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Beyond Sound Boxes: the case for sublexical fluency and auditory discrimination tasks in the phonological awareness intervention of an English language learner with language impairment
Get PDFPhonological awareness and expressive language are important prerequisites for any reader, but in the case of an emergent English Language Learner (ELL) with language impairment, the task of developing phonological sensitivity and expressive language can be as challenging as it is crucial. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect that sublexical fluency and auditory discrimination tasks will have on the phonological awareness and expressive language of a first grade ELL with language impairment who did not respond to previous treatment of a more common phonological awareness intervention, Road to the Code (Blachman, Ball, Black, & Tangel, 2000), specifically on the task of phonemic segmentation. This former intervention used Elkonin, or sound, boxes, and a routine of teacher modeling, imitation, and corrective feedback with emphasis on saying words slowly to hear and segment the individual sounds in words. The results of this study suggest that a phonological awareness intervention that focuses instead on sublexical fluency and auditory discrimination tasks-two elements commonly missing from most prescriptive phonological awareness interventions-can have a positive impact on the phonological awareness and expressive language of even the most linguistically-desensitized learners
Substance abuse problems in criminal offenders: the role of psychopathy and anxiety
No full textSubstance abuse is a significant problem that often begins during adolescence. Many areas of an individual’s life may be affected, including physical and mental health, educational or occupational status, personal relationships, finances, and legal issues. Current treatment options for substance abuse exist, but are complicated and have limitations. Anxiety and psychopathy are important psychological characteristics to understand in examining substance abuse, particularly for criminal offender populations. In this study, adult male prison inmates will be classified based on trait anxiety (assessed with the Welsh Anxiety Scale) and psychopathy (assessed with the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised). The study’s hypotheses are that (1) psychopathic prison inmates will have greater substance abuse problems (as measured with the SCID and MAST-AD) than non-psychopathic prison inmates, and (2) psychopathic prison inmates with high anxiety will have greater substance abuse problems than psychopathic inmates with low anxiety
Attitudes and perceptions toward telehealth: racial differences
No full textThis study examined the attitudes and perceptions members of the dominant racial groups in the United States hold toward the use of telehealth for medical and mental health services. The study used a convenience sample of 109 participants (54 White, 30 Black, 9 Asian, 9 Hispanic and 7 Mixed). Measures were administered to assess demographic information, as well as the TAQ, a questionnaire designed to survey the attitudes and perceptions participants hold toward telehealth (Grubaugh et al., 2008). The TAQ generated data on level of comfort with teleheath and telepsychiatry, the level of concern about using it and availability to information technologies. The researcher hypothesized significant differences to exist between racial groups; however, overall results did not support this in attitudes and perceptions toward telehealth or access to information services. There was a significant difference in the concerns the groups had about using telehealth (X2 (n = 109) = 9.76, p = .03). This study was preliminary in nature and more research must be done to support any inferences to the larger population
Improving comprehension and vocabulary through small group instruction with second grade students
Get PDFLiteracy continues to be an area of focus in today’s classrooms. Learning to reading and reading to learn are a large part of what teachers are teaching in classrooms. Students that struggle with reading need extra support. The following research closely examines the use of small group intervention within the classroom setting to support readers struggling with vocabulary and comprehension skills. The study used formal and informal assessments to measure growth of four second grade students. The assessments were administered pre and post intervention over the course of six weeks. The results are presented as well as the strengths and limitations of the study. The researcher also made recommendations for each student involved in the study
Effects of a developmental, word-stage approach to spelling instruction in first grade
Get PDFRecent research from the past decade suggests that the traditional model of spelling instruction based on rote memorization are not as effective as the developmental, word-stage model that teaches students spelling patterns based on their stage of spelling development (Abbott, 2000; Bear, Invernizzi, Johnston, & Templeton, 1996; Bear & Templeton, 1998; Ganske, 1999; Johnston, 1999). In addition, research indicates that the use of word study and word sorting found in word-stage spelling models benefits student\u27s overall literacy ability. Students learn to spell as they actively investigate how words work with memorization being only a small part of this process (Rymer &Williams, 2000). The current study tests these theories. Five, first grade students participated in daily spelling instruction using a word-stage, developmental approach for six weeks, alongside pre and post test measures using a developmental spelling analysis of word features. Results of the study indicate that use of this type of spelling assessment and instruction did increase the specific word feature knowledge of participants, as well as their overall spelling ability
Use of concept map correction, conversation, and summarization to improve the comprehension of seventh grade ELLs using their social studies text
Get PDFThe purpose of this research study is to assess the effectiveness of concept-map correction, summarization, and conversation on the comprehension of English language learners (ELLs) of social studies texts. The students selected for this five-week study are four seventh-grade students from a suburban school district in the Midwest. The study began with a pre-test. After the pre-test, the students read a different passage from their social studies book each week. Every week each students individually corrected a concept map, wrote a summary, and had a conversation about the content they had studied. At the end of five weeks, a post-test was given. The results of the study concluded that students improved or maintained in their comprehension of the social studies content they were expected to know
