Date Approved

5-7-2003

Embargo Period

5-9-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in Special Education

Department

Interdisciplinary and Inclusive Education

College

College of Education

Advisor

Xin, Joy

Subject(s)

Learning disabled children--Education; Reading comprehension; Reading--Parent participation

Disciplines

Special Education and Teaching

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of parental involvement upon children's reading achievement. The study investigated whether children with learning difficulty would improve reading comprehension when parents became actively involved in their child's reading activities. Five 3rd and 4th grade students attending a small private school in southern New Jersey, together with their parents, participated in this family reading program. They were identified as average readers who were having difficulty in comprehension. Prior to the start of the family reading program, students were individually administered a pre-reading inventory. Each student read 3 selected books and answered 6 written questions about the story without parental support. Scores were recorded and presented as baseline data in phase "A". All participating children's parents received training on the importance of their involvement in their child's reading activities. Parents learned how to effectively provide reading support for their children in questioning techniques, how to sit holding the book with their child and how to guide an interactive discussion with their child. A single subject design using AB phases was utilized. The outcome of this study shows students' reading comprehension scores increased as a result of parental involvement in their child's reading activities. Meanwhile, the participating children have also experienced a heightened enjoyment of reading and the parents have become more confidant in providing reading support to their children due to the parent training and involvement in their child's reading activities at home.

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