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ID 154 352 CS 004 075

TITLE Reading and Study Skills Instruction: College andAdult; Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Publishedin "Dissertation Abstracts International," Marchthruugh December 1977 (Vol. 37 No. 9 through Vol. 38No. 6).

INSTITUTION ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading and CommunicationSkills, Urbana, Ili.

PUB DATE 78NOTE 16p.

IDES PRICE MF-80.83 HC-S1.67 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Academically Handicapped; *Adult Basic Educatior;

Annotated Bibliographies; Basic Skills; CossunityColleges; *Doctoral Theses; English Instruction;Higher Education; Listening Cowerehension; Models;Post Secondary Education; *Beating Instruction;Reading Programs; *Reading Research; Reading Skills;*Reset:Jail Instruction; Skill Centers; *Study Skills;Teaching Techniques; Vocabulary Skills

ABSTRACTThis collection of abstracts is part of a continuing

series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 22titles deal with a variety of topics, including the following:. aremedial reading Program for Marine recruits; methods for inprwAngreading flexibility and rate, spelling ability, vocabularycomprehension, and study skills in cciajoge students and adults; theimpact cf reading/study skills cours and independent work inlearning centers on the academic success of nursing students andhigh-risk community college students; the significance of high schoolbasic skills scores in predicting college performance; strengths andweaknesses of adult basic education programs; an overview of remedialEnglish teaching in colleges end universities; the development of theThirteen College Curriculum Program Reading Model for collegefreshmen; adult basic education learners' perceptions of teachingskills and behavior; the role of reading ability in the retention ofconsunity college students; and a case study of a community readingacademy. (GN)

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Reading and Study Skills Instruction: College and Adult

Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Published in DissertationAbstracts International, March through December 1977 (Vol. 37No. 9 through Vol. 38 No. 6)

Compiled by the Staff of

ERIC/RCS

PERMISSION ,0 REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY

University Microfilms

InternationalTO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER iERICI ANDUSERS OF THE ERIC SYSTEM

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The dissertation titles contained here are publishedwith permission of the University Microfilms International,publishers of Dissertation Abstracts International(copyright01977 by University Microfilms International),and may not be reproduced withcut their prior permission.

This bibliography has been comjiled as part of a continuing series designedto make available information on relevant dissertations to users of the ERICsystem. Monthly issues of DA.--artation Abstracts International are reviewedin order to compile abstracts of dissertations on related topics, which thusbecome accessible in searches of the ERIC data base. Ordering information forthe dissertations themselves is included at the end of the bibliography..

Abstracts of the following dissertations are included in this collection:

Anders, Louise Thompson

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE RECRUITREMEDIAL READING PROGRAM ATMARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT,PARRIS ISLAND, S.C.

Anthony, Lillian

IMPROVING READING FLEXIBILITY

Campbell, Mary Lyn Midgett

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIPBETWEEN SECONDARY GENERATIVEAND RECEPTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLSAT THE COLLEGE FRESHMAN LEVEL

Covington, Helen Cook

ANALYSIS OF THREE SETS OFEXPECTATIONS CONCERNING READINGAND STUDY SKILLS PROGRAMS INSELECTED TEXAS JUNIOR COLLEGES

Duffelmeyer, Frederick Arthur

THE INFLUENCE OF CONCEPT -hASEDVOCABULARY INSTRUCTION ON DEPTHOF WORD KNOWLEDGE

Gates, Allan F.

A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF WORKUNDERTAKEN IN AN INDEPENDENTLEARNING CENTER fY MARGINALSTUDENTS AT MARSHALLTOWN COMMUNITYCOLLEGE

Haburton, Eleanor C.

THE IMPACT OF AN EXPERIMENTALREADING-STOW.' SKILLS COURSE ONHIGH-RISK STUDENT SUCCESS IN ACOMMUNITY COLLEGE

Plimpton, Clinton Ray

THE EVALUATION OF AN EXPERIMENTALREADING PROGRAM FOR ADULT BASICEDUCATION IN ARKANSAS

Harris, Joyca Dennetta Brown

A COMPARISON OF SIMULATION/GAMING ANDDIAGNOSIS-PRESCRIPTION AS METHODS OFTEACHING READING

Huhn, Ralph Henry, Jr.

A STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF A READING-LEARNINGSKILLS COURSE FOR NURSING STUDENTSUPON FAILURE RATE

Johnston, Joyce Domke

THE UNIVERSITY COMPENSATORY PROGRAMSTUDENT: PLACEMENT, COURSE PERFORMANCE,AND HIGH SCHOOL BASIC SKILLS SCORES

Kaufman, Neil Jerome

RETENTION ASSESSMENTS OF COLLEGE STUDENTSSUMMARIZING AND UNDERLINING READINGSTRATEGIES IN RELATION TO SUBJECT-GENERATED LEARNING VERSUS EXPERIMENTER-GENERATED LEARNING CONDITIONS

Law, L.F. Bob, Jr.

THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF ADULT BASICEDUCATION AS REVEALED BY EVALUATIVESTLDIES, 1965-1974, AT THE LOCAL, STATE,AND NATIONAL LEVELS

Lunsford, Andrea Abernethy

AN HISTORICAL, DESCRIPTIVE, AND EVALUATIVESTUDY OF REMEDIAL ENGLISH IN AMERICANCOLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Nichols, Marian Theresa Day

A STUDY OF THE SPELLING ABILITIES ANDVOCABULARY COMPREHENSION OF FRESHMAN ENGLISHSTUDENTS AND THE IMPROVING OF THESEABILITIES AND THIS COMPWIENSION BY MEANSOF INCIDENTAL READING OF PASSAGES ASCOMPARED TO MEMORIZING WORDS AND WORDMEANINGS

Nipper, George Edward

THE EFFECTS OF RATE OF PRESENTATION OFAUDIO TAPEE UPON THE LISTENING COMPREHENSIONOF FAST AND SLOW READERS

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Peoples, Joyce Pulley

AN INVESTIGATION OF THEIMPLEMENTATION OF THE THIRTEEN COLLEGECURRICULUM PROGRAM READING MODELBY SPECIALISTS IN THIRTEEN COLLEGESCONNECTED WITH THE INSTITUTE FORSERVICES TO EDUCATION

Scappaticci, Falco Thomas

A STUDY OF S.Q.3R. AND SELECT ANDRECITE READING AND STUDY SKILLSMETHODS IN COLLEGE CLASSES

Stamper, John Howard

COMPARISION OF THE EFFECTIVENESSOF THREE METHODS FOR INCREASING READINGRATE

Wesley, Barbara (Parks)

SURVEY OF ADULT BASIC EDUCATIONLEARNERS' PERCEPTIONS OFTEACHING SKILLS AND BEHAVIORS: INTACOMA AND SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

West, Lallor Patricia

THE ROLE OF READING ABILITY INTHE RETENTION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGESTUDENTS

Zalman, Richard Gordon --

PROJECT GRASP: A CASE STUDY OF AREADING ACADEMY

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THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE RECRUIT REMEDIALREADING PROGRAM AT MARINE CORPS RECRUITDEPOT, PARRIS ISLAND, S. C.

