Enhancing Reading Skills in 1st Grade Children

NCT03644914 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: AAAR8813
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 24
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of the present study is to assess a reading intervention for first graders who are identified by their teachers as reading below grade level. The intervention addresses reading skills through a variety of techniques including games, play, movement exercises, music, and breaks to enhance literacy skills and reduce frustration commonly accompanying sight word recognition and phonemic decoding. Over half of elementary school students in the United States are reading below grade level compared to their same age peers. Children with poor reading skills are more likely to experience academic and behavioral problems. When students are not reading at grade level by 4th grade, they are more likely to experience future academic failure, school dropout, juvenile delinquency, teenage pregnancy, and under- or unemployment in adulthood. Traditional methods of classroom large group instruction require children to sit quietly and concentrate on small print for extended periods of time. Many children experience frustration and agitation in response to such reading demands.

Conditions

Literacy

Keywords

Reading; 1st grade; Literacy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Test of Word Reading Efficiency (TOWRE) Score

  The TOWRE is a measure of reading fluency and accuracy for both children and adults. The instrument consists of two subtests: sight word efficiency (108 word items) and phonemic decoding efficiency (66 word items). The subtests can be scored separately or aggregately for a total score. Scores are calculated based on the number of total words read correctly in a 45 second period. Administration requires approximately 10 minutes.

  Post-intervention (10 weeks)

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Inventory of Reading Occupations (IRO) Score

  Post-intervention (10 weeks)

Study Arms (2)

Intervention Group (Reading Program)

EXPERIMENTAL

First graders who will receive the 10-week reading program (a total of 20 hours), twice weekly in 1-hour sessions, and will continue to receive typical classroom reading instruction.

Behavioral: 10-week Reading Program

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

First graders who will not take part in the reading program but will continue to receive typical classroom reading instruction.

Interventions

10-week Reading Program BEHAVIORAL

Intervention sessions will be carried out during the school day in a private school room. In each session, the investigator will work with the child individually to help him or her read better. Intervention will incorporate word recognition and phonetic decoding of words established as meeting 1st grade essential literacy standards. Learning techniques will involve games, play, movement, music, and breaks (i.e., the child is able to move about and associate words with color, video, and music. Three 5-minute breaks will be integrated into each 1-hour session to allow the child time to rest and process learned material). Intervention will also use each child's personal interests as a context around which sight words will be learned.

Intervention Group (Reading Program)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 6 Years - 7 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Enrolled in a NYC elementary school in 1st grade
• Between 6-7 years old
• Identified by teachers as reading below 1st grade level

You may not qualify if:

• Children with severe behavioral problems making cooperation with intervention procedures difficult

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Columbia University: lead

Study Sites (1)

NYC Elementary Public School (recruitment location)

New York, New York, 10037, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Bennett IM, Frasso R, Bellamy SL, Wortham S, Gross KS. Pre-teen literacy and subsequent teenage childbearing in a US population. Contraception. 2013 Apr;87(4):459-64. doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2012.08.020. Epub 2012 Dec 11.

  PMID: 23245352 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• Hernandez, D. J. (2012). Double jeopardy: How third-grade reading skills and poverty influence high school graduation.
• National Center for Educational Statistics. (2012). Schools and staffing survey.
• Nation's Report Card. (2017). Data tools: State performance compared to the nation.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Literacy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Communication; Behavior

Study Officials

• Sharon Gutman, MD

  Professor of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Model Details: Intervention will take place in a New York City (NYC) elementary school. 24 first graders, identified by their teachers as reading below grade level, will be randomized to an intervention or control group. The 12 participants randomized to the intervention group will receive the 10-week reading program, twice weekly in 1-hour sessions. The Co-I and child will work together in individual sessions on sight recognition and phonetic decoding of words established as meeting 1st grade essential literacy standards. Intervention will incorporate word recognition and phonetic decoding within the context of games and play in which the child is able to move about and associate words with color, video, and music. Intervention will also use each child's personal interests as a context around which sight words will be learned. Control group participants will not receive intervention. Both the intervention and control group participants will continue to receive typical classroom reading instruction.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 21, 2018
• First Posted: August 23, 2018
• Study Start: February 15, 2019
• Primary Completion: June 21, 2019
• Study Completion: June 30, 2019
• Last Updated: July 9, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)