Does Ticket to Read Improve Comprehension in Struggling ...
Transcript of Does Ticket to Read Improve Comprehension in Struggling ...
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Does Ticket to Read Improve Comprehension in Struggling Readers?
Jennifer Dino
Kennesaw State University
April 2106
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Abstract
Literacy and reading is key in education and a successful learning experience.
There are many methods in reading instruction and computer based learning is gaining
momentum in today’s classrooms. This action research takes a look at a specific Computer
Assisted Instruction reading program called Ticket to Read in order to view growth in reading
comprehension in struggling readers that use the program. Quantitative data was collected
spanning a 14 week time frame during the 2015-2016 school year. Seven 5th grade students who
were reading below grade level were selected to participate in the Ticket to Read program. The
participants’ Lexile levels were measured through the Scholastic Reading Inventory at four
intervals during the research period. Data indicated that progress was made by all students who
used the program.
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Introduction
Background
Literacy is at the core of education. I have worked with students who are struggling
readers for many years. I have participated in trainings, workshops, and independent studies
looking for quality research based curriculum and tools in order to help my students make
progress and be successful. Haager & Klingler (2005) state that no topic in education has been
more controversial than how to teach reading. As our nation’s education continues through the
21st Century, we as teachers must prepare ourselves to teach differently. More specifically we
must differentiate and provide direct instruction to those students who struggle in reading. Early
intervention and effective remedial programs are necessary to foster improved reading skills and
prevent future reading difficulties (Potocki, Magnan, & Ecalle, 2014). These difficulties can
lead to a lack of motivation and unwillingness to use traditional strategies and in some cases lead
to school dropouts (Stetter & Hughes, 2011). One such innovative and more engaging teaching
method includes the use of technology in order to support and improve skills in struggling
readers. Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) programs are being designed to promote better
comprehension and fluency skills and are growing at an unprecedented speed.
Demographics
The location of the research study is a high achieving school in a suburban area of a large
metropolitan city in the Southeast. The community is above average on the socio economic
status scale in relation to the state average. The average annual household income in the school
zone is $99,000 (Demographic and socioeconomic details, 2012). The majority of students have
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a great deal of life experiences and opportunities that provide them with more than basic
readiness skills to succeed. Parental involvement within in the school is high. The school
receives a great deal of support from PTA, the school foundation, and community business
partners. Currently, with a student body of approximately 900, 84% of the student body is
Caucasian, 6% is Asian, and 3% each for Black and bi-racial ethnicities. Less than 4% of
students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and 8% of students qualify for special education
services.
With a 98% achievement rate in reading and math on state standardized tests it is difficult
to show annual growth. The Career and College Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) that the
state has adopted expects annual growth. Our school improvement plan strives for students who
exceed expectations to maintain their level, students who have met expectations to show growth
or exceed, and for students who have not met expectations to meet the minimum standard.
When considering struggling readers, they typically fall into the “does not meet” or
“barely meets” categories. In order to help push them to the next level we must provide
continued quality and direct instruction. CAI is one option in addressing this goal and therefore
indicates relevance to this study.
Impact
A child’s family, community, and certainly their school play an important role in helping
them develop reading and literacy skills. Another impacting factor is the teaching strategies
employed by the educator. It is well known that more learning is achieved when students are
active listeners, learners, and readers. More academic reading growth is seen when this occurs.
However, teachers’ reading instruction strategies vary. It is suggested that with organized
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strategy instruction students benefit. A 1996 report from the United States Department of
Education indicated that reading instruction in the United States was beginning to transition.
The data suggested that teachers were using more explicit strategy instruction with literacy and
reading comprehension (Binkley & Williams, 1996). The pendulum was once again swinging,
and this time it was away from the previously adopted Whole Language system. Where are we
now with regard to teaching comprehension? And how can we help struggling readers become
successful readers?
Problem and Research Question
It is true that good readers have an organized approach. However, just because a student
demonstrates that he/she is a “good reader” when they are young does not mean that as they age
they will continue to fall into the same category without continuing to improve their organization
and strategy in reading. Therefore, it is necessary to continue instructing students and providing
opportunities for their abilities to grow. Likewise, while good readers have an organized
approach to reading, literacy, and comprehension, the struggling reader may not even notice or
recognize organization as a strategy to integrate knowledge and understanding. These tools must
be given to all readers where they are in relation to their skill levels.
