Sex and grade differences and learning rate in an intensive summer reading clinic

In a long-term study of student progress in the Loyola University of the South Summer Reading Clinic, patterns of variance for sex and grade level were examined. Three assessment tools were used: the Nelson Reading Test (Vocabulary and Paragraph Comprehension) for grades four through eight, the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test (Vocabulary and Comprehension) for grades one through three, and the Spache Diagnostic Reading Scales (Instructional [oral] and Independent [silent] subtests) for all students. Subjects were 684 public and private school students in grades one through eight referred to the Clinic over an eight-year period. All were referred for possible reading disabilities. Because reading disabled males outnumber reading disabled females in the general population, the Clinic's data were examined to elucidate the comparative success rates of boys and girls in an intensive reading clinic setting. Grade differences also were examined to find significant differences in rate of learning among different grades. Females outscored males significantly on all measures. Both a difference in performance among grades and a difference in rate of learning among grades were shown.     

How do general knowledge and reading strategies ability relate to reading comprehension of high school students at different educational levels?

The study examines the relationship between general knowledge, skills in applying reading strategies, and reading comprehension for ninth‐grade students at varying educational levels: academic, semi‐academic, vocational and learning disabilities. Two hundred and five students received a battery of tests evaluating their general knowledge, skills in applying four reading strategies (summary, self‐questioning, clarification and prediction), and two reading comprehension tests. The findings revealed differential contributions of general knowledge and strategy application to reading comprehension. Compared with the academic students, semi‐academics have deficient strategic skills. Vocational students, in addition to deficient strategic skills, have poor general knowledge, which further impedes their reading comprehension. The deficiency of students with learning disabilities goes beyond these two components. These results led us to recommend different foci of comprehension intervention for each group.     

Differential ability scales: Profiles of learning-disabled subtypes

The purpose of this study was to determine whether distinct subgroups of children with learning disabilities could be identified using a single, recently developed instrument—the Differential Ability Scales (DAS). Ward's method of cluster analysis was used to group 83 school-verified children with learning disabilities from the standardization sample. The following six subgroups were identified: (a) generalized, (b) high functioning, (c) normal, (d) underachievement, (e) borderline, and (f) dyseidetic. Not all subgroups displayed the expected discrepancy between intelligence and achievement associated with the current definitions of I.D. In subsequent discriminant analyses, both achievement and diagnostic subtests were necessary for accuracy in classification. This study provided evidence of the DAS's ability to diagnose the learning disabled differentially and provided distinct profiles for LD subgroups. Administration of the diagnostic subtests along with achievement subtests can provide the clinician with valuable diagnostic information for LD.     

A correlational analysis between the PPVT-R and Woodcock-Johnson achievement cluster scores for nonreferred regular education and learning disabled students

Both forms of the PPVT-R, along with the reading, mathematics, and written-language subtests of the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Test Battery were administered concurrently and in counterbalanced order to 28 nonreferred regular education and learning disabled students. With the exception of correlations between form M and the reading and written-language subtests for the LD group, values did not reach significance. Alternate form reliability coefficients for the RE and LD groups were .70 and .65, respectively. Mean standard scores for forms L and M were comparable for the RE group, but form L yielded a significantly higher score than M for the LD population.     

The influence of a peer-tutoring training model for implementing cooperative groupings with elementary students

This study examined the effects of peer-tutoring training on elementary school student communication and collaboration skills when used in conjunction with cooperative learning. Within six classes (grades 2–6) in an inner-city school, cooperative learning pairs were randomly assigned to two groups (control and training). Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) of quantitative data from a systematic observation instrument used over an entire year showed that, in general, the training group surpassed the control group in both communication and collaborative skills. Students in grades 2–3 showed substantially more improvement than students in grades 4–6; also, students with average or below-average reading levels required more time to acquire these skills than did above-average students. The qualitative data further substantiated these findings while revealing a large variation among teachers in implementing cooperative learning. and is Editor of the Research section of this journal.     

