Reading Achievement Research Articles

The Reading Fluency Project: Raising Reading Achievement in the UK

The Reading Fluency Project: Raising Reading Achievement in the UK

High‐interest books, choice, and independent reading: Piloting a reading program with male adolescents in Chile

AbstractReading is linked to numerous positive outcomes, including academic achievement, reduced stress, and enhanced life expectancy. However, a significant portion of Chilean adolescents engage in limited reading. Notably, male students tend to exhibit lower levels of reading motivation compared to their female counterparts, with declining reading self‐concept over time. To address this challenge, this study explores the impact of a 9‐month‐long pilot reading program aimed at increasing students' reading motivation and volume in an all‐boys rural school in southern Chile (N = 120), guided by Self‐Determination Theory and adapted from Atwell's reading workshop. The program included four pillars: access to high‐interest print books, 90 min per week of in‐class independent choice, and peer interactions around reading. t‐Tests showed a significant increase in students' reading volume but not in their reading motivation. Nevertheless, multiple regression analyses revealed that, when controlling for students' pre‐program reading motivation, achievement, and volume, post‐program reading motivation and time allocated for independent reading were significantly associated with the number of pages read during the program. Implications for practice and future research avenues are discussed.

The Impact of Directed Reading Thinking Activity Strategy in Increasing Students’ Reading Motivation and Learning Achievement

This study aims to explore the effectiveness of the Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) strategy in enhancing students' reading motivation and learning outcomes. Conducted using a mixed-methods approach, it involved 27 ninth-grade students at the Al-Gazali Islamic Boarding School. The study meticulously examines how the DRTA strategy, which encourages students to make predictions, pose questions, and enhance their comprehension through engaged reading, impacts their motivation to read and their levels of reading comprehension. By integrating both quantitative and qualitative research methods, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of students' reading performance before and after the implementation of the DRTA strategy. The findings indicate a significant improvement in students' reading motivation and overall reading achievement. This suggests the potential of the DRTA strategy as an effective pedagogical tool for comprehensive reading enhancement. This research offers insights into reading strategies that can foster a more engaging and productive reading environment for students, including those in Islamic boarding school settings.

Lecturers’ Utilization of Electronic Instructional Media on Students’ Academic Performance in National Open University of Nigeria, Port Harcourt Study Center

The study investigated lecturers’ utilization of electronic instructional media on students’ academic performance in. National Open University of Nigeria, Port Harcourt Study Center. Three specific objectives, three research questions and three hypotheses guided the study. This study adopted descriptive survey research. The population of the study was 27 lecturers of the National Open University of Nigeria, Port Harcourt Study Center. No sampling technique was used to achieve a sample size of 27 lecturers. The data collecting instrument for this study was a self-structured questionnaire titled “Lecturers’ Utilization of Electronic Instructional Media on Students’ Academic Performance Questionnaire.” The instrument was structured using 4-point rating scale and was face and content validated by three experts in Departments of Educational Management and Measurement and Evaluation in Rivers State University. The instrument was tested for reliability using Cronbach Alpha statistics which yielded an average reliability index of 0.79. All the 27 copies of the questionnaire administered, were retrieved, and used for the study. Mean and standard deviation were used in answering the research questions while the null hypotheses were tested using t-test at 0.05 level of significance with a critical value of ±1.96. Findings revealed that lecturers’ utilization of audio tape, internet, and electronic books in instructional delivery influences students’ academic performance in National Open University of Nigeria, Port Harcourt Study Center to a high extent. Based on the findings, it was recommended that more funds be provided by the government to make available audio tapes for free to students to enable them follow up on their taped lessons; government should provide free Wi-Fi services to enable both teachers and students get unlimited access to internet usage in National Open University of Nigeria for hitch-free instructional delivery and learning process and government should as a matter of urgency provide more electronic books in schools and ensure that they are accessible to students to enhance positive reading achievement for quality education.

School Effectiveness Factors and Student Achievement: A Longitudinal Study in an Urban School District

In this study we explore the longitudinal impact of effective school factors on student achievement over a five-year period in an urban school district. By collecting teacher survey data from urban schools in a Midwest school district and analyzing the survey data alongside student achievement, we identified several factors associated with student achievement growth. Our findings reveal that Shared Vision and Goals is positively associated with student achievement growth in math and reading. Furthermore, Student Behavior Expectations and Behavior Management Practices are positively associated with growth in reading achievement. Our research contributes to the understanding of effective school factors from a longitudinal perspective, particularly in an urban school setting.

