Features of Known and Unknown Words for First Graders of Different Proficiency Levels in Winter and Spring

This study describes the features of words known and unknown by first graders of different proficiency levels in six instances of an oral reading fluency assessment: three in winter and three in spring. A sample of 411 students was placed into four groups (very high, high, middle, and low) based on their median correct words per minute in spring. Each word in the assessment was coded on 11 features: numbers of phonemes, letters, syllables, blends, morphemes, percentages of multisyllabic and of morphologically complex words, concreteness, age of acquisition, decodability, and U function. Words were classified as known if more than 50% of the students within a group were able to correctly read those words. Features of known and unknown words were contrasted for all but the highest group, which made no errors, at each point in time. An analysis of the patterns of known words across groups from winter to spring shows that students followed a similar general progression in the number and type of words recognized. The most prominent feature of unknown words in winter and spring for the middle group of students was the presence of multiple syllables. The lowest-performing group of students continued to be limited by word length and frequency in their recognition of words, but on both features, their proficiency increased from winter to spring. The discussion addresses several critical issues, most notably the relationship of words in oral reading assessments to the word recognition curriculum of many beginning reading programs.

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Prediction of First-Graders' Growth in Oral Reading Fluency Using Kindergarten Letter Fluency

Journal of School Psychology ◽

10.1016/s0022-4405(01)00065-6 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 39 (3) ◽

pp. 225-237 ◽

Cited By ~ 46

Author(s):

Scott A Stage ◽

Jodi Sheppard ◽

Marcia M Davidson ◽

Mary M Browning

Keyword(s):

Reading Fluency ◽

Oral Reading ◽

Oral Reading Fluency ◽

First Graders

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Resetting Targets: Examining Large Effect Sizes and Disappointing Benchmark Progress

10.3768/rtipress.2019.op.0060.1904 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Jonathan M. B. Stern ◽

Benjamin Piper

Keyword(s):

Reading Fluency ◽

Oral Reading ◽

Oral Reading Fluency ◽

The United States ◽

Reading Programs ◽

Effect Sizes ◽

Program Outcomes ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

This paper uses recent evidence from international early grade reading programs to provide guidance about how best to create appropriate targets and more effectively identify improved program outcomes. Recent results show that World Bank and US Agency for International Development–funded large-scale international education interventions in low- and middle–income countries tend to produce larger impacts than do interventions in the United States, as measured by effect sizes. However, these effect sizes rarely translate into large gains in mean oral reading fluency scores and are associated with only small increases in the proportion of students meeting country-level reading benchmarks. The limited impact of these low- and middle–income countries’ reading programs on the proportion of students meeting reading benchmarks is in large part caused by right-skewed distributions of student reading scores. In other words, modest impacts on the proportion of students meeting benchmarks are caused by low mean scores and large proportions of nonreaders at baseline. It is essential to take these factors into consideration when setting program targets for reading fluency and comprehension. We recommend that program designers in lower-performing countries use baseline assessment data to develop benchmarks based on multiple performance categories that allow for more ambitious targets focused on reducing nonreaders and increasing beginning readers, with more modest targets aimed at improving oral reading fluency scores and increasing the percentage of proficient readers.

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Differences in the Relationship of Oral Reading Fluency and High-Stakes Measures of Reading Comprehension

Assessment for Effective Intervention ◽

10.1177/1534508409339917 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 35 (2) ◽

pp. 67-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Jeanne Wanzek ◽

Greg Roberts ◽

Sylvia Linan-Thompson ◽

Sharon Vaughn ◽

Althea L. Woodruff ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Reading Fluency ◽

Oral Reading ◽

Oral Reading Fluency ◽

High Stakes ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship

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Preventing Summer Reading Slide: Examining the Effects of Two Computer-Assisted Reading Programs

Rural Special Education Quarterly ◽

10.1177/8756870520914281 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 39 (3) ◽

pp. 116-127

Author(s):

Sekhar S. Pindiprolu ◽

Lori J. Marks

Keyword(s):

Phonemic Awareness ◽

Low Socioeconomic Status ◽

Reading Fluency ◽

Oral Reading ◽

Reading Programs ◽

Computer Assisted ◽

Learning Loss ◽

Reading Levels ◽

Low Socioeconomic ◽

Summer Reading

Students who display reading difficulties/disabilities at the end of third grade are less likely to succeed in content areas and graduate from high school than their reading-proficient peers. Literature suggests that students in rural school districts lag behind their suburban peers in terms of their reading levels and accessibility to resources. Furthermore, students from low socioeconomic status (SES) households and those who have disabilities exhibit greater learning loss during the summer break. This exploratory study examined the effects of two parent-implemented computer-based reading programs on the reading skills of 20 students at-risk for reading failure during a summer break. Parental and students’ perceptions regarding the effectiveness and desirability of the programs were elicited. Results suggested that both programs facilitated gains in phonemic awareness and phonics. Furthermore, students in the Funnix group exhibited large gains in vocabulary and oral reading fluency, and the students in the PLATO group exhibited large gains in comprehension. Most of the students indicated they liked the programs and the programs helped them read. Similarly, most of the parents agreed that the programs were useful, and they were comfortable using the programs. A description of the computer programs, results, implications, and limitations of the study are discussed.

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Theories and Research on Oral Reading Fluency: What Is Needed?

Theory and Practice in Language Studies ◽

10.17507/tpls.1004.05 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 379

Author(s):

Zainab R. Aldhanhani ◽

Emad A. S. Abu-Ayyash

Keyword(s):

Information Processing ◽

Reading Fluency ◽

Oral Reading ◽

Reading Strategies ◽

Oral Reading Fluency ◽

Reading Aloud ◽

Reading Programs ◽

Information Processing Model ◽

English Reading ◽

Shed Light

Oral reading fluency skill is considered to be the bridge to reading comprehension. However, it has been neglected in many English reading programs despite the fact that different theories (including behaviorism, information processing model theory, automaticity theory, and Ehri and McCormick’s word learning theory) have shed light on this skill. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to review theories, studies and practices relevant to this skill. This study has two aims: (1) to identify the theories underpinning oral reading strategies and (2) to identify the gap in research so far conducted on oral reading fluency. Various reading-aloud techniques and assessment methods are presented in this study. Moreover, some factors that affect students’ oral reading fluency are illustrated. Significantly, the practices that this study investigates and presents concerning teaching and assessing oral reading fluency might give an inspiration for the policymakers and curriculum designers to integrate oral reading fluency in their reading programs.

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