-determined learning and motivation training, show promise for students with persistent reading difficulties (Solís, Scammacca, Barth, & Requests for reprints should be sent to Lisa Didion, University of Iowa.

Data Mountain: Self-Monitoring, Goal Setting, and Positive Attributions to Enhance the Oral Reading Fluency of Elementary Students With or at Risk for Reading Disabilities

“…To read proficiently, students need to build fluency skills (Morgan et al, 2012). Self-determination skills do not replace explicit reading skill instruction but rather students’ performance using reading strategies (Berkeley et al, 2011; Didion et al, 2020; Toste et al, 2017). Data Mountain worked in conjunction with the fluency skills and strategies taught by classroom teachers; Data Mountain enhanced students’ generalization of existing reading skill knowledge.…”

“…About halfway through the project, due to high absenteeism, all students across conditions began receiving 4 to 5 sessions per week. Based on the methods in the pilot and replication (Didion et al, 2020), dosage per week is not believed to have an effect other than students improved in a shorter amount of time. It cannot be ruled out that students’ opportunities to review their performance data impacted their overall outcomes.…”

“…Each session, motivation training components teach students to attribute their success with their use of reading strategies (e.g., sound out the words). Evidence from three single-case, multiple baseline design studies suggest that the Data Mountain program increased fluency outcomes of grade-level text by an average of 20 wpm for 12 third grade students with or at risk for RD with visible changes to level and trend (Didion et al, 2020).…”

“…The present study seeks to investigate whether Data Mountain can extend the findings from the original single-case studies (Didion et al, 2020) using a large-scale randomized controlled trial. Specifically, we examine the isolated impact of Data Mountain on students’ ORF performance.…”

Climb Data Mountain: How Components of Self-Determination Can Support Oral Reading Fluency Practice

“…In the Data Mountain program, students are supported in their practice of three self-determination components: positive attributions, self-monitoring, and goal setting (defined in subsequent sections). Research on the Data Mountain program suggests second- through fifth-grade students with or at risk for reading disability (RD) increased the number of words read by an average of 30 words per minute (Didion et al, 2020; Didion & Toste, 2021). Furthermore, the program nearly doubled the rate of growth for students with or at risk for RD when compared to similar students who did not participate in the program.…”