ANDERS, Lot.ise Thompson, Ed D.University of South Carolina, 1976

The purpose of the study was to determine whether the Re-cruit Remedial Reading Program A Parris Island RecruitDepot: (1) reduced the recruit attrition rate, (2) providedhigher incidence of promotion w Private First Class, (3) Pro-duced more graduates upen completion of the recruit basictraining program. Chi-square analysis was used to determinesignificance. The fourth hypothesis compaeed the cost of arecruit graduate in the experimental proursm with the cost ela recruit graduate in the control group to determine if the costto the Marine Corps was equal or less. The recruits weretested to determine whether they were deficient readers andtell within the appropriate reading and ability levels. A randomselection process was employed to divide the candidates thatmet the remaining criteria into an experimental group whowould attend -emedial reading classes in addition to recruittraining and a control group who would attend normal recruittraining. The selection process was repeated for ten recru'tcycles over a period of ten weeks, resulting in an experimentalgroup of 181 recruits and a control group of 186 recruits. Chi-square analysis established that both groups exhibited the samecharacteristics, while the random selection process insuredsimilarity of attitude and motivation.

In the experimental group significantly fewer reel nits at-trited than in the control group. Thirty-four percent of thetotal group, control and experimental, was attrited. Elevenpercent more recruits in the control group attrited than did therecruits in the experimental group. This would indicate a sub-stantial savings to the Marine Corps. No significant differencewas found in promotions to Private First Class between thetwo groups, but a significant difference was found in the numberof recruits who graduated after having taken the remedial read-ing course. The cost of the reading program was greater dueto the extra cost associated with the longer stay on base fothe recruits taking the remedial reading course. The attrited

"e recruits in the experimental group spent an average of 62.98days on base as compared to the attrited recruits in the controlgroup with an average on base of 55.53 days. The graduatesand graduated/promoted of the control group spent an averageof 87.776 days on base while the graduates and graduated/promoted of the experimental group averaged 97.218 days onbase. The data revealed that whether recruits were successfulor unsuccessful nine additional more days were spent on basefor the recruits in the reading program. 1 he cost of the read-ing program combined with the cost of a recruit's stay at therecruit depot produced a cost to the Marine Corps of $94.16per recruit for the reading program. It can be concluded thatfewer Marines with a reading deficiency attrite whei readingability is improved, and a larger percentage graduate when:hey participate in a reading, program. The intangibles andunknowns such as good will and unmeasurable factors thatwouldnhance the lives of the recruits were not considered asa part d this study. Every item considered indicated a plusfactor tot the reading program except the minimal cost factorper participant.

Order No. 77-6741, t56 pages.IMPROVING READING FLEXIBILITY

ANTHONY, Lillian, Ed.D.Yeshiva University, 1978

The purpose of the study was to determine a method forimproving reading flexibility of community college studentr,who were in need of a crash remedial reading skills program.TM nail hypothesis stated: There is no significant difference,as measured by Test of Reading Flexibility, in the readingflexibility of junior college students at X Community Co Hee,who receive Hardware, Software, Core Program, or No-In-struction.

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Subje-ts were randomly selected from the total populationof students at X Community College, who were advised to en-roll III reading courses because they needed this help. Onehundred sixty subjects were selected to participate in the ex-periment. Ninety-five percent of the subjects were black,inner-city students. Approximately 4 percent were Hispanic,and 1 percent were white. Subjects were randomly assignedto indepei'dent groups; treate.ents were randomly assigned togroups, and Instructors were randomly assigned to groups.The experiment was conducted over a six-week period for atotal of 15 sessions. Students met classes five times every 4INtwo weeks for one hour each session. The experiment con-sisted of four independent groups, one experimental groupand three control groups, with 40 subjects in each group.

The Hardware Group, Group 1, was the experimental groupand was given practice on the Educational Developmental lab-oratories (EDL) Controlled Reader. All subjects in the groupbegan with Book HG, Controlled Reading Study Guide and wererequired to complete 10 selections with 80 percent success incomprehension on that and any succeeding level. They weretask oriented in this manner: (1) Must complete 10 selectionswith at least 80 percent success on the comprehension check.Must remain on a level until such was accomplished. (2)increase rate dial a minimum of five roints weekly. For ex-ample, if subject began with rate dial set at 20 or 120 wordsper minute, he must increase to 25 or 150 words per minutein the span of one week's practice. Each subject began read-ing at a rate which was comfortable for the individual. (3)Sub-jects were allowed to reread selections. (4) All subjects beganin Book HG, Controlled Reading Study Guide and proceeded attheir own rate. (5) Subjects were instructed to follow the gen-eral directions and procedure outlined in the Study Guide.(6) Subjects worked one hour each session on the EDL hard-ware, with Controlled Reading Study Guide. Prog4tss chartswere kept daily.

Three control groups participated in the experiment, Soft-ware Group, Core Program Group, and No-Instruction Group.The Software Group was called Group 2. These subjects usedthe Controlled Reading Study Guide,, following the same pro-cedure as the Hardware Group, without the use of machine.Students were instructed to set a goal of fot,- stories per one-hour class session. The Core Program Group was calledGroup 3. These subjects used the regular reading programof the department. Rate was conducted without machinery.The No-Instruction Group was called Group 4. These subjectsreceived no practice. All were administered the Spache-BergTest of Reading Flexibility at the end of the experiment.

A one-way analysis of variance was computed to determineif significant differences existed. Findings revealed that therewere no significant differences at the .05 level in the achieve-ment of the four groups in the number of correct answers.Group 4, No-Instruction, spent significantly less time thanGroup 1, Hardware, and Group 2, Software, in perfOrming theseaming task. Group 2, Software, spent significantly lesstime than Group 4, No-Instruction, in performing the thoroughreading task, with Group 2 reflecting negative flexibility.

Order No. 77-5000, 111 paps.

AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEENSECONDARY GENERATIVE AND RECEPTIVE COMMU-NICATION SKILLS AT THE COLLEGE FRESHMAN LEVEL

CAMPBELL, Mary Lyn Midgett. Ph DUniversity of Southern Mississippi, 1976

A problem common to many colleges and universities todayis that of teaching basic commi Aication skills to freshmen andespecially to the language-deficient or the language-differentstudent. Unfortunately, most recent texts make the assump-tion that college level reading and composition skills are highlyrelated but continue handling them as separate courses, com-pletely ignoring the possibilities of interrelationships for in-struction.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationshipbetween the secondary generative and receptive language skilleof writing and reading required of college freshman in a pre-dominantly black private university. The study attempted todetermine if an evaluation of students' writing ability wouldcorrelate highly with an evaluation of their reading skills asmeasured by a standardized reading test and a criterion-referenced test of specific reading skills.

The sample of 40 students was selected from the freshmanclass at Dillard University, New Orleans, Louisiana, duringthe fall semester of 1975-76. The students completed theNelson-Denny Reading Test Form D. the author's criterion-referenced test of specific reading skills, and an in-classtheme on an assigned topic during the last two seeks if the

semester. Pilot tests established a reliability coefficient of.78 for the criterion-referenced test and a reliability coefficientof .89 for the raters' ability to evaluate the essays accordingto a 4-level classification scheme devised by the raters. Ana ly-sus of variance was used to anal} ze the data. Independent ari-ables consisted of Writing Ability Group 1 (Fluent and Cor-rect), Writing Ability Group 2 (Not Fluent. But Correct).Welting Ability Group 3 (Fluent. But Not Correct), and WritingAhi lite Group 4 (Neither Fluent. Nor Correct). Dependent ari-ables consisted of: Nelson-Denny Vocabulary score. Nelson-Denny Comprehensive score, criterion-referenced test sc oreson sentence-reading, chart-reading. vocabulary, paragraph-reading. paragraph-analysis, and total score.

