Correlations and Predictive Ability of Oral Reading Fluency and the Wilson Reading System on End of Year Assessments

Abstract

To insure academic success for students with learning disabilities, it is critical that educators are able to make timely and effective instructional decisions. The focus of this study was to evaluate the relationship and effectiveness of two different progress monitoring tools, a measure of oral reading fluency and the Wilson Reading System's level documentation against measures of reading achievement. Reading achievement was specifically, examined using cluster scores from the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement - Third Edition (WJ-III) Broad and Brief Reading domains. The current study investigated archival data of 51 students, grades four through eight, enrolled in a small, private school for students with learning disabilities during the 2008-2009 school year. Oral reading fluency benchmark and regular progress monitoring scores were collected from students and the progress monitoring scores were converted into an overall rate of improvement. Data from students receiving instruction in the Wilson Reading System were also collected as levels mastered throughout the school year. All students received pre- and post-testing on the WJ-III Reading domain. No significant relationships were found between oral reading fluency rate of improvement and Wilson level. Additionally, only the oral reading fluency spring benchmark significantly predicted end of year WJ-III performance after pre-test scores were taken into account. Supplemental analyses did find that students who completed levels seven and eight in the 2008 - 2009 school year consistently performed better than peers who completed levels two through six at all oral reading fluency benchmark periods. Limitations to the study and implications for future research and practice are discussed.