Computer-assisted remedial reading intervention for school beginners at risk for reading disability

The aim of the longitudinal study was to investigate whether a computer application designed for remedial reading training can enhance letter knowledge, reading accuracy, fluency, and spelling of at-risk children. The participants, 7-year-old Finnish school beginners (N=166), were assigned to 1 of 3 groups: (a) regular remedial reading intervention (n=25), (b) computer-assessed reading intervention (n=25), and (c) mainstream reading instruction (n=116). Based on the results, computer-assisted remedial reading intervention was highly beneficial, whereas regular type of intervention was less successful. The results indicated that at-risk children require computer-based letter-name and letter-sound training to acquire adequate decoding and spelling skills, and to reach the level of their non-at-risk peers.     

Response to intervention with secondary school students with reading difficulties

The authors summarize evidence from a multiyear study with secondary students with reading difficulties on (a) the potential efficacy of primary-level (Tier 1), secondary-level (Tier 2), and tertiary-level (Tier 3) interventions in remediating reading difficulties with middle school students, (b) the likelihood of resolving reading disabilities with older students with intractable reading disabilities, (c) the reliability, validity, and use of screening and progress monitoring measures with middle school students, and (d) the implications of implementing response to intervention (RTI) practices at the middle school level. The authors provide guidance about prevailing questions about remediating reading difficulties with secondary students and discuss future directions for research using RTI frameworks for students at the secondary level.     

A quasi-experimental study of a peer-assisted strategy-based reading intervention in elementary school

Promising methods of reading instruction for elementary school students incorporate peer-assisted learning routines and reading strategies. In addition, models of reading comprehension point to the importance of various determinants of reading competence such as reading fluency and vocabulary knowledge. Multicomponent reading intervention programs need to be evaluated to determine IF and HOW they unfold their effects on the reading competence of elementary school students on the basis of such theoretical and empirical models. Accordingly, the present study was designed as a quasi-experimental study of a 20-lesson peer-assisted and strategy-based multicomponent intervention for whole-class instruction in elementary school. Linear mixed models and latent growth models were used to analyze the longitudinal data (pre-, post- and follow-up test) on the reading competencies (reading fluency, vocabulary knowledge, reading strategy competence, reading comprehension) and intrinsic reading motivation of students in the intervention (N = 187) and control group (N = 177). The results showed an interaction between the groups and the change in reading comprehension, indicating a significantly increased score in the intervention group at the posttest (d = 0.15) but not at the follow-up test (d = 0.12). The results of the latent growth model point to the importance of designing interventions that explicitly integrate reading strategies, reading fluency and vocabulary knowledge and also foster intrinsic reading motivation. In addition, reading fluency was revealed to be the strongest predictor of reading comprehension and the change in fluency over time was closely linked to reading comprehension development.     

Computer-assisted word reading intervention effects throughout the primary grades: A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis focused on the effects of computer-supported word reading interventions (foundational reading instruction, supplementary alphabetics, reading fluency, remedial reading) on reading related outcome measures (letter knowledge, phonological awareness, word and pseudoword reading, sentence and text reading, and spelling, as well as transfer to reading comprehension) across different languages in primary school children starting from 1995. We identified 67 studies with a total number of 10734 children throughout the primary grades from which 694 effect sizes were derived. Following a multilevel approach, the average effect size across interventions and outcome measures was 0.36 with 95% CI (0.28, 0.43). There was also evidence of transfer to reading comprehension, 69 effect sizes with an average of 0.21 (95% CI 0.13–0.29). Large variation in effect sizes was observed between studies and especially between comparisons within studies. The effect sizes were moderated by treatment length, subword level as criterion variable and speeded tests. The effect sizes were dependent on the control group condition in that the effect sizes were higher in the case of a control condition with education as usual and lower in cases of a reading treatment control condition. It is concluded that technology enhanced word reading interventions on average yield moderate positive effects on both accuracy and speed of word learning across program types and across languages.     