Results of the analysis of reading and writing skills estab-lish a high relationship between the two skill areas. The betterwriters are indeed the better readers, and the poorer writersare in fact the poorer readers. However, interesting resultswere found in regard to the too -average" types of writers.By art-}zing the results of comparisons with the differentreading measures, it was found that: 1) the only differencebetween a level 2 and a level 1 writer is that the level 1 writerhas a more extensive vocabulary and 2) the level 3 writer isas weak as the level 4 writer, but he has a greater capacity tolearn specific skills than the level 4 writer. Therefore, it wasconcluded that correctness in organization and :aechanicsseems to be more highly related to superior reading skill thanfluency of ideas. However, fluency of ideas does give a studentan advantage over the student lacking both writing skills inlearning specific reading skills.

Further results of the study led to the conclusion that writ-ing ability as determined by the classification scheme can bepredicted by the reading tests in the following manner: 1) TheNelson-Denny Reading Test tends to discriminate the betterreaders and writers (group 1) from the "average" and thepoorer readers and writers (croups 2, 3, and 4); and 2) thecriterion-referenced test of specific reading skills tends todiscriminate the poorer readers and writers (group 4) fromthe "average' and the better readers and writers (groups 1,2, and 3).

From these findings. the following conclusions were deemedpractical for college level instruction: 1) instruction in thebasic skills of reading and composition should be Integratedat the college level in order to prove-1e for the optimum trans-fer of ':ills from one domain to the other; 2) by using threeinstruments (a standardized reading test, a enter" -refer-enced test of specific reading skills, and a 4-level assifica-flan scheme for evaluating writing ability), reading skill levelscan be predicted from eriting nbility level and writing seilllevels can be predicted from the two reading level indicators;and 31 when used in conjunction with a standardized readingtest, a criterion-referenced test provides a measure of learn-ing potential.

Order No. 77-5928, 143 pages.

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ANALYSIS OF THRUF. SETS OF EXPECTATIONS CON-CERNING READING AND STUDY SKILLS PROGRAMS INSELECTED TEXAS .JUNIOR COLLEGES

COVINGTON, Helen Cook, Ed.DUniversity of Houston, 1977

Cnauperso,r Dr. Lee H. 'Mountain

'this ri search project investigated the relationship. aniewwhat junior col', :e students, faculty and remedial chairper^,msexpect from reading and study skills programs and the graduatesof these pruizrams.

The three groups that provided estionnaire data for thisstudy were 28 remedial chairpersons, 129 subject-area teachers,and 382 freshmen from junior colleges in Texas.

The questionnaire data from the groups were analyzed sta-tistically to determine levels of significance of responses withineach group, significant differences am,iag the three groups, andthe pair (or pairs) of responses that determine each difference.

The findings of this study pinpointed the areas wherein ex-pectations agree and differ among remedial chairpersons,subs c t-area faculty, and s.adents r!;ardiru; reading andstud. '.!ills programs.

The three groups agt2ed about the Importance of 20 ques-tionnaire items. There were, however, 21 significant F val-ues and 54 significant t values involving areas of disagreement.Of the three groups, the group involved in the greatest numberof differences with the other two groups w:ts the students.

The following najor conclusions were drawn from this study:1. Students enter reading and study skills programs with highexpectations. They expect more skills to be of Importance in areading and study static program than do chairpersons of fac-ulty. 2. Faculty expect graduates of reading aid study skillsI: ";rams to be more knowledgeable in subject area skills than... ,. r skills. 3. Chairpersons had the most limited expecta-

-,tt , cf the three groups. They deemed fewer skills to be oti .portance in the reading and study skills program than did::,cultr or students.

SPveral minor conclusions were also drawn from this study,,..ernirv; faculty attitudes toward the remedial student, read-

...bility levels of college textbooks, and comparisons betweenicading and subject area classroom and homework activities.

Order No. 77-24,442, 360 pages.

THE INFLUENCE OF CONCEPT-BASED VOCABULARYINSTRUCTION ON DEPTH OF WORD KNOWLEDGE

DUFFELMEYER, Frederick Arthur, Ph.D.University of Missouri - Kansas City, 1976

Ad investigation eas undertaken into the influence of an ex-perience-based method for vocabulary instruction on depth ofcord acquisition at different levels of reading ability. The ex-perimental treatment was compared with a more traditionalmethod of vocabulary insti uction and a non-specific treatmentgroup.

The subjects were college students enrolled in six sectionsof a reading improvement and study skills class at the Univer-sity of Missouri-Kansas City. Two sections each were ran-domly assigned to erperimental experimental/control, andcontrol conditions. The subjects in the experimental groupwere taught the meanings of words via the experience-basedapproach, which consisted of student enactment of levest.gator-prepared skits. The subjects in the experimental /control groupwere taught the same words via the more traditional approach,which was represented by the confluence of contextual aware-ness, structural awareness, and dictionary coact!. The controlgroup received general 7ocab,, -v instruction, but not includ-ing the specific treatment words.

The first two weeks of the investigation were devoted topretesting in all three groups, and to practice lessons in theexperimental and experimental/control groups. For each ofthe nest three weeks the experimental and experimental/cen-tral groups received differentiated instruction over fifteenwords -- five per week -- followed by the administration ofvOcalmiary and reading comprehension tests. The subjects inthe control group were administered the same tests, but with-out prior instruction. During each of the finaLthree weeks ofthe Investigation all three groups were admmlitered two addi-tion' vocabulary tests to evaluate the long-term effects ofinstruction.

On two of the three major dependent variables -- long-termvocabulary and degree of forgetting that occurred over a threeweek period -- the experimental group scored higher than theexperimental/control and control groups. Reading comprehen-sion was uniform under all treatment conditions. These re-sults were interpreted as supporting the efficacy of an expert-etece-based or concept approach to vocabulary instruction ondepth of word knowledge. The lack of impact of improved

depth of word knowledge on reading comprehension is dis-cussed. Order No. 71-16,867, 134 pages.

A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF WORK UNDERTAKEN INAN INDEPENDENT LEARNING CENTER BY MARGINALSTUDENTS AT MA.RSIIALLTOWN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

GATES, Allan F., D.A.Drake University, 19'76

Adviser: John Hagaman

During 1973-74, Marshalltown Community College usedfunds from a grant from the Department of Health, Education,and Welfare to conduct an experiment involving twenty-two'meeting freshmen wnos high school records, entrance exam-inations, and other crcaentials indicated that their likelihood ofsuccess in college study would he marginal.

The twenty-two students were registered for special re-medial and developmental work in the college's Learning Cen-ter in addition to the other freshman-level classes that theywould be taking. This group of students was then compared to

a control group of thirty-six students of roughly comparablebackground and achievement in an effort to determine whetherwork in a Learning Center might have any effect upon improv-ing the potentialities for success amcag students of marginalability.

Results of the experiment more than met expectations. Itwas lout .1 that students who worked in the LearningCenter,where they received individualized instruction in reading, writ-ing, and study skills, were significantly more successful ascollege students than was the case for their counterparts in themeted group.

