Brief Experimental Analysis of Combining Stimulus Change with Consequences to Improve Oral Reading Fluency and Accuracy

Meghan Ferraro,Cristin Leahy,Edward Snyder,Amanda Smith,Kaylee Cavanah

doi:10.4236/psych.2021.1212118

Abstract

Brief Experimental Analysis of Combining Stimulus Change with Consequences to Improve Oral Reading Fluency and Accuracy

Highlights

The enlarged print size alone condition only increased the words correct per minute (WCPM) for two participants; when enlarged print was combined with performance feedback or both performance feedback and contingent reinforcement, six participants demonstrated improved WCPM compared to the standard size print condition
When both performance feedback (PF) and contingent reinforcement (CR) were added to the Enlarged Size Print Condition (ES) condition, six participants averaged more WCPM when compared to the ES only condition and resulted in an effect size of d = 0.516
Enlarged print size alone only enhanced two participants’ oral reading fluency skills; when enlarged print size was combined with performance feedback or both performance feedback and contingent reinforcement, six participants demonstrated an increase in their average WCPM compared to the standard size print condition

Summary

Introduction

A review of research suggests that changing the visual stimuli of the printed material, the size of the text, providing reinforcement, and utilizing performance feedback may provide the extra support students at risk of reading failure need to be successful in school (e.g., Alber-Morgan et al, 2007; O’Brien et al, 2005; Wilkins et al, 2009; Eckert et al, 2002; Eckert et al, 2006). The study found that generally for slower non-dyslexic readers, a larger print size was needed to help students reach their optimal reading speed. Wilkins et al (2009) presented two studies that explored the effects of print size and two studies that explored the effects of print design on the reading speed and comprehension of students ages 7 through 9 years. When print size was decreased on the Salford Sentence Reading Test (Bookbinder et al, 2002), students demonstrated a decrease in reading age

Results

Discussion

Conclusion