Patterns of performance on the Stroop Color and Word Test in children with learning,attentional, and psychiatric disabilities

The study presented here investigated the performance of children with learning, psychiatric, and attentional disabilities on the Stroop Color and Word Test. Forty‐three children diagnosed with a full battery of tests as learning disabled (LD [reading]) in grades K through 6 were matched on age, gender, ethnicity, and grade with 43 normal controls. They were also matched with groups of 43 children with psychiatric disorders and 43 children with attentional problems. All subjects were given the Stroop test, which took about 4 minutes per subject. The results indicated clear differences between the groups, with the LD and the psychiatric/attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) groups generating unique profiles different from the normal controls. The children with LD showed slower reading speed and less interference, while the subjects with ADHD and diagnoses showed impairment only on the Color‐Word score. A discriminant analysis using the three basic Stroop scales was able to significantly differentiate the LD group from the non–learning‐disabled (NLD) group (89%) and the LD group from a joint Psychiatric/ADHD group (86%). However, results were poorer for differentiating a joint LD/ADHD group from the NLD group (68%) and the LD from the ADHD group (59%). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The digit naming speed test: Its power and incremental validity in identifying children with specific reading disabilities

This paper presents two studies, both of which address the question of whether a test that measures the automaticity with which digits can be named could be useful as part of a diagnostic battery to assess reading disabilities. In the first study, the Digit Naming Speed Test significantly differentiated elementary-school boys who were disabled readers from age-matched boys reading at appropriate grade levels, correctly classifying 83.3% of the children. In the second study, the Digit Naming Speed Test accounted for a significant portion of the word recognition variance of nondisabled readers over and above that portion accounted for by general intelligence as measured by the WISC-R. Taken together, these studies indicate that the Digit Naming Speed Test has the potential to contribute significantly to the diagnostic process.     

Learning progress assessment and goal setting: Effects on reading achievement,reading motivation and reading self-concept

This study investigates the effects of learning progress assessment (LPA) combined with student-set goals on students’ reading achievement, reading motivation, and reading self-concept in fourth grade. Classes (n = 41) were assigned to either an LPA group with goal setting (LPA-G), an LPA group only (LPA), or a control group (CG). Students of both LPA groups completed eight LPA tests over a period of six months, and teachers received information about their learning progress. Students in the LPA-G group specified goals before the tests and reflected their goal achievement afterwards. Results indicate that growth in reading was higher for students in the LPA group compared to students in the two other groups. Unexpected negative effects of the goal-setting procedure were found on the development of intrinsic reading motivation and individual reading self-concept. The results are discussed with regard to teacher behavior and the use of diagnostic information for instruction.     

Sensory, cognitive, and linguistic factors in the early academic performance of elementary school children: The Benton-IU project

Standardized sensory, perceptual, linguistic, intellectual, and cognitive tests were administered to 470 children, approximately 96% of the students entering the first grade in the four elementary schools of Benton County, Indiana, over a 3-year period (1995--1997). The results of 36 tests and subtests administered to entering first graders were well described by a 4-factor solution. These factors and the tests that loaded most heavily on them were reading-related skills (phonological awareness, letter and word identification); visual cognition (visual perceptual abilities, spatial perception, visual memory); verbal cognition (language development, vocabulary, verbal concepts); and speech processing (the ability to understand speech under difficult listening conditions). A cluster analysis identified 9 groups of children, each with a different profile of scores on the 4 factors. Within these groups, the proportion of students with unsatisfactory reading achievement in the first 2 years of elementary school (as reflected in teacher-assigned grades) varied from 3% to 40%. The profiles of factor scores demonstrated the primary influence of the reading-related skills factor on reading achievement and also on other areas of academic performance. The second strongest predictor of reading and mathematics grades was the visual cognition factor, followed by the verbal cognition factor. The speech processing factor was the weakest predictor of academic achievement, accounting for less than 1% of the variance in reading achievement. This project was a collaborative effort of the Benton Community School Corporation and a multidisciplinary group of investigators from Indiana University.     