The relationship between perceptions of instruction quality, intrinsic motivation, and reading achievement: a longitudinal analysis

ABSTRACT This study including 3,089 students from 173 secondary schools explored the changes in students’ perception of classroom management and goal clarity throughout early adolescence (Grades 5 to 9) and its relationship with learning outcomes such as intrinsic motivation and school grade in reading. The results revealed: 1) Students’ perception of instruction quality, intrinsic motivation and school grade decreased over the years; 2) intrinsic motivation influenced classroom management perception, whereas the relationships between the classroom management perception and school grade were reciprocal; 3) the influence of goal clarity perception on intrinsic motivation changed over the years, and a positive influence on outcomes was only observed between Grades 8 and 9; 4) there were different results between male and female students as well as between academic and vocational tracks. The findings have implications for understanding the possible contextual factors related to the decrease in learning outcomes for reading in secondary schools.

Self-reflection-oriented Pre-reading Activities in EFL: Their Impact on College Students’ English Reading Achievement, Satisfaction, and Motivation

Self-reflection-oriented Pre-reading Activities in EFL: Their Impact on College Students’ English Reading Achievement, Satisfaction, and Motivation

Reading for pleasure: scrutinising the evidence base – benefits, tensions and recommendations

Compelling international evidence illustrates the potential of reading for pleasure for enhancing student reading achievement along with other learning and wellbeing outcomes. Yet profound challenges exist for nations seeking to encompass attention to students’ volitional reading. In this paper we critically review the growing research evidence in this area by drawing systematically on cognitive psychological studies of reading attainment and motivation, educational studies of classroom practice, and the work of literary scholars and medical professionals. We consider and critique the methodologies deployed and read between the lines, exposing contradictions and complexities across this interdisciplinary field before considering the demands of operationalising this agenda in education. Through a dual focus on England and Australia, where, exemplifying international trends, young people’s voluntary reading continues to decline, we examine difficulties and dilemmas which play out in policy and practice contexts. Our points of commonality and comparison surface key issues for consideration in countries working to reconcile the push and pull of performativity and reading for pleasure agendas in order to nurture children’s volitional reading. To conclude, we examine ways forward for research, policy and practice which deserve increased global attention, and offer future-focused recommendations to advance this significant social justice agenda.

고등학생 문항유형별 영어읽기전략 사용양상 및 자기효능감에 대한 연구: 고등학교 학습자들의 영어 읽기 성취도를 기반으로

고등학생 문항유형별 영어읽기전략 사용양상 및 자기효능감에 대한 연구: 고등학교 학습자들의 영어 읽기 성취도를 기반으로

THE EFFECT OF THE NEUROLOGICAL IMPRESS METHOD IN TEACHING READING COMPREHENSION

This study aims to 1) analyse the effectiveness of the Neurological Impress Method in teaching reading at a junior high school in Lingsar, West Lombok.. This study used a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group design. The researcher employed two classes in this study, control and experimental classes. This research has 30 students as the sample of study in which each class consists of 15 students. The reading test is utilized for collecting the data as the research instrument. Sampling was carried out using cluster random sampling. The data was analysed using SPSS 12 which the data collected from the pre-test and post-test design. The results showed that the use of the neurological impress method affected students' reading skills. Students' reading achievement before being taught using the neurological impress method in reading texts is generally low, as shown by the average score of 40.76. Students reading achievement after being taught by using the neurological impress method is better than before. This can be seen from the mean value of 67.13. Statistical analysis using paired sample t-test using SPSS 12, indicated by t (0.05) t-table value is (0.000) and t-value or t-count (0.000). It was lower than the 0.05 level. The alternative hypothesis (Ha) is accepted and the null hypothesis (Ho) is rejected. Therefore, this research is expected to provide implications for implementing the neurological impress method for teaching reading skills in junior high schools in Indonesia to encourage the improvement of the neurological impress method on a large scale.

CAN DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES IMPACT EFL LEARNERS' TOEFL ACHIEVEMENT?

Educators need insights into how various learning styles can influence learners' performance in assessments. Exploring the impact of different learning styles on EFL learners' TOEFL reading achievement is a multidimensional endeavor with implications for educators, learners, and the broader society. This study aims to investigate the extent to which vocational diploma EFL learners acquired English based on their preferred learning styles. The ex-post facto design was used for this study. As many as 37 participants were selected purposely from all majoring fourth semester students at an EFL vocational diploma college. A questionnaire was used to divide the participants into three groups depending on their preferred learning styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. A TOEFL reading test was employed to measure the participants’ English proficiency. The average scores for each learning style group were calculated and revealed that visual learners had an average TOEFL reading score of M=43.22, kinesthetic learners had an average TOEFL reading score of M=38.70, and auditory learners had an M=35.00. To statistically compare these averages, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. The ANOVA results showed a non-significant finding with df=2, F=1.102 and P=0.344. The findings revealed that the TOEFL reading comprehension scores of students with different learning styles did not differ significantly. This study contributes to the ongoing discourse surrounding individualized learning experiences and standardized language assessments. As the field of language education continues to evolve, further research will be pivotal in refining pedagogical practices to better meet the diverse needs of learners striving to excel in their language proficiency endeavors.