There is a great deal of research available on many teaching formats from Whole
Language to skills and phonics programs. Reports from national organizations such as the
National Assessment of Educational Progress (2013) indicate that students in the US are only
performing above proficiency in the fourth and eighth grades at an average of 35.5%. Students
with disabilities scored in the 11th percentile of proficiency. It is evident that explicit instruction
is necessary to foster progress and students must be given opportunity for engagement to help
with motivation in order to succeed (Bryant, Kim, Ok, Kane, Bryant, Lang, & Son, 2014). With
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so much growth in technology it is important to discover how new digital resources can be used
in education to motivate and promote increase comprehension skills.
Software programs have been developed over the last 15 – 20 years in order to create a
positive impact on student learning in many subject areas. Reading comprehension is one of
these. Studies have been performed to test the overall efficacy of such programs. I have used
several different programs ranging from traditional explicit strategy instruction to CAI programs
in reading. With this growth and change in our teaching and learning options I am led to do my
Action Research on the impact of CAI and reading comprehension. One of the programs
available is called Ticket to Read. Therefore, my specific research question is: does Ticket to
Read improve reading comprehension in struggling readers?
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Definition of Terms
Terms important to this study are defined as follows:
Autism- a spectrum of complex disorders in brain development, present from early childhood,
characterized by difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in
using language and abstract concepts
CAI – computer assisted instruction. Software or programs designed for the computer to aid in
student learning or practice.
CBI – computer based instruction. Software or programs designed for the computer to aid in
student learning or practice.
Digital natives – today’s students (K-college) who have grown up understanding digital
technology
Explicit strategy instruction- refers to the practice of- teaching students learning strategies clearly
and systematically.
IEP – Individual Education Plan: a written statement of the educational program designed to
meet a child's individual needs. Every child who receives special education services must have
an IEP.
Lexile Level/Score – the numeric representation or “score” of an individual’s reading ability.
The term is also used to describe a text’s readability.
Other Health Impaired - having limited strength, vitality or alertness, including a heightened
alertness to environmental stimuli resulting in limited alertness with respect to the educational
environment that is due to chronic or acute health problems
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PTA- Parent Teacher Association
RTI – Response to Intervention: a multi-tier approach to the early identification and support of
students with learning and behavior needs. The RTI process begins with high-quality instruction
and universal screening of all children in the general education classroom.
SRI – Scholastic Reading Inventory – research based, computer assessment used to determine a
student’s reading level or ability using a Lexile score.
Specific Learning Disability – a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes
involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an
imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, or to do mathematical calculations
Target – the district name for the advanced learning program. Students must meet specific
criteria in intelligence, motivation and creativity to qualify.
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Literature Review
Introduction
My Action Research is stationed within the literature about reading comprehension and
strategies that impact its growth and progress. Reading comprehension is vital to academic
success. A goal for all elementary students is to attain adequate reading comprehension, as it is
the building block for continued learning across the curriculum and their educational career
(Spörer, Brunstsein, & Kieschke, 2009). In this section, I review and report theories and
empirical research on this topic including focus on general comprehension and literacy,
strategies used to improve comprehension, and the specific strategy of the use of Computer
Assisted Instruction (CAI); including pros and cons found within the research.
Literacy and Comprehension
Reading comprehension is the ability to process and understand written text. Students
who struggle with reading often have deficits in this area. Successful reading is a complex
interaction of language, sensory perception, memory, knowledge, and motivation. Students who
struggle to learn to read require intense amounts of practice: therefore, special care must be taken
to ensure that motivation is maintained (Allor & Chard 2011). The RAND report (2002) divides
comprehension “into three elements: the reader, the text, and the activity or purpose for reading”
(pg.11). Each reader has his/her own level of cognition, purpose, knowledge, and experience.
Comprehension is also impacted by the specific type of text. The various genres available
require different strategies for understanding. Finally, there is impact based on the purpose of
reading, as different strategies for comprehension are used for processing different types of text.
