Publication Date

2004

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Wiseman, Donna L. (Donna Louise)

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Teaching and Learning

LCSH

Reading comprehension--Illinois--Crystal Lake; School children--Ability testing--Illinois--Crystal Lake

Abstract

This study investigated if reading aloud to children on a regular basis had a positive effect on their reading comprehension. The subjects (N = 75) were second graders at a Crystal Lake, Illinois, school. The children were randomly selected, classified, and assigned to one of three groups of academic performance: low, average, or high ability. They were placed in accordance to their performance on the Terra Nova Basic Multiple Assessments Plus Test-Reading Comprehension NCE score. Eight reading lessons were taught to the children. Four were lessons involving two exposures to silent reading. The other four lessons involved one silent reading time and one reading aloud time by the teacher. The hypothesis was that those children who were read aloud to would have higher levels of comprehension, based on four comprehension questions administered after each story, as compared to those children who read silently. Overall, there were no statistically significant differences in comprehension when students were read aloud to or when they read silently. However, students of higher ability indicated higher levels of comprehension than did students of lower ability, regardless of whether they were read to or read silently. Comprehension was measured as being comprised of subscores representing literal, inferential, critical, and strategic questioning. There were no statistically significant differences between student subscores for literal, critical, or strategic questions. Students in silent-reading conditions scored statistically significantly higher on inferential questions. Students with higher levels of ability scored significantly higher on all subscores.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages [79]-88).

Extent

vii, 106 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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