The influence of SES, migration background, and non-cognitive abilities on PISA reading and mathematics achievement: evidence from Sweden

The current study analysed the relationships between socio-economic status, migration background, and non-cognitive factors and PISA reading and mathematics achievement. The results from multi-level analyses on Sweden’s PISA survey from 2018 indicate that both mathematics achievement and reading achievement are affected by SES, migration background, reading abilities, growth mindset, and the ability to master the content. Between-school level differences are explained by reading motivation and the mother’s educational level. Our findings stress the importance of both socio-demographic, socio-economic, and non-cognitive factors such as reading self-concept and growth mindset for both mathematics achievement and reading achievement.

Gender Differences in Chinese EFL Learners’ Comprehension When Reading Across Mediums

As the reading medium shifts from paper to digital devices, there is a notable change in readers’ habits, moving from traditional printed formats to electronic forms. While extensive research has been conducted on gender differences in traditional print reading, studies focusing on gender disparities in mobile reading comprehension are rather limited. This research employed cross-sectional quantitative methods to explore gender differences in comprehension through both print and smartphone-based reading tests. Data was gathered from 190 undergraduates at a local university in China through reading comprehension tests. Participants’ reading results were analyzed using SPSS software for comparison. The findings indicate no significant difference in reading achievements between male and female participants on both paper and smartphone platforms. However, the study found positive trends in female students’ performance on both mediums. The disparity in the mean difference between male and female students’ reading scores was larger in smartphone-based tests, which indicates that digital mediums could either enhance reading performance in female students or potentially have a negative impact on male students.

The relationship between morphological awareness and reading comprehension among early grade Chinese children with reading difficulties: A path analysis

Substantial evidence revealed that morphological awareness could contribute to reading achievement in different alphabetic languages among children with and without reading difficulties. However, as the most spoken non-alphabetic language, there is a paucity of available research on Chinese reading development and impairment. This research focused on evaluating two potential intervening variables through the relationship between morphological awareness and reading comprehension. Compounding awareness, homophone awareness, homograph awareness, in addition to reading ability including character recognition, vocabulary knowledge, and reading comprehension were assessed in this research. Controls of phonological awareness and rapid automatized naming (RAN) were also included in the model. Participants were 200 second-grade students with reading difficulties in Chinese mainland . Path analysis revealed that morphological awareness made a direct contribution to reading comprehension beyond all other variables and this relationship was mediated by character recognition and vocabulary knowledge. Furthermore, two indirect pathways showed a significant difference in this study. The distinctive role of morphological awareness in reading comprehension for Chinese children with reading difficulties and the potential reasons for the significant effect difference between the two indirect pathways were discussed at the end of the study.

Technologies of literary and methodical teacher education

Importance. The purpose of the study is to reflect the search for the most productive ways of teaching literature. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to include modern technologies in the methodology of literary reading in primary and secondary schools to prepare teachers for effective teaching.Research Methods. The technologization methods of the educational process are related to the typical features’ understanding of technology, the classification of technologies in pedagogy and, in particular, in didactics, with the development of educational and training technologies that are available to primary school teachers and teachers of philology.Results and Discussion. The technologies of multilevel perception of the text by the teacher, complex analysis of the work in preparation for the lesson, achievement of expressive reading of the text, technology of co-creative reading, discrete reading, immersion in the artistic text, preparation for retelling, carrying out dictionary work, etc. have been developed and tested in teaching practice. Special attention should be paid to the technology of artistic and speech accompaniment of children’s life activities during the day, which has not only an educational, but also a healthsaving, educating character. Each technology cannot be described in detail within the scope of the study, therefore, the list of references contains sources containing detailed theoretical justifications of technologies and multiple examples of applications.Conclusion. The conclusion of the study on the technologization of the educational process is related to the self-education of the teacher, who is currently provided with a variety of opportunities for this.