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According to studies in the United States, 90% of students with learning disabilities have
difficulty with independent reading and comprehension (Vaughn, Levy, & Coleman 2002). This
can preclude students from being successful in content area reading because they simply do not
have the foundation to be able to understand what they are reading. “Such challenges raise
considerable barriers to academic performance.” (Hall et al., 2014 p. 72), and “teachers are left
trying to adapt curricula to meet the varied needs of their students while devising creative ways
to engage all students” (Coyne, et al., 2006 p.10).
Teaching Comprehension Strategies
Research indicates multiple strategies to be used in reading comprehension. However, the
strategies all fit under the umbrella of two main types: cognitive and metacognitive. Souvignier
& Mokhlesgermai (2006) explain that metacognitive strategies are the checks and balances to
ensure the cognitive strategies supported true understanding of what was read. They categorize
this with the OECM–schema, as presented in Figure 1 which indicates that Organization
(strategies that summarize text) and Elaboration (strategies that go beyond a text) fall into both
Cognitive and Metacognitive strategies. Cognitively, we see organization strategies including the
task of underlining important information and summarizing important details. While elaboration
strategies would include thinking about the headline or generating imaginations. Metacognitive
organization strategies are demonstrated through recall of main ideas and elaboration includes
asking questions and checking understanding. One such organization strategy is the use of
graphic organizers, however it is important to note that its effectiveness can be diminished when
students are overwhelmed with extraneous processing—that is, cognitive processing that does
not serve the instructional goal (Ponce, Mayer, & Lopez 2013). Training and direct teacher
involvement must be a part of teaching students to use strategies.
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Strategies that summarize a text
(Organization)
Strategies that go beyond a text
(Elaboration)
Cognitive Strategies - Underline important information
- Summarize important ideas
- Think about the headline
- Generate imaginations
Metacognitive Strategies - Check, if main ideas can be
remembered
- Ask questions
- Check understanding
Fig. 1. Categorization of reading strategies by the ‘OECM’-schema.
The RAND Reading Study Group published the following findings showing what works
for comprehension growth and pertains to the present topic:
(1) Enhancing reading fluency has a significant effect on word recognition but moderate
effect on reading comprehension.
(2) Instruction on specific learning strategies and monitoring mechanisms has proved
effective in fostering reading comprehension.
(3) Low-achieving students benefit particularly from explicit teaching of comprehension
strategies.
(4) Curricular integration of comprehension strategies into specific content domains, such
as history and science, further develop reading comprehension.
(5) Teachers should dedicate more time and offer more support to students in the
classroom, particularly in primary and upper elementary grades, to teach specific reading
comprehension strategies (Rand, 2002).
Computer Assisted Instruction
In a world in which electronic reading is becoming increasingly common, the reading
platform today has shifted from traditional text to hypertext (Lan et al., 2014). Today’s 21st
century students are “digital natives” as defined by Prensky (2001). They process and learn in a
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very different manner than students did in the not so distant past. For this reason alone, it is
obvious that “the same methods that worked for the teachers when they were students will work
for their students now” is no longer valid (Prensky, 2001, p. 3). CAI or the use of computer
based instructional programs to improve reading comprehension is a growing option to provide
effective support to struggling readers. “Computer technology is theorized to be a part of a long
term solution for improving instruction for students with learning and attention problems due to
the inherent nature of technology that can provide consistent highly specialized instruction and
practice for a relatively low cost” (Regan et al., 2014, p. 107; Stetter & Hughes, 2011). Delacruz
(2014) suggests that the use of multimedia meets more metacognition needs and provides the
opportunity for more in depth thinking. Studies have indicated that new technologies could
present better ways to serve students in reading, compared to a traditional print book (Robinson
& Stubbered, 2012). Not only does CAI aim to improve comprehension in students with learning
disabilities, but it can be of great benefit to teachers and the quality of instruction that meets
individual needs of students (Coyne, Ganley, Hall, Meo, Murray, & Gordon 2006). However, as
with any strategy, success is dependent on the quality of training and instruction provided to the
student by the teacher.
Teaching explicit reading strategies takes a great deal of planning and understanding of
the strategy on the part of the instructor. The use of computer assisted instruction can “create a
proper environment for teaching assistance which can relieve teachers from their burden in
implementing strategy instruction and help them to increase students’ opportunities and
willingness to use reading strategies outside the classroom” (Sung, Chang, & Huang 2007). In
general, empirical evidence demonstrates that multiple-strategy instruction integrated into the
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curriculum can work well in schools and can improve reading comprehension over students
instructed with traditional methods (Rand, 2002).