Cooperative learning in science: intervention in the secondary school

The use of cooperative learning in secondary school is reported – an area of considerable concern given attempts to make secondary schools more interactive and gain higher recruitment to university science courses. In this study the intervention group was 259 pupils aged 12–14 years in nine secondary schools, taught by 12 self‐selected teachers. Comparison pupils came from both intervention and comparison schools (n = 385). Intervention teachers attended three continuing professional development days, in which they received information, engaged with resource packs and involved themselves in cooperative learning. Measures included both general and specific tests of science, attitudes to science, sociometry, self‐esteem, attitudes to cooperative learning and transferable skills (all for pupils) and observation of implementation fidelity. There were increases during cooperative learning in pupil formulation of propositions, explanations and disagreements. Intervened pupils gained in attainment, but comparison pupils gained even more. Pupils who had experienced cooperative learning in primary school had higher pre‐test scores in secondary education irrespective of being in the intervention or comparison group. On sociometry, comparison pupils showed greater affiliation to science work groups for work, but intervention pupils greater affiliation to these groups at break and out of school. Other measures were not significant. The results are discussed in relation to practice and policy implications.     

Conceptualizing curriculum management in an effective secondary school: a Western Australian case study

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the linkages between management processes and the curriculum using an academically effective secondary school as a case study. The aims of the study are twofold. First, in view of the acknowledged importance governments and others place on the quality of school leadership and management on the one hand and curriculum, teaching and learning reforms on the other, there is a need for empirical data as to how school leaders and managers work to secure improvements in curriculum, teaching and learning. This study purports to provide such data. The second aim acknowledges the need to develop conceptual frameworks and data collection instruments as aids to better understanding of complex relationships within school organizations.two deputy principals do play an indirect and important part in promoting academic performance by reinforcing school values in a wide variety of ways. Third, curriculum management is the responsibility of senior teachers and there is tight linkage between both senior teachers and teachers and high quality teaching and learning. Finally, the loose linkage between departments, and also between departments and senior management, provides little opportunity for a school‐wide approach to curriculum matters. It is evident that a whole‐school curriculum management perspective is absent in this school.     

The Limerick Reading Initiative: a reading intervention targeted at struggling readers in primary school

In this study we examined the effectiveness of a reading intervention targeting a group of 24 struggling readers in ten primary schools in Ireland. The intervention consisted of two components; component one consisted of 15‐20 minutes delivery of the Toe‐by‐Toe programme (a well established systematic synthetic phonics programme) and the second component consisted of 15‐20 minutes guided oral reading using levelled texts. Using standardised measures of word reading, reading fluency, reading comprehension, word attack skills and spelling, we found that after five months of the intervention, the majority of the pupils made significant improvements in reading and reading fluency. The reading comprehension improvements were more varied with almost a quarter of participants showing remarkable progress, while the remainder recorded considerably less impressive gains. These results are very encouraging for classroom practitioners and demonstrate that research validated approaches can help at‐risk readers close the gap with their typically developing peers.     

Reading with vocabulary intervention: evaluation of an instruction for children with poor response to reading intervention

Interventions combining phonically based reading instruction with phonological training are generally effective for children with reading (decoding) difficulties. However, a minority of children respond poorly to such interventions. This study explored the characteristics of children who showed poor response to reading intervention and aimed to improve their literacy and language skills via a new theoretically motivated intervention. Twelve 8‐year‐old treatment poor responders with severe and persisting reading difficulties participated. A 9‐week reading intervention incorporating reading, phonological and vocabulary training was implemented. Before the intervention began the children showed almost no progress over 6 months of regular classroom education, on measures of oral language and literacy. Over the intervention period improvements were made on measures of reading, phonological awareness and language skills, which were maintained 6 months later. Although the intervention was effective, it should be noted that most children remained poor readers and require ongoing remediation.     

