A QUANTITATIVE CAUSAL-COMPARATIVE STUDY OF READING INTERVENTION PROGRAMS FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

Abstract

It has been well-documented that an educational gap in literacy skills exists among children when they begin school. Some students are able to make progress without support beyond regular classroom instruction, while other students require intensive intervention to remediate literacy skills in hopes of becoming proficient readers. The popularity of reading intervention programs has increased along with the increase in accountability measures. The efficacy of intervention programs is often questioned as the results within schools do not often match the research produced by the intervention company. The main purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the reading intervention programs provided at the participating elementary school. A number of students were not meeting grade level reading expectations and required additional support through a reading intervention. This quantitative research study was designed to explore the effectiveness of the interventions as well as the changes in self-efficacy as students develop reading skills in the intervention programs. As a result, this project will assist school leaders in making decisions about implementation of reading interventions and make recommendations based on the interventions. The research will help the participating elementary school make decisions about intervention programming, and it will add to the growing body of literature centered on improving literacy skills in elementary-aged students. Additionally, the research provides a better understanding of students’ self-perceptions as readers, and the effects of participating in the reading intervention programs. The results of the study create an increased focus on reading interventions and assist in fostering a supportive environment.