Hall, Cohen, Vue, and Ganley (2014) point out that using technology based reading
instruction can not only help students improve, but are an asset to teachers. With the use of CAI
the data is collected and analyzed by the program thus, freeing the teacher to spend more time
instructing students in the deficit areas that are quickly reported by the programs. “In addition,
the visual aspect of the graphed data…assisted teachers in easily reading and
analyzing data to determine whether changes needed to be made. The same visual
aspect served a dual role of enabling students to be self-reflective on their work,
potentially enhancing their motivation.” (Hall, et al., 2014 p. 82)
Computers are generally more available in classrooms today than ever before. Benefits
of using CAI include immediate feedback for students and teachers, provide opportunity for
interdependence and self-pacing, and enhance motivation. (Sung, et al., 2007). Research supports
increased motivation and engagement with the use of computer based instruction (Laverick,
2014). The greatest purpose of the use of CAI is to boost a learner’s strategies and
comprehension (Sung et al., 2007). However, it should be noted that while computers are more
available many times appropriate software is not. Schools often do not supply adequate
materials or provide programs that do not meet the needs of all learners.
Stetter and Hughes (2011) conducted research to find if the use of story mapping through
CAI would improve reading comprehension in their students and to discover the students’
perceptions about utilizing computer based instruction as a support. While participants did not
show growth on the formative quizzes given during the study period, four out of six showed
improvement on the standardized pre and posttest, the Gates-MacGinitie. Other studies suggest
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that students improve their ability to comprehend due to their increased ease of referencing story
text, and important vocabulary when presented in computerized form (Pearman, 2008). Stetter
and Hughes (2001) point out that while many students “enjoy” using the computer programs they
do not always use the resources within the program to actually benefit from the strategies being
offered. They also caution us to be aware that not all students prefer reading on the screen,
therefore may not perform as well as with the use of traditional print.
During the study of a specific CAI program called Lexia SOS, the purpose was to find
correlations between the use of the software and improved reading scores for students with mild
disabilities in specific skill areas of reading. Findings suggested that the program resulted in
positive outcomes in basic decoding and fluency (Regan, Berkley, Hughes, & Kirby 2014).
Struggling readers need multiple options in order to find what works best for them. It is unlikely
that their reading deficits will improve without intervention. When children are reading below
expectations they typically do not like to read which exacerbates the situation. “The gap
between them and their skilled peers therefore increases (Stanovich, 2000; Potocki, Magnan, &
Ecalle 2014). Explicit intervention has been proven to be effective to support these deficit areas
in struggling readers. The use of computerized programs are also demonstrating general gains in
decoding and comprehension.
In a quantitative study by researchers Cullen, Alber-Morgan, Schnell, & Wheaton (2014),
the goal was discover the effect of the use of the Headsprout Comprehension program in students
who were categorized as having with high-incidence disabilities. In addition, they inquired
about the opinions of the students using the program. Standardized test scores, interview and
surveys were used with the participants. The overall outcome indicated positive results and
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showed this CAI to be an effective intervention for increasing the reading comprehension skills
of students with high-incidence disabilities (Cullen et al., 2014).
Another specific CAI program is Ticket to Read. “Ticket to Read is an interactive, Web-
based, student-centered learning component that promotes practice of actual text reading and
provides sequential, structured lessons in phonics” (Peyton & Macpherson, 2009 p.2).
Motivation is a key factor in the use of CAI. Students must continue to be challenged and
interested in order to remain engaged. This program offers interactive feedback to the students
through animated characters. This offers virtual social interaction between the student and the
program as support and motivation.
Researchers address another issue in a study on the effectiveness of computer supported
software in comprehension instruction. They ask whether cognitive strategies for reading
comprehension can be taught effectively within a computer-based system that systematically
uses direct instruction and practice. Overall, the major findings reported in the foregoing sections
are that a computer-based program (e-PELS) for teaching a collection of reading comprehension
strategies resulted in more improvement in reading comprehension performance than traditional
instruction, and the effectiveness of e-PELS was particularly strong for lower-achieving students.
