Comparing a literature-based and skills-based ("Corrective Reading Program") approach for elementary pupils of limited reading proficiency
The purpose of the study was to determine if a population of 85 fourth and fifth grade students of limited reading proficiency were significantly different after a year of instruction in a literature-based approach than their peers in a "Corrective Reading Program". Students from this suburban elementary school in New York were randomly assigned to remedial reading instruction. The students were given pre- and post-test Stanford Diagnostic Reading Tests Form G and H, Level Green and Brown, as well as the Reading Attitude Profile developed for this study. The findings indicate that there was no significant difference between the two populations in terms of the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test except for the fifth grade students on the comprehension subtest. There was a significant difference between the fourth graders in the Literature-based approach and "Corrective Reading Program" on the Reading Attitude Profile. Those in the literature-based approach had higher mean scores than their counterparts. This was also true for the fifth graders. Additionally, the total population of literature-based students did better than the "Corrective Reading Program" students. There was a significant interaction found between teaching approach and grade level. No significant relationship was found for the variables of grade and sex for either the Stanford Diagnostic Reading Test Post-test raw scores or the Reading Attitude Profile Post-test raw scores. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that teaching approach can affect attitude toward reading, but that it may not affect standardized test scores. However, test scores for those students in a literature-based approach did not decrease and were in fact, comparable to those in the "Corrective Reading Program". As a result of instruction using literature, attitude about learning to read did improve.
Literacy|Reading instruction|Language|Language arts
Froelich, Kathy Sperling, "Comparing a literature-based and skills-based ("Corrective Reading Program") approach for elementary pupils of limited reading proficiency" (1992). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI9304514.