Achievement testing with the Wechsler Quicktest: an examination of its psychometric properties and applied utility with a Greek–Cypriot sample

The study aimed to field‐test a Greek version of the Wechsler Quicktest and to examine its psychometric properties. The Quicktest was individually administered to 208 students, aged 5–14 years, along with a reading test. Based on the Rasch analysis, data for the Quicktest subtests showed acceptable fit to the model. Also, correlations were found between the Quicktest subtests. Moreover, the Quicktest was significantly correlated to school grades, teachers’ predictions, scores on the Learning Disability Evaluation Scale (LDES) and Trigka’s Reading Test. A Spearman analysis indicated significant correlations between scores on the Quicktest subtests and the grade level of students. Also, a regression analysis indicated that scores on the Quicktest can predict the scores on the other measures. Results supported the Quicktest’s criterion‐related validity and construct validity and, also, its utility as part of a systematic diagnostic procedure for learning disabilities.     

Is there a common linkage among reading comprehension, visual attention, and magnocellular processing?

The authors examined the relationships between reading comprehension, visual attention, and magnocellular processing in 42 Grade 7 students. The goal was to quantify the sensitivity of visual attention and magnocellular visual processing as concomitants of poor reading comprehension in the absence of either vision therapy or cognitive intervention. Nineteen good readers (M = grade equivalent of 11.2) and 23 poor readers (M = grade equivalent of 3.5) were identified. Participants were tested for visual attention skills (Cognitive Assessment System: CAS) and magnocellular integrity (Coherent Motion Threshold: CM). Individual and combined correlations of dependent variables with reading were significant at the 0.01 level. When combined, the two tests (CAS + CM) accounted for 61% of the variance in reading comprehension. Logistic regression analysis measured sensitivity of the two diagnostic tests. Attention tests correctly classified 95.7% of poor readers, and coherent motion correctly classified 78.3% of poor readers. When the data were combined, 91.3% of poor readers were correctly classified. The research reinforces the notion that a common linkage exists between reading comprehension, visual attention, and magnocellular processing. Diagnostic test batteries for students who have been identified as reading disabled should include magnocellular and visual attention tests. Procedures to diagnose and ameliorate these disabilities are discussed.     

Using teacher judgment and IQ to estimate reading and mathematics achievement in a remedial-reading program

This study investigated the relative merits of using teacher judgment and the Slosson Full-Range Intelligence Test to estimate the math and reading achievement of students in a summer remedial-reading program. The subjects included children in grades kindergarten through six who were enrolled in the Auburn University Summer Clinic. Components analyses showed that the Slosson Full-Range Intelligence Test recovered substantially more variance from the distributions of the KeyMath-Revised and the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests-Revised than did teacher judgments. Analysis of variance showed that significant differences between the means of the three tests resulted from the inclusion of students with learning disabilities. Implications of the results are discussed.     

Similarity of WISC-R and WAIS-R scores at age 16

Thirty learning disabled students of average intellectual ability between 16 and 17 years of age were given both the WISC-R and the WAIS-R to determine if the WAIS-R provided higher average IQ scores, as had been reported for educationally mentally retarded adolescents. The results indicated: (a) no significant differences between the two scales on either the Verbal, Performance, or Full Scale IQs, (b) significant correlations between the WISC-R and WAIS-R on the three IQ scores and 9 of the 11 subtests, and (c) the emergence of the ACID profile for learning disabled adolescents on both tests.     

Reading-growth estimates for elementary-school students using curriculum-based measurement

In this study, we examine grade-level growth rates for general education students and students with learning disabilities in grades two to six. In conducting the study, we demonstrate how schools, districts, and state educational agencies can use a combination of Curriculum-Based Measurement and Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) methods to develop growth-rate norms in reading. The participants were made up of 273 general education students and 430 students with learning disabilities. The growth rates for these two groups of students in each grade were estimated using HLM. Within each grade, separate growth rates for subgroups of general education students (i.e., high, average, and low achievers) were estimated. The uses of estimated growth rates for setting year-end goals, monitoring student progress, and evaluating the effectiveness of instructional programs are also discussed.     