(Ponce, Lopez, & Mayer, 2012).
Questions have been raised over the delivery of reading instruction. Researchers wonder
how the effectiveness of electronic material compares to material presented in print (Dolenc,
Abersek, & Abersek 2015). Historically, direct instruction of comprehension methods and
strategies have been presented by a teacher using text from printed sources using paper and
pencil for showing understanding. There are conflicting opinions about print versus screen
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education. Lots of research has been compiled comparing the two. Both sides agree direct
strategy instruction improves metacognition, which in turn improves comprehension.
Lenhard, Baier, Endlich, Schneider, and Hoffman (2013) studied comprehension impact
via direct strategy instruction and computer based practice. Their belief is that CAI aims to
improve comprehension. They selected two programs to compare. For traditional direct strategy
instruction they employed the Reading Detectives program. The computer based program was
conText. Both programs focused on strengthening summarizing skills. Pre-test scores of all
participants did not present any significant difference in fluency, verbal intelligence,
metacognitive knowledge or reading comprehension. While data from both groups showed
improvement, greater gains were shown in the conText group. They conclude that their findings
suggest that guided practice support through computer based instruction distinguished by
repetition and practice and provides immediate feedback to students, “is superior to explicitly
teaching strategy knowledge” (Lenhard et al, 2013). Conversely, another group of researchers
completed a study in 2013 in which the purpose was to also find the impact of reading on certain
aspects of reading comprehension. The results were not favorable for the screen presentation.
They indicated that this type of reading led to poorer comprehension than reading the same text
on paper due to reading speed and processing which they found to be slower in the computer
based lesson. (Dolenc, Abersek, & Abersek 2015). However, findings from other studies
conclude that there was no significant difference in the effects on comprehension when
comparing printed text to screen (Aydemir, Ozturk, & Horzum, 2013; Doty, Poppelwell, &
Byers, 2001; Maynard & McKnight, 2001).
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Summary
In summary, comprehension in reading is the foundation for all that we learn from the
written word. Some students have stronger cognitive abilities which makes comprehending an
easier task; a task that they may not have to really even think about. On the other hand, some
students have weaknesses in cognition which impact their understanding. Direct reading
instruction to improve meta-cognition provides strategies or tools for struggling readers to use
when reading. There are varying opinions about what kind of instruction is most effective.
Studies for all types of instruction intervention have been completed and have had varying
results. However, one point they all seem to agree upon is students do benefit from reading
instruction interventions, overall. With the technology boom, more options have continually
been made available for intervention with CAI. Based on previous research outcomes that have
indicated varying results, it is apparent that continued research in the field of CAI is necessary.
This raises the question: How does the use of CAI impact Lexile level and comprehension?
Methodology
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine how we can use new technologies and digital
resources to improve reading. Various computer programs that claim to promote improved
comprehension have been studied with varying outcomes. I believe that more research and data
is needed on this topic. I will seek more information to discover the impact on comprehension
with the use of CAI, specifically the Ticket to Read program.
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Setting
The specific classroom is a fifth grade co-taught inclusion setting. The classroom make
up is close to being equally divided between girls and boys with a total of 25 students. Ten
students qualify for Target (advanced learning program), three students are on Tier 2 in the RTI
process, and seven have IEP’s. The student’s with disabilities include eligibility categories of
Specific Learning Disability, Other Health Impaired, and Autism.
Participants
Participants in the study will include seven students who are reading below grade level.
Not all students in the study receive special education services. Results of the Scholastic Reading
Inventory (SRI) were used to determine the Lexile level of each student. The participating
students scored a Lexile level of 825 or below. Grade level expectations are between the ranges
of 830-1010. Four of the students are currently receiving special education services through an
IEP and three of the students are on Tier 2 in the RTI process. The parents of all participants are
actively involved in their child’s education, providing support at home as well as within the
school itself. All student participants have internet access at home.
Design
Data will be collected through a quantitative design. As the students complete tasks and
levels within the CAI program, quantitative data will be recorded over nine weeks. This will
consist of formative and summative assessment scores that are given within and throughout the
Ticket to Read program. Additionally, Lexile scores will be measured before, midway through,
and at the end of the data collection period. Scores will be compared and analyzed using
measures of central tendency and dispersion by calculating mean, median, and the range.