Experimental students (a) earned better grades in freshmancomposition classes, (b) earned better overall grade-point av-erages in all their college work, (c) were able to complete morecredit-hours during the year of the experiment, and (d) experi-enced a lower overall rate of withdrawals both from individualclasses and from the college.

While the experiment covered only one academic year, stu-dents who had participated in it were followed during 1974-75to see whether any Carryover effects of their experiences mightbe noted. The trends outlined above continued. At the end ofthe second year, 50% of the experimental students were still en-rolled, while 22% of the control students remained. Further-more, nearly 41% of the experimental students had reached thecollege's graduation requirements in two years, while less than14% of the control students were able to do so.

Order No. 77-9808, 160 pages.

THE IMPACT OF AN EXPERIMENTAL READING-STIYDYSKILLS COURSE ON I.IGH -RISK STUDENT SUCCESS IN

- A COMMUNITY COLLEGE

HABURTON, Eleanor C., Ed.D.The University of Florida, 1976

Chairperson: Ruthellen Crews

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a-reading -stkily skills course on the academic success of it groupof high-risk community college students. The course was tauehtby two reading instructors to two voluntarily enrolled classesduring the fall semester, 1975, at Valencia Community Collegeat Orlando, Florida.

The plan of the course was to maximize chances for aca-demic success by (a) offering transfer credit, (b) focusing on"survival" skills needed in content area courses and providingfor direct transferal, (c) providing for self-pacing, (d) utiliaiaggroup instruction with group interaction as a motivational fag--tor, (e) accommodating various learning styles through multi-media presentation, (1) evaluating progress by mastery tests,and (h) attempting to enhance self -concept by student orients=tion of learning, by teacher attitude, and by individual con-ferences.

The experilaental group of 36 students was compared with acontrol group that did not part.cipate in reading instruction,either because the classes were closed, or because of a scheduleconflict The groups were matched on the following variables:(a) voluntary participation in a previous basic reading course,(b) age, (c) sex, (d) race, (e) pretest reading comprehensionscore below the 30th pc rcentile on the Iowa Silent Reading Test,Form E, and (t) carrying a Minimum class load of 11 hours.

The groups were compared on (a) grade point average forthe fall semester, (bY number of course withdrawals, (c) attri-tion (dropping out of school) during the fall semester and be-tween-semesters, (d) number of course hours successfullyccnr.dleted, (e) self-reported posttest scores on study habits

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and attitudes as measured by the Survey of Study Habits andAttitudes, and (f) self -reported posttest scores on self -conceptas measured by the Tennessee Self Concept Scale. Also thetwc experimental classes acre compared on the hypothesizedvariables to determine if the teacher variable made a differ-ence. To test the hypotheses, t tests and chi square were per-formed on the data to find where differences might lie.

On the basis of statistical analyses, it was concluded thatthe experimental group (a) received significantly higher CPAs,(b) withdrew from fewer courses, (c) successfully completedmore course hours, and (d) scored significantly higher on theirself-reports on six of the seven subtests of the Surtey of StudyHabits and Attitudes. There was no significant difference be-tween the groups on attrition during the semester, or betweensemesters, although there was a tendency toward a signifi-cantly higher attrition by the control group. There was nosignificant difference between the groups on self- reportedscores on self-concep. as measured by the Tennessee SelfConcept Scale. There was no statistically significant differ-ence on any of the variables between the two experimentalreading classes, and thus it was concluded that the teacher. actable did not bias the results.

In leiationstup to other research in the literature that usedGPA'as a criterion of college success, the present study seemsto confirm the position that high-risk students uha take appro-priaiely designed reading improvement classes tend to suc-

-tter in acadel.'- ccurses than Jo like students who donot take such courses. The limited duration of the study andthe limited population preclude generalized inference beyondthe hell setting, however.

implications suggest that needed reading skills can be sat-istactorily mastered by most high-risk students over time andthat the cemmunity college is in a tenable position to developeffective !ong-range programs in both the reading classes andin content courses to enable such students to succeen.

Order No. 77-6872, 147 pages.

THE EVALUATION OF AN EXPERIMENTAL READING PRO-PRAM FOR ADULT BASIC EDUCATION IN ARKANSAS

HAMPTON, Clinton Ray, Ed.D.University of Arkansas, 1977

Major Professor: Dr. James J. Van Patten

The purpose of this study wn 3 to examine the suitability ofan experimental ..eading m tl developed especially for un-dereducated, illiterate or fun. nally illiterate rural adults inArkansas. The study examined the suitability of the materialfor populations for which it was written and compared it to theconventional materials used to teach undereducated adults toread.

The innovative material is designed to reflect the expezi-sings of rural adults and provide for individualized instruction.

The innovative material consisted of eighty reading packetsContaining material with a steady graduation of difficulty. Fourlow& of packets were proposed ranging from first to fourthgrade reading level. The packets included skills encompassingall levels of reading'difficulty (from alphabet to the higherComprehension skills.1 Each packet had a pre-test, a post-test,and learning activities. There are also cassettes for a numberof packets that explain the skills being taught. Review packersare designed to, reinforce the skill and check the student's re-tention.

The structure of the packets is in three parts ir.cluding pho-netic analysis, structural analysis, and comprehensive skills.

Phonetic analysis has five parts: letters of the alphabet(writing the upper and lower case letters); vowel sounds, (rec-ognising long and short vowels and vowel digraphs and diph-thongs; consonant sounds, knowledge of initial sounds, blends,digraphs, and rhyming words); word analysis (knowledge of syl-labication); basic sight words, (ability to pronounce words).

Structural analysis has two parts. The first part, voca'lary word recognition, is divided into five sections: cowwords; root words.; constructions, ( homonyms, synonyms, andantonyms); plurals; and possessives. The record par) includesstudy skills which are specifically related to alphabetizing.

The compreher.sion skills, include such subjects as budget-ing wisely, caring for clothes, applying for jobs, enrolling inschools, learning a skill, and writing a busine.,s letter. Theseareas are of interest to adults, and the projects staff wrote the;sachets on a level that could be understood by the functionallyilliterate.

The front pages of the packets were color-coded in fourColors to designate their grade levels.

The reading packet (experimental material was comparedto the conventional material) by: (1) acceptance by adult basiceducation students who participated in the Arkansas gain study,(2) acceptance by teachers who had used the material, (3) ac-ceptance by students being trained to teach adult basic educa-tion, and (4) acceptance by authorities of adult basic education.

The students who used the reading packet rated it on a fivepoint measuring scale, and compared it to conventional mate-rials they had used on a three point scale. The results showedthey accepted the reading packet over the conventionakneate-rial they had used.

The teachers who had used the reading packets accepted theinnovative material as a more adequate teaching tool than anyof the conventional materials they had used.

The student-trainees rated the reading packets and the fourmost widely used conventional materials on a seven point scale.They equally rated the reading packets and one of the conven-tional materials as their top choice over the other conventionalmaterials.

The adult basic education teachers rated the reading packetconcept over the conventional material. Their rating showed amore favorable acceptance of the experimental material as a

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more adequate teaching aid than any of the conventional mate-rial used for comparison.

The seventeen authorities in the field of adult basic educa-tion rated the reading packets and the four conventional mate-rials on a seven point scale. Their ratings showed a morefavorable evaluation of the reading packets than for any of thetraditional -uaterials used.

