Abstract

1. READING STRATEGIES AS PERFOMANCE INDICATORSbyRUDO HALLResearch Professors: Dr. UdipiSharanya Ph.D. & Andres Garcia Ph.D Thus the hypothesis that reading strategy instruction is an indicator for positive outcomes is supported. The correlation of the likert scores to test scores also showed a relationship of higher frequency use and high score and positive attitude resulting in high score outcomes. Abstract The purpose of this study is to investigate if reading performance can be predicted within a cluster of students who are constantly exposed to reading strategy use instruction. This study will focus on an urban charter school with a large number of economically disadvantaged students. Five reading strategies will be taught over a period of time in which students will also take surveys to measure their strategy use as well as attitude towards using reading strategies at certain points in the study. Method In this study I identified 5 strategies to monitor and measure the frequency that the 15, 7th grade students use as well as attitude towards use of these strategies. The strategies are: 1. Previewing of the reading material 2. Identifying main idea 3. Vocabulary 4. Context clues/Inferencing 5. Summarizing/Paraphrase Introduction The problem to be studied is how to make reading best practices part of student reading habits to achieve academic success. The students will take a pre-test as well as posttest and be monitored with survey questions to assess changing behavior. The results will show the relationship between metacognitive strategies use and reading performance and any correlation with the frequency and attitude variable. References: Susan Chambers Cantrell, J. C. (n.d.). Relationships among Lerner Characteristics and Adolescents Perceptions about Reading Strategy. Reading Psychology, 30, 195-224. Harris, T.L., & Hodges, R.E. (Eds.). (2005). The Literacy dictionary: The vocabulary of of reading and writing. Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Brown, R. (2002). Straddling two worlds: Self-directed comprehension instruction for Middle schoolers. Comprehension Instruction: Research based best practices (pp.337- 350). New York: Guilford. Block, C.C., & Pressley, M. (Eds.). (2002). Comprehension Instruction: Research-based best Practices. New York: Guilford. Results The statistical analysis involved gathering the pre-test scores and post test scores, comparing them and calculating the mean, standard deviation as well as the effect size and any correlation with the survey scores. The results of the t test was t (15) = 3.41 P = 0.0042 and by conventional criteria this difference is considered to be very statistically significant. The large effect size prompted a paired t test analysis, despite the small sample size. Literature Review The research on this is still very limited and or not conclusive on all the strategies that best yield desired results. However they is consensus on what strategies seem to yield positive outcomes.