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Intervention
Each student will be enrolled in a computer based supplemental reading program called
Ticket to Read in which they will begin at an entry level determined by the program based on a
pre-assessment within the platform. It is a self-paced, student-centered online program that aims
to improve reading performance as they complete tasks in the areas of foundational skills,
fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Students will read electronic books and complete a
series of tasks following the readings which include vocabulary acquisition, oral and silent
reading fluency, and comprehension questions. Levels passed are determined by the scores and
performance.
Instruments and Procedures
Instruments used for data collection include Lexile measurement in four week intervals to
obtain a score using the computer based Scholastic Reading Inventory (SRI) program. Students
will silently read passages based on their current grade level placement. After each passage is
read they will answer a comprehension question based on the reading. The passages increase in
difficulty as the student continues to answer correctly. The program then provides the student
with a Lexile score. Data will also be collected using scores from the CAI program Ticket to
Read as students complete tasks, activities, and levels within the program.
Once the student’s baseline Lexile score is determined they will begin the Ticket to Read
program on a correlating level using their Lexile score. Next, they will complete assignments
within the program including leveled passage reading with correlating comprehension questions
and fluency passages that students can record and score. At the end of the study, the students will
take the SRI again to determine the impact of the program and reading growth.
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Data Analysis and Interpretation
The quantitative data will include formative and summative assessment scores from the
Ticket to Read program. During each “lesson” students complete tasks that are scored and
reported through the SRI will be used to assess Lexile levels at the beginning of the study and at
the end. Scores will be graphed and analyzed after completing the specified number of weeks
and/or lessons.
Results
Research was conducted over a 14 week time period which included two breaks from
school. During this time students participated in the CAI (Computer Assisted Instruction) Ticket
to Read program.
Each student’s Lexile score prior to using the program was recorded and then checked in
four week intervals. From beginning to end, all participants demonstrated growth in Lexile
performance. Figure 1.1 shows the average growth in Lexile score was 143.5, however it should
be noted that this includes an outlier for the student participant who was reading just at grade
level expectation at the beginning of the research while other student participants were below or
far below grade level. The median was 135 and the range was 200. There was no applicable
mode in the data set.
Students were able to use the Ticket to Read program at school and at home, therefore
their session participation numbers vary. The mean of session participation was 24.5. The
median and mode were 25, while the range was 26. It should be noted that one student
participant experienced a great deal of absences due to illness during the research period and
only completed 9 sessions which is much lower in comparison to other students.
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Figure 1.1
Figure 1.2 indicates an upward trend progress for all student participants. The student
participant who is categorized as “far below” grade level based on his Lexile score, did show
some progress. However, his total Lexile growth was the least of the students not reading on
grade level. Also, the student participant who was reading at or on grade level did not show as
much progress/growth as the others.
Figure 1.2
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Conclusion
This action research demonstrated how the CAI, Ticket to Read impacted struggling
readers who participated in the program. Greater gains were seen in struggling readers who are
reading below grade level, as opposed to the participant who was very close to grade level
comprehension when beginning the program. However, the overall results positively support the
research question. Ticket to Read does improve reading comprehension in struggling readers.
Noted limitations include the following: It is unknown how much additional, traditional direct
reading instruction each participant received during the research period. Also, this program is
internet dependent. Part of the participation time was completed before or after school hours,
therefore on occasion some students experienced connectivity issues for various reasons
sometimes causing a stressful experience for the student. Finally, this is not a free resource and
funding must be allocated for its annual subscription.
Technology advances in education and differentiation in instruction are not going away.
Embracing these changes and finding quality instructional and engaging programming for our
students must be part of the 21st Century teacher’s job description. This study indicated that this
group of struggling readers responded positively to Ticket to Read. This program is designed for
students in first through eighth grade. Additional research should be conducted to see if this
growth is supported by the use of Ticket to Read across other grade levels.
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Appendix
A. Ticket to Read Student Login Dates
28
B. Weekly Summary Report Example
29
C. SRI Reports
HC
30
HB
31
AN
32
KP
33
EV
34
AW