Predicting Intervention Effectiveness from Oral Reading Accuracy and Rate Measures through the ...

145 Pages·2012·0.74 MB·English

Predicting Intervention Effectiveness from Oral Reading Accuracy and Rate
Measures through the Learning Hierarchy/Instructional Hierarchy

A DISSERTATION
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
BY

Isadora Elisabeth Szadokierski

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Matthew K. Burns, PhD, Jennifer McComas, PhD

November 2012
© Isadora Szadokierski 2012
Acknowledgements

There are a number of people whose support and encouragement made this
dissertation possible. Firstly, I must thank my adviser, Dr. Matt Burns who first sparked
my interest in reading and fostered my growth in the area of interventions. He helped me
build my character, introduced me to the magic of incremental rehearsal and maintained
his faith in me that this day would come. In addition, I am indebted to Dr. Jennifer
McComas and her graduate assistants, including notably David Parker, Shawna Petersen-
Brown and Katie Haegele who helped collect my data. I literally could not have finished
this dissertation without you!
I must also acknowledge my wonderful cohort members, whose friendship,
support and teaching have shaped me as a professional and as a person. In particular,
Christina Boice-Mallach has been a constant companion on this journey, from meeting on
the first day of graduate school to sharing an office and the innumerable hours spent at
coffee shops encouraging each other. I look forward to future get-togethers that do not
revolve around dissertations!
My incredible parents, Stephen and Beatrice and sister, Victoria have been there
for me since the beginning, encouraging me to follow my dreams. Finally, I would never
have accomplished this goal without the constant support of my loving husband, Victor.
He has been there for me on the good days and the bad, continuing to encourage me, even
when I was not always receptive. This doctoral degree is an accomplishment for both of
us and I look forward to our future adventures together!
i
Dedication

This dissertation is dedicated to all of the students and young people whose
inquisitiveness and joy of learning inspire me to do my best to make the world a better
place for all.
ii
Abstract

The current study used the Learning Hierarchy/Instructional Hierarchy (LH/IH) to predict
intervention effectiveness based on the reading skills of students who are developing
reading fluency. Pre-intervention reading accuracy and rate were assessed for 49 second
and third grade participants who then participated in a brief experimental analysis (BEA)
to determine whether each participant responded best to an acquisition or a proficiency
intervention package. Analyses indicate significant baseline differences between students
who responded to each intervention package. Moreover, accuracy and rate have a positive
correlation with proficiency intervention effectiveness and a negative correlation with
acquisition intervention effectiveness. Predictive models and potential accuracy and rate
cut scores for making intervention decisions were also investigated.

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Table of Contents
Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. i
Dedication ........................................................................................................................... ii
Abstract .............................................................................................................................. iii
List of Tables ................................................................................................................... viii
List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... x

