Date of Award
4-21-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Communication Disorders, MCD
First Advisor
Christina Akbari
Committee Members
Arianne Pait; Joy Good
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the efficacy of literacy intervention in first and second-grade at-risk readers at an after-school program, CityYouth Ministries, in Jonesboro, AR. It was hypothesized that if children at risk for literacy difficulties receive literacy intervention at an after-school program, they would have better reading outcomes, narrowing the gap in academic achievement. If successful, it may resolve the need for long-term literacy support at school, which has been frequently observed with this population. The study utilized a quasi-experimental, within-group pretest-posttest design. Reading fluency and sight word knowledge were measured using DIBELS-8 Oral Reading Fluency passages and Dolch sight words before treatment started at the after-school program. Sixteen participants received biweekly treatment for 30-minute sessions in small groups of two. Strategies included paired-reading and Dolch sight word instruction to increase reading rate. Results indicated treatment groups made significant improvement in reading rate and increased their known Dolch sight words.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Goldhammer, Brooke, "Facilitating Better Literacy Outcomes in First and Second-Grade At-Risk Readers at an After-School Program" (2025). Student Theses and Dissertations. 669.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/669