The results of the study indicated that the reading packetswould adequately teach reading to undereducated adults in ruralareas and would be accepted by students, teachers, student-trainees, adult basic education teachers, and authorities In thefield of adult basic education. Order NJ. 77-23,370, 107 pages.

A COMPARISON OF SIMULATION/GAMING ANDDIAGNOSIS - PRESCRIPTION AS METHODS OFTEACHING READING

HARRIS, Joyce Denetta Brown, Ed.D.The University of Alabama, 1975

A study of the literature revealed that limited use has beenmade of simulation/gaming as a method of teaching reading -comprehension. It was also evident that more conclusive datarelated to simulation techniques in education are needed. Theseconcerns formulated the purpose of this study which was to in-vestigate the eLactiveness of simulation gaming as a teachingmethod by discovering whether or not there were positive re-lationships between reading and the use of simulation/gamesas compared with a diagnostic-prescriptive-individualizedapproach.

To conduct such an investigation, students enrolled in abasic skills program, Discovery 1975, attending StillmanCollek,_, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, were selected as subjects(N=24) for two treatment effects. Twelve subjects receivedthe control treatment (diagnostic-prescriptive-individualized),and twelve received the experimental treatm,at (simulation/gaming). Subjects were taught read- orehension for sixweeks and were pre and post tested with the California Achieve-ment Test, reading subtest.

Et.ta for five hypotheses were statistically treated with the'Lindquist Type I Design,' employing the F ratio at the .10 con-fidence level fu: significance. The null hypotheses held thatthere were no statistically significant differences in the train-ing effects of the two treatments on five comprehension ikills:interpretation of written materials, making inferences; seeingrelationships, recalling facts; and identifying main ideas.

The results of the study yielded the following conclusions:I. All null hypotheses were accepted. 2. No F ratios for inter-action were significant. 3. The group variable for both train-ing series on "inferences" was statistically significant. 4. Thedifference on pre and post tests for both training series on'fact* skills was statistically significant. 5 The group vari-able for both training series on the skill of "main ideas" wasstatistically significant.

There are two recommendations drawn fr this study thatthe researcher considers crucial to a replicated study of treat-ments x subjects design when simulation/gaming is employedas a treatment. First, consideration should be given to employ-ing a number of measures to test skill develop:nent rather thanrelying upon a single cogn.tive pre and post test. Secondly, andprobably most importantly, consideration should be given tousing unobtrusive measures, as opposed to standardized teststo determine the degree of experiential learning that has takenplace (forint., the treatment. Order No. 77-12,2E3, 110 pages.

A STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF A READING-LEARNINGSKILLS COURSE FOR NURSING STUDENTS UPON FAIL-URE RATE

HUHN, Ralph Henry, Jr., Ph.D.University of t.issouri - Kansas City, 1977

The problem that is cursidered in this study is the failurerate of students in the health fields, specifically in the fieldof nursing education. More specifically, this study deals withthe inadequacies of the criteria which are traditionally used todetermine student readiness for health education academicprograms. These criteria have tended to be measures of pastacademic success. The assumption is then made, by officialsof health education schools, that students will continue toachieve accordingly.

Recognizing that this assumption may be invalid, schoolofficials have begun to look at other variables which may beeffecting academic success. Services such as counseling,finaecial assistance, and tuto. ing are examples of serviceswhich have resulted because of this investigation into the causesof academic failure. However, consideration of reading skillsnecessary for learning from health education materials seemsto have been overlooked. This study, then, deals with reading-learning skills as a factor associated with success in nursingeducation and, therefore, a variable to be considered whendetermining readiness.

The purpose df this study was to determine if considerationof reading-learning skills necessary for learning specific con-tent area materials is a valid consideration in determining spe-cific readiness for that content area. To accomplish that pur-pose, then, the effect that specific reading learning skillsinstruction has on decreasing the percentage of students whofail their nursing courses was studied. Reading-learningskillswere selected because of the high demand on learning fromreading in the nursing education program.

The study was concerned with two hypotheses. First, teach-ing reading-learning skills relevant to a specific content areawill decrease the failure rate in that content area. Second, atest developed from content area materials and based upon theskills necessary for learning that content will be an effectivescreening instrument for selecting students who need reading-learning skills instructioe.

The hypotheses were tested using nursing students enrolledin heir first sPmeste. of nursing edui a' iJn at liars: s C'tyKansas Community College between the Fall Semester, 19'14,and the Fall Semester, 1976. Thus, the study was replicatedfive times. Each semester, nursing students were assignedto either the Study Group or the Comparison Group. The Coin-, rison Group received no instruction in reading-learningt-i Is. The Study Group received reading-learning skills in-.

st-uction applicable to nursing education, using reading mate-" rialto from the nursing curriculum. The reading-learne skills

which were included in the program were selected by omparinga composite list from the literature to the learning demands ofthe nursing program and the including for instruction thoseskils which seemed to meet a learning demand. All of thestudents were tested with * screening test which was designedto identify those students with reading problems in nursingmaterials.

Success in the nursing program uas used as the measureof the effect of the reading-learning skills instruction. Successis determined by the Nursuev, Pro.yrapi criterion of a 707, av-er ;e or better on the foe- tests else!' in the first ten weeksof the nursing program.

The data supported both hyouthoses The Study Groups hada ra,1,;c of percentage ot ,todnt, ,,, failed in nuesin, educa-tion from 0 1i to 17 with an avera,, ot 10, failure. By com-parison, the Comparison Croups had .t range from 5 a to 2.5"'owith an average of 17'', fatlai es in nursing. The screening

10

test 'timed to he 100 deem...at in pi etheting success in nurs-ing education and CO r accurate in predicting failure.

EVCII the mist a, hit !Lent of the tikaCSItll, studentsinvolsvd in studs .0)117t: eohiate Oat the: ta'a d. iclopedadequate reading-learning skills, those students who could notapply appropriate skills to the nursing materials atd who werenot taught to do so failed in nurs-,ng education. ThAefore, whendeteiniming a student's readiness for new learning, the stu-dent's ability to perform the reading-learning tasks requiredshould be considered as well as the student's past achievementand background in content area concepts.

Order No. 71-27,336, 89 pages.

THE UNIVERSITY COMPENSATORY PROGRAM STUDENT:LMENT. COURSE PERFORMANCE, AND HIGH

SCHOOL BASIC SKILLS SCORES

JOHNSTON, Joyce Domke, Ph.D.University of Georgia, 1977

Supervisors: George E. Mason and Robert A. Palmatier

This study determined relationships among high schoolachievement tests in the basic skills of reading, English, andmathematics and other predictors of college performance forstudents enrolled in a compensatory program. The sampleconsisted of 98 students who entered the University of GeorgiaSpecial Studies Division, Summer, 1975.

First, relationships were determined between scores on titsTes s of Academic Progress (TAP) regularly given is Grads11 in Georgia high schools, scores on the Scholastic AlitttudSTest (SAT) in Grade 12, the high school grade average gnuand scores on the Comparative Guidance and Placement Test(CGP) required for placement in Special Studies. Second,scores on the reading-related subtests of these measures werestudied to determine the extent to which they pMdicted the per-formance of these compensatory program students in socialscience courses in the regular curriculum.

