The effects of individualizing instructional interventions for fourth-grade struggling parents

Abstract

The study examined the efficacy of individualizing instructional interventions for fourth grade struggling readers. The lowest performing students were selected and individual pre-test measures were obtained using the Reading Fluency Indicator, the Test of Word Reading Efficiency, and subtests ofthe Woodcock-Johnson III. Eligible students were placed in one of two conditions; Learning Profile Intervention (LPI) or Reading Level Intervention (RLI). In addition to classroom instruction, students in both groups received 30 minutes of daily, small-group, pull-out instruction. Instruction for the LPI group was designed to meet their individual literacy needs with an emphasis on either fluency, comprehension or word study. Instruction for the RLI group consisted of a variety of instructional components designed to meet the varied needs of the group. The results demonstrated that students benefited from the additional instruction in both conditions, and there was preliminary data suggesting a steeper learning trajectory for students in the RLI group. Helping students to read fluently with comprehension at grade level has far reaching implications for success at school.