This dissertation examines how implementing READ 180 for 9th grade students affects their Lexile level and reading ability. The research focuses on two questions: what changes were noticed in the students' Lexile levels? and what program recommendations can be made moving forward? The methodology used was PDSA and improvement science. The study…

The more students read, the better they read, and students are more inclined to read when they are motivated to read. Students' interests and their confidence as readers contribute to their motivation. Confidence is impacted by how students view themselves as readers, an identity which can be influenced by the environment surrounding them. The…

Struggling readers are likely to face life-long challenges in achieving success in school and life as a result of their struggles with reading (Armbruster et al., 2001; Arnold, 2010; Hernandez, 2011). Third-grade students with reading disabilities are an exceptionally critical group who may experience enhanced risk during the year that the focus…

Addressing dyscalculia and math anxiety is vital to improving student's mathematical development, overall academic success, and long-term educational and career prospects. This newsletter will help readers with strategies for supporting students anxious about math; investigate how the overlap between reading and math disabilities can improve math…

Teachers must devote significant time to making the instructional decisions necessary to effectively plan and prepare small group lessons. Although small group instruction has attracted the attention of researchers, there is a lack of understanding in the effective implementation of reading interventions to support struggling readers. The purpose…

Although it is widely accepted that reading motivation erodes over the elementary years and school experiences shape motivation, few have examined young readers' motivation for their reading intervention programs. This two-year qualitative case study probed the motivation-related perceptions of four young children specific to their involvement in…

A person's literacy level impacts multitudinous aspects of their life. Determining and implementing effective procedures to address reading struggles continues to plague the education sector. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how teachers in the fourth grade describe how they select and implement reading intervention…

The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in children's reading motivation and self-perception through small group reading instruction in Reader's Workshop. The academic achievement gap displays many reading challenges for African American students compared to their peers. The goal of this study was to identify small group readings…

Despite the implementation of district approved programs at Maplebrook Elementary, a Mid-Atlantic school district, students in third, fourth, and fifth grades continue to show reading comprehension below grade level as measured by standardized test scores and district-created assessments. The goal of this study was to gain teacher perceptions…

Despite 3 years of implementation, educators at McKinnley Elementary School (pseudonym) did not know teachers' perceptions about whether the Wilson Reading Fundations Program (WRFP) was helping K-3rd grade teachers assist struggling readers with becoming proficient in reading in the elementary grades. The purpose of this qualitative single case…

Picture books are a common staple of children's reading diet. The role of pictures in reading acquisition, however, remains a topic of considerable controversy. To examine the effect of pictures on second graders' (N=40) oral reading behavior and comprehension, this study used a 2 (picture condition) x 2 (genre) x 3 (reading ability) mixed ANOVA…

The purpose of this action research was to implement four close reading strategies (Aha moment, Hmm moment, B.U.R.N. strategy, and R.A.P.) and evaluate its impact on fifth grade African American male students' reading comprehension skills and their experiences with reading at Wisteria Lane Elementary. This intervention study focused on two…

According to research by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD; 2000), reading is the single most important skill a child will learn in life. Reading proficiency is a powerful predictor of academic success, on-time graduation, and future earning potential in the workforce. Children who reach adulthood without adequate…

This study used the portraiture method to explore the reading lives of four college students by examining their reading lives in three eras: the present, the past, and the future. Using long-form, active interviews, this study asked participants to reflect on their daily reading habits, their experiences learning to read, and their aspirations for…

The primary purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to examine educators' perceptions of how comic books and graphic novels can promote literacy skills and motivation in readers. The problem was that teachers were concerned about students' lack of ability to focus on traditional novels and lack of interest in classroom reading material.…