To find the relationships among the scores on the testsgiven between Grade 11 and college entrance, null hypotheseswere tested by computing Pearson product-moment correlationcoefficients, _sing the .05 signifieance level. The hypothesesstated that TAP-Reading scores were not related to CGP-Reading or SAT-V scorn TAP-English scores were not re-lated to CGP- English or SAT-V scores, TAP-Math scoreswere not related to CGP-Math or SAT-M scores, and thattotal scores on the TAP were not related to either the totalscores on the SAT or to the high school grade averages. Allhypotheses were rejected except for that which stated that norelationship existed between total TAP scores and total SATscores, which failed to reject.

To test the significance of the difference between each pairof non-independent correlations, a t-test was applied. Onlyone.difference was statistically significant. There was a lowerand less positive relationship between HSA and the high schoolachievement test score than between the total SAT score andthe achievement test score.

Furthermore, when the ten test score variables were cor-related with the high school grade averages, all correlationswere negative except for those for the English subtests of thehigh school achievement (TAP) and college placement (CGP)tests. The negative direction was unexpected, considering pub-lished correlations between TAP and HSA.

Additional examination of the correlations showed persis-tent and statistically significant positive relationships betweenreading scores and mathematics scores over the entire timeperiod under study as well as correlations of about .50 or above(except for the English subtests) for each pair of snbtests ad-ministered over the two-year period. These results suggestthat the earlier high school test may be useful Indicator ofthe deficiencies that ultimately place students in compensatoryprograms despite their high school grade averages.

To determine litiv available test scores predicted collegereading performance, multiple regression analysis was used.Scores on TAP-Reading, CGP-Reading, and SAT-V were titspredictor variables. The criterion variable was GPA in so-cial science courses during the first two quarters' enrollment.

The TAP-Reading test given in Grade 11 appeared to be aslightly better predictor than either SAT-V or the SpecialStudies reading test (CGP-Reading), although placement in theCompd.- tatory program depended upon scores on the latter twotests. In fact, the high school reading test score (TAP-Read-ing) alone appeared to be as effective a predictor of perfor-mance in college social science courses as using scores on allthree reading tests combined. Furthermore, it explained morevariation in social science GPA than any of the othel variablesin the study, including HSA. The predictive segment of thestudy thus strengthened the importance of the high schoolachievement test as a useful forecasting tool for this sample.

Order No. 77-18,928, 75 pages.

RETENTION ASSESSMENTS OF COLLEGE STUDENTSSUMMARIZING AND UNDERLINING "EAD1NG STRATE-GIES IN RELATION TO SUBJECT-GENERATED LEARN-ING VERSUS EXPERIN1ENTER -GENERATED LEARNINGCONDITIONS

KAUFMAN, Neil Jerome, Ph D.Case Western Reserve University, 1977

Using 105 college students, a comp:-.rison was made betweensubjects' summarizing and underlining reading strategies tosubject-generated learning versus experimenter-generatedlearning contlitiobs. Three basic preclictthns s, le made for allof the planned comparisons among the underlinint; and summa-rizing conditions: (I) Subject-generated sumnia st ra'egies would effect greater recall than subject-generated under-lining strategies. (2)-Subject -generated strategies within bothsummarizing and un conditions v.)ul effect. re :in ..-tively, greater recall than experimeter-genet tecl strat .i.swithin both summarizing and underlining conditions. (3) A cub-jeet-generated orientation to sentences of had' structi 11 im-portance in both summarizing and underlining condition,-; old

..='produce, respectively, greater recall than a subject-ge.exatedstrate :y to interline any Info' mation in a pi, ;ago or a subjectgenerated strIte.,,y to siannist,A, any infoimatioi, in a passage

An irntial as-,e,,innent of recall, referred to as th tin iiititalive assessments of recall, used tne total number of pioposi-tional elements in the presage as the criterion fin assessingtotal recall, intentional recall. and incidental recall F,i thequantitative assessments of recall, mine of the planned c onoixirisons achieved siginticance Follov. -up procedure-, acredone to investigate possible contaminating variables. to ratethe experimental conditions as effective study strategies. andto determine if the subjects' study strategy preferences mighthave influenced the non-significant findings of the quantitativeassessments of recall. T,-iaxe4igation of the possible con-taminating variables revealed that Most subjects followed thedirections of the study exactly, found the passage easy tc un-derstand and agreed that the passage was well written and in-teresting. The ratings of each experimental condition as aneffective study strategy for the recall and comprehension oftextbook material revealed wide variation in the suGects' per-ception of the effectiveness of all the underlining and summa-rizing strategies used in the enieriment. An empirical analy-sis t./ study strategy preference confirmed that subjectsassigned to compatible study strategies recalled significantlymore propositions than subjects assigned incompatible studystrategies. An analysis of preferred underlining and pi eferredsummarizing strategies stated by the subjects revealed that acommon purpose of a variety of underlining and summarizingstrategies was to reclike textbook material to its most impor-tant information. This finding served as the basis for the posthoc assessment of recall, coined by the author as the reduc-tion-importance assessment of recall. The reduction-impor-tance assessment of recall used Walter Kintsch's conception,of a level one proposition and a rating procedure to determinethe most important level one propositions in the passage Thenow dependent variable for assessing total recall, intentionalrecall and incidental recall was defined as a highly rated level

11

one proposition. A finding of the reductinr.-importance assessments suggested that the level of material difficulty could havebeen partly responsible for the non-significant findings amongthe experimental conditions. The revised recallfindings alsosuggested that subjects oriented to underline thematic sen-tences were actually niiented to a contrary task demand thatdecreased their ability to retain the highly rated propositions.The empirical analysis of sjudy strategy preference was re-pea'ed and on- t mid that iubjects assigned compatialc studystrategies reca ed significantly more of the highly rated prop-ositions than subjects assigned incompatible strategies.

01 der No. 77-25,168, 133 pages.

THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF ADULT BASICEDUCATION AS REVEALED BY EVALUATIVE STUDIES,1965-1974, AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONALLEVELS

LAW, L. F. Bob, Jr. Ph.D.The Florida State University, 1977

Major Professor: Dr. George F. Aker

The purposes of this study were to research and identifycurrent trtrengths and weaknesses in the adult basic educationprogram, propose process and product variables that enhancethe accomplishments which were the intent of The Adult Educa-tion Act of 1966; and propose definitive criteria to be includedas standard components'in the planning and evaluation of adultbasic education programs at the state level.

Twelve process (program planning) variables and fourteenproduct (evaluation) variables were dedut-ed from and sup-ported by a systt.mati... ezvie of the ..tierature of adult ed..ca-tion. These variables constituted the program plannirg andevaluation model and were incorporated Into a program eval-uation matrix.

l'iirty-four existing adult basic education progr-un eval-uations were individually compared with the crite.ia in themodel to establish the strengths and weaknesses of adult basiceducation. Conclusions were drawn and recommendationmade regarding desirable components in prop am planningand evaluation in adult basic education.

Order No. 77-26,982, 143 pages.