Chapter I: Introduction .................................................................................................... 1
Rationale for Study ......................................................................................................... 1
Reading and School Outcomes. .................................................................................. 1
Students with Reading Difficulties. ............................................................................ 3
Response to Intervention (RTI). ................................................................................. 5
Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................ 7
Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................................... 9
Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 11
A Note about “Fluency”................................................................................................ 11
Chapter II: Literature Review ....................................................................................... 13
Models of Reading Development ................................................................................. 13
Interactive Models of Reading. ................................................................................. 14
Chall’s Model of Reading Development .................................................................. 17
Reading Instruction in the Classroom ........................................................................... 19
Reading Fluency ........................................................................................................... 22
iv
Empirical Measurement ............................................................................................ 25
Reading Fluency Interventions ..................................................................................... 26
Contingent Reinforcement ........................................................................................ 27
Repeated Reading ..................................................................................................... 28
Listening Passage Preview ........................................................................................ 31
Error Correction ........................................................................................................ 33
Targeting Reading Interventions................................................................................... 35
Curriculum-Based Measurement .............................................................................. 36
Curriculum-Based Assessment ................................................................................. 37
Brief Experimental Analysis ......................................................................................... 38
BEA procedures ........................................................................................................ 40
Empirical findings ..................................................................................................... 45
Extended analyses ..................................................................................................... 46
Learning Hierarchy/Instructional Hierarchy ................................................................. 47
Present Study ................................................................................................................ 52
Chapter III: Methods ..................................................................................................... 58
Participants .................................................................................................................... 58
Materials ....................................................................................................................... 59
Reading passages ...................................................................................................... 59
Measures ....................................................................................................................... 59
General Procedures ....................................................................................................... 62
Intervention Packages ................................................................................................... 64
v
Modeling-error correction intervention package ...................................................... 65
Repeated reading-reward intervention package ........................................................ 65
Brief Experimental Analysis Phase .............................................................................. 66
Data Analyses ............................................................................................................... 67
Group classification .................................................................................................. 67
Group comparisons ................................................................................................... 68
Chapter IV: Results ........................................................................................................ 73
Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 73
Preliminary Analyses .................................................................................................... 73
Frequency .................................................................................................................. 74
Neither Intervention effectiveness group .................................................................. 77
Research Question 1: Group Differences ..................................................................... 78
Research Question 2: Relationship Between Baseline Measures and Intervention
Effectiveness ................................................................................................................. 79
Research Question 3 and 4: Predicting Intervention Effectiveness from Baseline
Measures ....................................................................................................................... 80
Single Variable Models............................................................................................. 80
Multivariable Models ................................................................................................ 85
Exploratory Cut Score Analyses ................................................................................... 90
ROC curves ............................................................................................................... 91
Further cut score analyses ......................................................................................... 94
Results Synthesis .......................................................................................................... 95
vi
Chapter V: Discussion .................................................................................................... 97
Research Question 1: Group Differences ..................................................................... 97
Neither Intervention effectiveness group .................................................................. 99
Research Question 2: Relationship between Baseline Measures and Intervention
Effectiveness ............................................................................................................... 100
Research Questions 3 and 4: Predicting Intervention Effectiveness from Baseline
Measures ..................................................................................................................... 101
Rate versus normalized rate .................................................................................... 101
Multivariable models .............................................................................................. 102
Single variable models ............................................................................................ 103
Exploratory Analyses .................................................................................................. 104
Potential Theoretical Implications .............................................................................. 106
Practical Implications.................................................................................................. 108
Limitations .................................................................................................................. 111
Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 113
References ...................................................................................................................... 114
Appendices ..................................................................................................................... 127
Appendix A: Consent form ......................................................................................... 127
Appendix B: Assent form ........................................................................................... 130
Appendix C: Baseline phase instructions ................................................................... 131
Appendix D: BEA phase – Modeling-error correction instructions ........................... 132
Appendix E: BEA phase – Repeated reading-reward instructions ............................. 133
vii
List of Tables
Table 1 Learning Hierarchy ............................................................................................ 49
Table 2 Effectiveness Group Charateristics ..................................................................... 77
Table 3 Mean Difference Comparisons using Bonferroni Post-Hoc Tests and Associated
p-values ................................................................................................................. 79
Table 4 Point Bi-serial Correlations Between Intervention Effectiveness Status and
Median Baseline Rate ........................................................................................... 80
Table 5 Pseduo R2 and Chi Square (χ2) Values for the Single Variable Logistic
Regression Models Predicting Intervention Effectiveness .................................... 81
Table 6 Percentage of Cases Correctly Classified and Hosmer and Lemeshow Test Chi
Square Results with p-value for the Single Variable Logistic Regression Models
Predicting Intervention Effectiveness .................................................................. 82
Table 7 Predictor Variable Odds Ratios and 95% Confidence Intervals from the Single
Variable Logistic Regression Models Predicting Intervention Effectiveness ....... 84
Table 8 Pseudo R2 and Chi Square (χ2) Values from the Multivariable Logistic
Regression Models Predicting Intervention Effectiveness .................................... 86
Table 9 Percentage of Cases Correctly Classified and Hosmer and Lemeshow Test Chi
Square Results with p-value from the Multivariable Logistic Regression Models
Predicting Intervention Effectiveness ................................................................... 87
Table 10 Predictor Variable Odds Ratios and 95% Confidence Intervals from the
Multivariable Logistic Regression Models Predicting Intervention Effectiveness 89
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