An investigation of extensive reading with remedial students in a Philippines secondary school

This chapter reports a 6-month study that used a matched-pairs pre-test, post-test control group design to evaluate the effectiveness of extensive reading with remedial reading students in a Philippines secondary school (n=60). Ninety percent of students at the school come from low-income homes where reading materials tend to be scarce. The dependent variable, reading proficiency, was assessed using the Informal Reading Inventory and the Gray Standardized Oral Reading Test. Each day, both groups received the same 40 min of English instruction, plus a remedial class. In their remedial class, the control group studied via a traditional approach, emphasizing intensive reading and phonics. For the extensive reading group, the remedial reading class involved reading self-selected materials and doing a variety of post-reading activities. Results suggest that extensive reading led to greater gains than traditional reading instruction. Details on how extensive reading was implemented and a rationale for extensive reading are provided.     

Types of reading deficiencies in the secondary school and college

MIND OVER MATH by Stanley Kogelman and Joseph Warren. New York: McGraw‐Hill Company, 1978. 239 pp. $3.95.

THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN EDUCATION: A GUIDE TO INFORMATION SOURCES. Edited by Francesco Cordasco, David N. Alloway, and Marjorie Scilken Friedman. Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research Company, 1979. xii + 313 pp. $24.00

CONSULTATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION by Daniel H. Pilon and William H. Bergquist edited by Gary H. Quehl and Jean Brodsky. Washington, DC: The Council for The Advancement of Small Colleges, 1979. 159 pp. $10.95 plus $1.25 postage and handling.

BUSING U.S.A. edited by Nicolaus Mills. New York: Teachers College Press; Teachers College, Columbia University, 1979. 376 pp.     

Academic vocabulary and middle school English learners: an intervention study

The goal of this experimental intervention study was to determine if evidence-based instructional strategies for general vocabulary words are effective with middle school English learner (EL) students and academic vocabulary words. Participants showed significantly more growth in their knowledge of academic vocabulary during the treatment condition than during the control condition. A secondary goal of this study was to examine the predictive utility of students’ English language proficiency, and students’ general vocabulary knowledge in English was a positive predictor for their academic vocabulary growth during the intervention. However, participants’ growth during the control period had the greatest predictive utility for their growth during the intervention. Furthermore, this relationship was negative, suggesting that the intervention had the greatest benefits for students who made the least progress in English vocabulary in the absence of the intervention. Implications for instruction, policy, and future research are presented.     

Associations between reading achievement and independent reading in early elementary school: a genetically informative cross-lagged study

This study used a cross-lagged twin design to examine reading achievement and independent reading from 10 to 11 years (n = 436 twin pairs). Reading achievement at age 10 significantly predicted independent reading at age 11. The alternative path, from independent reading at age 10 to reading achievement at age 11, was not significant. Individual differences in reading achievement and independent reading at both ages were primarily due to genetic influences. Furthermore, individual differences in independent reading at age 11 partly reflected genetic influences on reading achievement at age 10. These findings suggest that genetic influences that contribute to individual differences in children's reading abilities also influence the extent to which children actively seek out and create opportunities to read.     

Levelling the reading gap: a socio‐spatial study of school libraries and reading in Singapore

This article takes a comparative socio‐spatial approach at the intersection of social class and reading politics to provide a fresh way of examining school reading policies and practices, unearthing previously hidden spaces of inequity for reading intervention. The juxtaposition of two nested case studies in Singapore, one of an elite all‐boys' school and another of a co‐educational government school with students in different academic tracks, revealed inequitable practices, specifically in the designs and uses of school library spaces between schools serving different social classes. The study argues that attempts to design reading interventions should move away from the view of student‐as‐problem to structure‐as‐problem in order to discover new perspectives for reading intervention. Additionally, this study demonstrates how foregrounding social class in educational research is necessary for effective design of educational strategies that aim to transform education and society by narrowing the gap between students from different social classes.     