Social skills decreases social anxiety for children with emotional behavioral disabilities
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to determine if social anxiety could be reduced through the implementation of social skill streaming activities. Nine 14 to 18-year-old male students were introduced to specific social skills and topics throughout the six-week intervention, and taught ways to interact appropriately with others. In order for students to reduce social anxiety, they need opportunities to practice socializing and interacting with others in a safe and secure environment. In this study, the social lessons were centered on the following topics: introducing yourself, turn taking, asking for assistance, special interests, and conversation starters. The students participated in a variety of activities in a highly structured, small group setting which allowed for one-on-one conversations with peers and staff for one hour per day. The intervention included short readings in Social Time magazine, with worksheets and discussions to enhance the information. Students worked in groups to create classroom visuals such as a mind sight wheel where students identified seven places or things that placed them in a happy and calm mind set. The group also made individual five point anxiety scales, labeling the emotions they felt at each of the five stages. Social anxiety was measured weekly, based upon each individual\u27s behavior log, as well as levels the researcher and individual identified at the end of each day. Prior to the intervention, students took as a pretest the Liebowitz Anxiety Scale. At the end of the intervention the students retook the scale and the researcher analyzed the pre and post test scores to determine if anxiety was or was not effectively decreased
Effect of repeated readings on the fluency and comprehension scores of an eighth grade student with a learning disability
Get PDFThe purpose of this case study was to determine if repeated readings had an effect on the fluency and comprehension scores of an eighth grade student with a learning disability. The researcher conducted pre-intervention assessments that identified fluency as the student’s primary area of need. A repeated reading fluency intervention was implemented, which is a method that utilizes rereading passages until a predetermined fluency goal is achieved (Samuels, 1979). Four dependent variables were measured with pre and post-tests and progress monitoring: rate, accuracy, prosody, and comprehension. Post-tests revealed a substantial decrease in rate, no change in accuracy and comprehension, and a minimal increase in prosody. However, progress monitoring data demonstrated a considerable increase in rate, moderate gains in accuracy, and a minimal increase in prosody. Analysis identified an unequal distribution of motivational factors—such as text-interest and passage length—between assessment and intervention passages. Intervention passages contained more favorable motivational components; thus, motivation was determined to be the moderating variable between the results. Therefore, the researcher concluded that motivation is a highly salient variable that must be taken into account when designing literacy interventions for struggling adolescent readers. Limitations of the study, recommendations for future research, and instructional implications for the student were also discussed
Impact of Vocabulary Intervention on the Receptive Vocabulary Comprehension of 8th Graders with Identified Disabilities
Get PDFThe purpose of this action research study was to examine the relationship between content vocabulary instruction and student acquisition of that vocabulary. The research question for the study stated: “How does implementing a specific vocabulary intervention affect students’ understanding of academic content area vocabulary and influence global receptive vocabulary for 8th graders?” The design of this study is a quantitative research project and studied student results using a pretest and posttest of receptive vocabulary as well as an assessment in content specific vocabulary. The receptive vocabulary assessment from the Receptive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test, 2nd edition by Academic Therapy Publications measured students’ overall receptive language, and the content vocabulary assessment, designed by the researcher, measured understanding of specific vocabulary taught in the intervention. Robert Marzano’s Vocabulary Intervention was used as the framework for the intervention (Marzano, 2004). The independent variable was identified as the Marzano vocabulary intervention and the dependent variable was results of the listed pre and post assessments. Students participated in a 6-week intervention which included 30 minutes of vocabulary instruction, 3 days per week, totaling 90 minutes per week. Data was analyzed using a two-tailed paired t-test to compare pre and post assessment data. The p value most commonly used in education research of p= \u3c.05 was used to determine statistical difference and determine credibility of the null hypothesis. . Results of the teacher created assessment reached statistical significance (p = 0.000044). The null hypothesis was not supported. Statistical analysis of The Receptive One-Word Picture Vocabulary (p = 0.47) supported the null hypothesis. Further research on the topic of vocabulary instruction should be conducted to foster further student success in this area
Effects of comprehension, writing, fluency, & vocabulary interventions on the literacy of an eighth grade student with a learning disability
Get PDFIn this study, the effects of research based literacy interventions in the areas of comprehension, writing, fluency, and vocabulary were implemented on a struggling reading with a learning disability. The aim was to find out if these interventions would help to increase the student’s overall literacy skills. A student, identified as having a Speech and Language Impairment (SPLI) as well as Cognitive Disability (CD) who was transitioning into 9th grade was the center of this study. The student struggled with comprehension of expository texts, organized writing, sentence structure, fluency, and acquiring new vocabulary. Various interventions were examined, and then implemented based on the needs of this particular student. It was discovered, that a one on one intervention was successful based on the results of the data collection before, after, and during the implementation of these various intervention strategies