Maximizing Repeated Readings: the Effects of a Multicomponent Reading Fluency Intervention for Children with Reading Difficulties

Abstract

Repeated reading (RR) is one of the most widely studied reading fluency interventions. The procedure has been studied independently, as well as in conjunction with up to five different add-on intervention components. Such add-on interventions target skills, including syllable segmentation, grammar, and vocabulary, each of which has been identified as essential to becoming an effective reader. However, despite the importance of each of these skills, no study has evaluated the combination of all previously explored add-on components into a single reading fluency intervention paired with RR. A multiple baseline with withdrawal (ABAB) single subject design methodology was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a multicomponent reading intervention with three students experiencing reading difficulties. Visual analysis indicated clear positive effects of the intervention. Additionally, using non-overlap of all pairs, strong effect sizes were detected for the intervention across all participants. Implications for practice, limitations, and future directions are all explored.