Comparative Validity of Five Reading Diagnostic Tests

Abstract

Five reading diagnostic tests were administered to twenty-seven fourth-grade children in an attempt to assess their inter-relationships and comparative validity, Teacher ratings, standardized test scores, and grades were used as criteria. All tests had acceptable validity coefficients, although they were somewhat lower than previous results. The Bond, McCullough, and Doren tests were quite similar and their validities were somewhat higher than the Roswell and McKee. Vowel related subtests contributed most heavily to the relationship between tests and criteria, and reading-arithmetic relationships were frequently higher than reading-reading relationships.     

The effectiveness of a multisensory alphabetic phonetic approach with college students who are learning disabled

College students diagnosed as learning disabled were studied to determine whether they would make more progress in a summer program if taught by an adaptation of the Orton-Gillingham (O-G) approach. Progress of those exposed to this approach was compared to progress of those exposed to (a) a nonphonetic approach or (b) no educational activity. Pre- and posttest results are reported for the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised and Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests. The subjects were 30 college students aged 17 to 24, who were diagnosed as LD. They were divided into groups of 10 and exposed to the indicated educational intervention. The O-G group was found to achieve statistically significant improvement in reading when compared to the group using the nonphonetic approach or no educational activity. No statistically significant difference was noted between the latter two groups. This study indicates that a modified O-G approach is useful in the teaching of reading to college students who are LD.     

What changes,and for whom? A study of the impact of learning analytics-based process feedback in a large course

Recent developments in educational technologies have provided a viable solution to the challenges associated with scaling personalised feedback to students. However, there is currently little empirical evidence about the impact such scaled feedback has on student learning progress and study behaviour. This paper presents the findings of a study that looked at the impact of a learning analytics (LA)-based feedback system on students' self-regulated learning and academic achievement in a large, first-year undergraduate course. Using the COPES model of self-regulated learning (SRL), we analysed the learning operations of students, by way of log data from the learning management system and e-book, as well as the products of SRL, namely, performance on course assessments, from three years of course offerings. The latest course offering involved an intervention condition that made use of an educational technology to provide LA-based process feedback. Propensity score matching was employed to match a control group to the student cohort enrolled in the latest course offering, creating two equal-sized groups of students who received the feedback (the experimental group) and those who did not (the control group). Growth mixture modelling and mixed between-within ANOVA were also employed to identify differences in the patterns of online self-regulated learning operations over the course of the semester. The results showed that the experimental group showed significantly different patterns in their learning operations and performed better in terms of final grades. Moreover, there was no difference in the effect of feedback on final grades among students with different prior academic achievement scores, indicating that the LA-based feedback deployed in this course is able to support students’ learning, regardless of prior academic standing.     

Early identification of young struggling readers: Preliminary benchmarks for intervention for students in years one and two in schools in New South Wales

It is now widely acknowledged that early intervention programs should be provided for young students who are experiencing difficulty in learning to read. It is important, therefore, to have efficient ways of identifying students who are most in need of intervention. The aim of this study was to establish preliminary performance benchmarks to identify the bottom 25% of year 1 and year 2 students in NSW schools at two key points in the school year. Students from grades 1 and 2 (n = 335) at two schools nominated as performing at state average levels were assessed on a battery of tests assessing various aspects of reading and related skills at the beginning and in the middle of the school year. Preliminary estimates of benchmarks for determining the bottom quartile of students were thereby obtained together with estimates of average performance at these two points in the school year to serve as performance goals for intervention.     

Letters to the Editor

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences exist between postsecondary students with learning disabilities and their non‐learning disabled counterparts. Data were collected through two survey forms: one gathered specific data about the learning disabled group; the second provided data about study habits of the learning disabled group and two other groups of non‐learning disabled students at San Diego Mesa College. Results showed that although most study habits did not significantly differ, students with learning disabilities required substantially more assistance in math, spelling, writing, and reading comprehension. As a result, implications for instruction are suggested. A short review of literature about postsecondary learning disability programs precedes the study discussion.