A Study of Aural Learning with and without the Speaker Present

Two hundred Gulfport, Mississippi, first grade students received the benefit of extensive and intensive treatments designed to enhance educational effect. Approximately half of these students were from definitely deprived backgrounds and many demonstrated a very low degree of readiness for first grade activities. Comparison classes following the established first grade curriculum were also monitored to provide a basis for comparison. Results strongly suggest that the experimental treatments resulted in higher achievement. More important than the direction of the observed differences are their magnitudes. Enhancement of achievement due to the experimental treatments appeared greatest for low readiness students by a wide margin.