AN HISTORICAL, DESCRIPTIVE, AND EVALUATIVE STUDYOF REMEDIAL ENGLISH IN AMERICAN COLLEGES ANDUNIVERSITIES

LUNSFORD. Andrea Abernethy, Ph.D.The Ohio State University, 1977

Adviser: Professor Edward P. Corbett

This dissertation presents an overview of remedial Englishteacning in the United States and details the planning and ex-ecution of the Ohio State University Remedial English PilotProject. Chapter I traces the calls for serious research inEnglish during the last two decades, focusing specifically onthe need for research in writing in general and remedial writ-ing in particular. Chapter I conclude4 with a rationale forusing the term -remedial" in preference to oiher currently-used terms. Chapter II begins by documenting the current'crisis" in siudent writing skills, assessing the various causesblamed fo,- the 'crisis," and describing very s.milar circum-stances which occurred during the late eighteenth and earlynineteenth centuries. The remainder of Chapter II is devotedto describing the general eesponse of two-year and four-yearuniversities to remedial English students, to analyzing thefailures of those responses, and to cataloguing the criteriawhich generally characterize effective remedial programs.Chaptnr III presents a detailed description and analysis of theRemedial English Pilot Project, a course offered to ninety-four students during Fall quarter, 1976. This chapter detailsthe results of pre- and ixist-testis,, in readin,ir, error-recogni-tion, syntactic maturity. paragraph-writing, Aid attitude mea-

4

2

surement. Chapter IV notes weaknesses in the research de-sign used in the pilot projec t, draws sigmticant Implicationsfor the teaching of remchal %kitting and reading, and suwestsfour future research projects Twelve appendices in lode fulltest results for the Pemedial Fnglish Pilot Project, repre-sentative samples of materials used, and both student andteacher evaluations of the pilot project

Order No '1, 351 pages.

A STUDY OF THE SPELLING ABILITIES AND VOCABULARYCOMPREHENSION OF FRESHMAN ENGLISH STUDENTS ANDTHE IMPROVING OF THESE AftILITIES AND THIS COM-PREHENSION BY MEANS OF INCIDENTAL .READING OFPASSAGES As COMPARED TO MEMORIZING WORDS ANDWORD MEANINGS

NICHOLS, Mar.an There..a Day. Ph.D.University of South Carolina, 1977

One bilqc question which teachers of college freshman En-t tt dens (r !guilr as well as ref .cdia.% have been facing

over the years is how they can help their students Jo improvetheir spelling abilities and expand their vocabularies. Througha review of literature, it was determined ihat tnere was verylittle research available In the area of spelling and vocabularyimprovement of college freshman English students and in theidentification of types of spelling errors made by these students.It w. =, therefore, the put xiseof this Ludy to answer the fol-lowing questions: 1. What are the spelling, vocabulary, andreading abilities of students enrolled in freshman Englishclasses? 2. Is there a correlation between the spelling abilitiesof these students and their ability in reading as measured bythe Nelson-Denny Reading Test/ 3. What are the types of spell-ing errors made by students before and after treatment? 4, Willthere be a difference in the spelling and vocabulary abilitiesof students exposed to an incidental reading of passages con-taining certain selected words as compared to students as-signed the trad anal niethod of memorizing the spellings andmeanings of these same selected words', 5. Which group ofstudents will exhibit a greater retention of the correct spellingsand meanings of the words in quest:on at the end of a period offour weeks?

A-college with a freshman English pogram focusing on allability levels of freshman students was chosen for this investi-gation, and twenty classe, were selectedsixteen remedialand four regular. Ten classes each comprised the experimen-tal and control groups. In order to determine the spelling and

vocabulary abilities of these students, an inveatigator-constructedspelling and vocabulary test, based on selected words fromGeorge Spache's Spelling Errors Test, was adminis-tered as a pretest. The control group was then given a studysheet containing the words under consideration plus then mean-ings to be memorized by the next class period, when they werethen posttested. The experimental group was given inestigator-designed reading selections with each of the selected wordsused at least three times. They were instructed to read theseselections carefully. Afterwards, they were given a spellingand vocabulary posttest. Four weeks later, the students in bothgroups were given a spelling and vocabulary retention test.From an analysis of the pre, post, and retention spelling andvocabulary tests plus reading test scores from the Nelson-Denny Reading Test (give's during orientation week), the follow-ing conclusions were reached- 1 There was a wide range ofSpelling and vocabulary abilities exhibited. The reading abil-ities of most of the students seemed to be lower than average.2. Since there was a positive correlation found between Nelson-Denny Reading:lest raw scores and the various spelling tests(pre, post, and retention!, the spelling abilities of the studentsare related to the ability in reading as measured by the N loon-Denny Reading Test, 3. Before treatment, over half of the stu-dents were making spelling errors of the following types' omis-sions of silent, sounded, and doubled letters; additions bydoubling and of a single letter; transpositions or reversals,phonetic substitution for a word; non-phonetic substitution for

12

a consonant; and unrecognizable or incomplete. When the post-test, was given, all of the errors made decreased in frequeecy.Those still causing considerable difficulty were omissions of asounded and a doubled letter and phonetic substitution for.aword.4. There was a significant difference in favor of the controlgroup on seelling ability and on vocabulary ability. 5. The ex-perimental group retained a greater percentage of the spellingsand word meanings after four weeks than the control grow..

Order No, 77 22,438, 183 pages.

THE EFFECTS OF RATE OF PRESENTATION OF AUDIOTAPES UPON THE LISTENING COMPREHENSION OF'FAST AND SLOW READE4S,

NIpPEReeorge Ed'aard, Ed.O.Oklahoma State Une.ersity, 1976

Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this study wasto decerniine the effects of compressed speech upon the listen-:ng con.prehension of fast and slow readers. The subjects atthis study were 36 fast and 36 slow readers from the Utilisa-tion of InstructionalMedia classes during the spring semesterof the 1976 academic year at Oklahoma State University. Thesesubjects were random'y assigned to,each of three compressionlistening groups: (1) zero percent compression, (2) 20 percent'compressior, and (3) 40 percent compression. A listening pas-sage was reeurded at 165 words per minute (zero compression)and compressed by apereitimately 20 and 40 percent resultingin two compressed passages of 208 w.p.m. and 266 w.p.m. re-spectively. The.three compression groups listened to audiotape messages which differed only ,in the rate of presentation.

A listening comprehension test was adriunistered to each com-pression group. Analysis of variance technique was employedto test the hypotheses.

Findings and Conclusions: The first hypothesis was con-cerned with the varying rates of compression upon the compre-hension of audio tape niaterial. The results indicated that therewas no significant difference between groups due to varyingrates of compression. Hence, students were able to listen toan audio tape message compressed by as much as 40 percent(266 w.p.m.) without significant loss of comprehension. There-fore, it would appear that listening time could be saved withoutsignificant loss of comprehension.

The econd and final hypothesis was concerned with the in-teract of compression rate and reading ability upon compre-hension of audio tape material. The results indicated; that thelistening groups did not differ significantly due to the interac-tion of compression rate and reading ability. Hence, interac-tion was not sufficient to produce any significant effects uponlistening comprehension. Order No. 77-5149, 107 pages.

\N 1NVESTit,ATION OF 1 HE IMPLEMENTATION OF TheTHIRTEEN COLLEGE CUPRICULLNI PROGRAM READINGMODEL BY SPECIALISTS IN THIRTEEN COLLEGES CON-NECTED WITH THE, INSTITUTE FOR SERVICES TOEDUCATION

'41

PEOPLES. if,'(' FdThe American Univeatt. 1977

During the 1972 Institute for Services to Education (NE)Summer Conference, college reading specialists commenceddevelopment of the Thirteen College Curriculum Program(TCCP) Reading Model for inclusion in a comprehensive edu-cational curriculum for freshmen. The Model was completedAugust, 1974.