The effects of foreign language anxiety on English word reading among Chinese students at risk of English learning difficulties

AbstractForeign language anxiety has influenced reading achievement in English as a second language learning (ESL). However, less is known about how foreign language anxiety affects Chinese students learning English as L2 and the interplay between foreign language anxiety and cognitive-linguistic factors on L2 reading performance. This longitudinal study examined the impact of foreign language anxiety on English word reading and the mediating effect of cognitive-linguistic skills between foreign language anxiety and English word reading in a sample of 177 grades 2 to 3 ESL Chinese students at risk of English learning difficulties. Foreign language anxiety was assessed using parent-rated and child-rated questionnaires at T1. Students were assessed on English word reading at T1 and T2 and cognitive-linguistic skills: phonological awareness, expressive vocabulary knowledge, and working memory at T1. Path analysis showed that parent-rated foreign language anxiety significantly predicted T1 English word reading after controlling for working memory. However, child-rated foreign language anxiety did not significantly predict English word reading. Moreover, mediation analysis showed that parent-rated foreign language anxiety significantly predicted T2 English word reading through T1 English word reading and expressive vocabulary knowledge. Findings highlight the impact of foreign language anxiety on L2 word reading and suggest that mothers’ involvement in children’s ESL is essential.

Welfare state policy and educational inequality: a cross-national multicohort study

Abstract Proponents of welfare policy have argued that publicly funded early childhood education and care (ECEC), paid parental leave, and family benefits spending can weaken the influence of social background on educational outcomes by providing a supplementary source of early investment that particularly benefits disadvantaged families. We analyze whether the welfare state context in which children spend their early childhood (ages 0–5) moderates the association between parental educational attainment and the child’s educational achievement at age 10. We combine data from two large-scale international student assessments with data about welfare state policies. Results from multilevel models show that countries with higher public ECEC spending and higher family benefits spending exhibited a weaker association between parental education and student math achievement. Countries with longer parental leave exhibited a stronger association between parental education and student math, science, and reading achievement. Findings provide evidence of the mixed role of welfare state policies for social inequality in student achievement.

EFL students’ motivational currents during Extensive Reading Programs: A retrodictive qualitative modelling

Motivation to read, the driving force to achieve one’s reading goals, plays a significant role in language learning as it relates to reading engagement and achievement. Its presence is prominently necessary for a longer learning period. This article explores the features of nine pre-service students’ motivational currents and how their motivation changes throughout the task performance in Extensive Reading Programs (henceforth ERPs). Data were collected from diaries, and a retrodictive qualitative model was applied to recount the experiences of the student participants’ motivational currents following Dörnyei’s Directed Motivational Currents (DMC). Themes of diaries and interviews were generated following the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The findings show that the features of DMC are salient and functioning throughout the student’s learning experiences and facilitate the construction of their future identity as readers. Four patterns of motivational currents during the students’ learning were a steady wave, slight wave, moderate wave, and great wave patterns. The variability and stability of task performance motivation indicate that students’ motivational trajectories are unique, conditional, and context-bound. Identifications of the sources of motivators and demotivators provide hints for designing more engaging classroom activities, enriching the task features, and sustaining students’ motivation. This study concludes with possible directions for future motivation research.

Concurrent predictors of mathematics achievement for 9-year-old children with Williams syndrome

Research on mathematics achievement by children with Williams syndrome (WS) has been very limited. We describe the math achievement of 72 9-year-olds with WS, compare their math and reading achievement, and explore concurrent predictors of math achievement using the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-III (WIAT-III) to measure achievement and the Differential Ability Scales-II (DAS-II) to measure cognitive abilities. For both Numerical Operations and Math Problem Solving, mean standard scores (SSs) were in the mild disability range with a full range from severe disability to average ability. Bayesian robust estimation indicated decisive evidence that average reading performance was higher than average math performance. Bayesian multiple linear regression models with informative priors accounted for 60% of the variance in Numerical Operations SS with decisive evidence supporting an effect of Working Memory SS and strong evidence for Nonverbal Reasoning SS and Spatial SS and 71% of the variance in Math Problem Solving SS with decisive evidence supporting effects of Working Memory and Nonverbal Reasoning SS, strong evidence for Verbal SS, and substantial evidence for Spatial SS. These predictors are consistent with those for typically developing individuals, supporting consideration of interventions that have been highly effective for children with math difficulties in the general population.

Bullying at School and Students' Learning Outcomes: International Perspective and Gender Analysis.

The present study empirically investigates how school-based bullying victimization affects students' learning outcomes, taking into consideration international and gender perspectives. The main objective of the present research is to provide a better understanding of the consequences of bullying victimization in the learning process of adolescents. We estimate a statistical function that empirically establishes the relationship between the students' outcomes in mathematics, reading, and science (output) and a wide set of explanatory variables (educational factors), one of which is that of being bullied. The present study uses a large sample of 612,004 students between 15 and 16 years old, attending 21,903 schools in 79 countries. The data come from the 2018 round of the Programme for International Student Assessment. The results indicate that bullying victimization is associated with decreases in academic achievement in mathematics, reading, and science. In addition, no relevant differences by gender are observed in reading and science but, other factors being equal, bullied males score less than bullied females in mathematics.