Fostering word fluency of struggling third graders from Germany through motivational peer-tutorial reading racetracks
Date
2022-01-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Reading and Writing
Abstract
Automation of frequently used words is a key component in the development of reading fluency. However, acquiring fast word recognition skills is a serious challenge for many children in their early years of formal education. Lagging word recognition leads to general reading problems, as fluency is a vital prerequisite for text comprehension. Recent research shows that the percentage of struggling elementary school readers in Germany is increasing, speaking to the need for widespread implementation of effective word recognition interventions. This pilot study aims to provide preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of peer-tutorial reading racetrack training with an integrated motivational system for the sight word fluency of German struggling elementary school students. The intervention comprised twelve 15-min teaching units over a period of three weeks. To encourage reading motivation, the intervention included graphing of performance scores and a group contingency procedure. A control-experimental group design (N = 44) with pre-, post-, and two follow-up measurements (each after five weeks) was employed to investigate the impact of the treatment on decoding sight words at an appropriate speed. Results demonstrated a significant performance increase in the treatment group, relative to the control group. The effect size can be considered very high (partial η2 = .76), indicating that this brief training has the potential to enhance the word recognition of struggling elementary students.
Description
This article was originally published in Reading and Writing. The version of record is available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-021-10172-3. © The Author(s) 2021.
Keywords
effective intervention, reading fluency, motivational components, peer tutoring, racetracks, quality education
Citation
Barwasser, A., Urton, K., Grünke, M. et al. Fostering word fluency of struggling third graders from Germany through motivational peer-tutorial reading racetracks. Read Writ 35, 29–53 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-021-10172-3