The impact of an online intervention (Brainology) on the mindset and resiliency of secondary school pupils: a preliminary mixed methods study

This preliminary study investigated the impact of the online interactive programme Brainology (which aimed to encourage a growth mindset) on the mindset, resiliency and sense of mastery of secondary school pupils. A quasi-experimental pre-, post- and follow-up mixed-methods study was carried out with 33 participants aged 13–14?years. The measures were Dweck’s theories of intelligence scale and Prince-Embury’s resiliency scales for children and adolescents. Quantitative data were analysed using analysis of variance. Qualitative data from focus groups were categorised and coded. The programme led to a significant increase in pre- to post-mindset scores for the intervention group. However, there was a significant decline at follow-up and the initial impact of the intervention was not sustained. There were no significant changes in mindset for the comparison group. There were no significant changes in resiliency or sense of mastery for either group. The significant short-term impact of Brainology and non-significant follow-up findings are discussed. The present study has limitations such as small sample size, which has implications for generalisability. Future research should investigate the longer term effectiveness of educational interventions in schools.

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.     

创建中职体育特色教育学校研究

中职教育是当前教育发展中一个重要方面,本文主要就创建中职体育特色教育学校的意义及策略进行研究,希望通过本文的研究为中职体育教学的改革提供一些参考。     

Factors influencing entrepreneurial intentions of Chinese secondary school students: an empirical study

The ideal stage to learn about and foster positive attitudes toward entrepreneurship is believed to be during childhood and adolescence. However, most entrepreneurial studies examine college rather than secondary school students (SSS). Based on a modified theory of planned behavior (TPB), this study used stratified cluster sampling and a questionnaire to review current entrepreneurship education in secondary schools. In addition, the effects of entrepreneurship education, personal traits, and demographics on attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and entrepreneurial intentions (EI) on 1018 SSS in China were studied. Differences, correlations, and structural equation modeling analysis indicated the following. (1) Most SSS had never received entrepreneurship education, likely resulting in lowered entrepreneurial intention and perception of entrepreneurial behavioral performance as unrealistically easy. (2) Cognitive bias existed in SSS’s perceptions of entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial behaviors were regarded as external cause-oriented activities. (3) Gender and entrepreneurial experience of family member also influenced EI and related variables. (4) Entrepreneurship education and personal traits (locus of control and innovativeness) were significantly positive predictors of EI, and (5) their effects on EI were completely mediated by PBC. The findings supported the TPB predictions, and the results offered some implications for entrepreneurship education in Chinese secondary schools: (1) developing entrepreneurial personal traits while eliminating examination-oriented education, (2) enhancing SSS’s entrepreneurial confidence so entrepreneurial behaviors are perceived as easier and more achievable, and (3) constructing systematic entrepreneurship courses to guarantee transition from secondary to higher education.     

Transfer from middle to secondary school: a New Zealand study

Issues related to pupils’ transfer into secondary schools have been well-documented (Brown and Armstrong, in: M.B. Youngman (Ed.), Mid-schooling transfer: Problems and proposals, NFER-Nelson, Windsor, UK, 1986; Hargreaves, Two cultures of schooling: The case of middle schools, Falmer Press, Basingstoke, UK, 1986; Power and Cotterell, ERDC Report No. 27. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 1981). A common feature of the research is the disparity between the environments of primary and secondary schools (Ward, NZ Principal, 27, (1997); Forbes and Ward, NZ Herald, 47, 11 December (1996)). The research suggests that the greater the difference between the two schools’ cultures, the greater the need for support for those transferring. In part, this need has traditionally been fulfilled in New Zealand by Intermediate Schools, two-year transition schools for Years 7 and 8. More recently, some of these schools have become four-year middle schools. By delaying transition to secondary school for two years (i.e., to Year 11), the middle schools offer an alternative route to secondary school. The research study described in this chapter tracked the movement of a class of pupils who chose to stay on at a middle school for Years 9 and 10, rather than transferring to secondary schools at the end of Year 8. Their perceptions of transition and those of a sample of school parents are detailed.