The Problem

This descriptive research study sought to (1) assess thedegree of support of the TCCP Reading Model as viewed byreading specialists, (2) investigate the factors that seemed tohave influenced the implementation of the TCCP ReadingModel, (3) determine the extent to which the TCCP ReadingModel was being implemented, and (4) assess the degree ofStudent-centerednems practiced in basic reading courses onthirteen predominately black college campuses associatedwith ISE.

Procedure

Visits to the thirteen colleges were made by the researcher,during which time a Structured Interview was conducted witheach of the twenty-one reading specialists.

tech specialist responded to the Implementation Measure-meet Checklist to provide data on the extent of practice of iro-Minns suggested in the TCCP Reading Model as neces-areRoe maid Implementation.

A fifty- minute reading class session was audiotaped ofeach specialist. The recorded information was categorized bymeans of a ten-category matrix of the Flanders' InteractionAnalysis System.

Results

01 the thirteen camjuses i'.volved la tie stcdy, CO percentof the chief academic officers, as perceived by reading spe-cialists, supported the TCCP Reading Model at the frequently,generally, or almost always level. In addition, 95 percent ofthe TCCP Directors, as perceived by reading specialists, sup-ported the TCCP Reading Model frequently, generally, or al-most always.

Three major factors were indicated by TCCP Reading Spe-cialists as frequently, generally, or almo-t always ,upportiveof implementation. Adequate space to physically house theprogram was reported by 90 perccnt of the specialists. Ade-quate seeretartal services was indicated by 90 percent of thespecialists. Adequate finance was considered by 100 percentof the specialists as essential.

It had been proposed that Reading Specialists in at least53 percent of the institutions Involvd in the study would Indi-cate that less than eight of the fourteen sets of proceduresnecessary for implementation of the TCLi' Reading Modelwere being practic "d on their candoses. To the contrary, itwas found that 76 percent of the institutions were practicingeight or more of the procedures. The student-centered ap-proach to classroom mana4ement, imh.il teqting. and sisc students' strPmttin; tr. eaknes %ere to.>in,t practiced

by all institutionsAn evaluation of the veriml behaviors in t.,r TCCP Reading

Classes, by means of the Flanders' Intern; lion Analy.astem, chewed that as an aver tee 47 percent of all talk was direct

teacher talk; 16 percent was indirect teacher talk; 15 percentwas student response, and 15 percent student initiated. Theremaining 7 percent was categorized as silence or confusloThus, the researcher's prediction that 68 percent of the etasroom verbal interaction would be direct teacher talk was re-jected since only 47 percent of the teacher talk was direct.

Conclusions

TCCP reading specialists are implementing the model to agreater extent than had been expected in terms of student -centered ,classroom management and procedures practiced.

Academic administrators, program directors, and teacherssupport the implementation of the TCCP Reading Model.

TCCP reading specialists demonstrated their willingnessto become nontraditional facilitators of learning, fostering sit-uations which demand that students assume the major respon-sibility for their own improvement of skills.

Order No. 77-25,624, 177 pages.

A STUDY OF S.Q.3R. AND SELECT AND RECITE READ-ING AM) STUDY SICILL3 METHODS IN COLLEGE

CLASSES

SCAPPATleCI, Falco Thomas, Ed.D.Lehigh University, 1977

There is evidence hat colleges had an interest in teachingreading and study skills to their students as far back as theearly 1900's, and as time progressed more and more collegesbegan offering reading and study skills programs for their stu-OWL However, the programs were geared primarily to in-denting freshmen and students who were having difficulty intheir (studies. Little re:etarch was done on how these programs

13

would affect college students who were more representative ofthe college population at large, and even less research wt.+being done of what the content of these reading programs oughtto be.

There is a need to offer read'. ; and study skills instruc-tion to students who would be more representative of the gen-eral college population, and additionklly a need to offer specificskills 'o these reading programs which have been positive interms of raising C.P.A.

The purpose of this study was to take a reading and studyskill that was widely used in college reading programs andinvestigate the effect it had on C.P.A. of college students whowere representative of the college at large. More specificallythe study investigated the relationship between the S.Q.3R. andSelect and Recite method for studying a college level text.

The following hypotheses were investigated: I There is nosignificant difference in C.P.A. made by college students taughtthe Select and Recite method of reading and studying a text,those who were taught the S.Q.3R. method of reading and study-ing a text and those students who were taught no specific methodof reading and studying a text. II There is no significant dif-ference in the number of students who use the Select and Recitemethod for reading and studying a text after being taught it ina college reading program and those students who are taughtthe S.Q.3R. method for reading and studying a text.

The ste elv consisted of 109 students from

King's ( four year liberal arts college in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. All the students were business and so-cial sci..nce majors enrolled in an Economics Principles cows,which was reonired in their curriculum. There were two ex-perimental groups, one receiving instruction in S.Q.3R. methodand one receiving instruction in Select and Recite method. Thecontrol group received no treatment.

To test the first hypothesis of the study, a one-way analysisof covariance was used. The final grade received in the Eco-nomics course was used as the dependent variable. The over-all C.P.A. earned by the students in all courses prior to theEconomics Principles course was used as the covarrate, andtreatment received was used as the independent variable.

In order to test the second hypothesis of Ne study a chisquare was utilized to analyze the data which vas derived froma questionnaire that the students completed.

Analysis of the data revealed the following: 1. There wereno significant differences in the final grades received in theEconomics Principles course by the groups in the study. (P.05). 2. There was a highly significant difference in the degreeto which tne two treatment groups used their respective studymethods. The experimental group taught the S.Q.3R. methodused that method to a much greater degree than did the treat-ment group that was taught the Select and Recite method. (P <.01).

The findings suggested that teaching a reading and studyskill method for mastering a college level text did not increaseC.P.A. significantly when the students being taught the methodwere representative of the college population at large and wereabove the freshman year.

Also the findings suggested that the college students of thestudy who were taught the S.Q.3R. method of college textbookmastery used the method to a significantly greater degree thandid the students who were taught the Select and Recite method.

Order ho. 77-20,723, 122 pages.

COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THREEMWTHODS FOR INCREASING READING RATE

STAMPER, John Howard, Ph.D.Michigan State U iverstty, 1976

Past research concerning time-compressed speech hastypically examined the effects upon intelligibility, comprehen-sion, and learning by various stimulus and listener variables.Relatively few research studi,s have examined the effects ofreading improvement techniques upon reading rate and Com-prehension. (Orr et al., 1965: Reidford, 1965: Orr, 1916:Reiland, 1970; 3tamper, 1970: and Walker, 1971.) Results ofpast research have been mixed as to the effectiveness of prac-tice in cornp...zsecl listening (i.e., listening to time - compressed

speech at increasingly faster compression rates) and com-pressed audio-pacing (i e., listening to a time-compressednarration while following in an accomp,:nying visual text). Orret al., (1965) found compressed listening to have a favrableeffect upon visual reading rate. Subsequently, Orr et al., (1965)hypothesized compressed audio-pacing training may producea stronger effect upon subjects' reading rate. Reidford (1965),Orr (1966), Reiland (1970), Stamper (1970) and Walker (1971)examined the effects of various training conditions and subjectcharacteristics upon reading rate and comprehension. Noneof the researchers found any effect upon reading comprehen-sion attributable to practice in compressed audio-pacing How-ever, Orr (1966) and Stamper (1970) found compressed audio-pacing training to have a favorable effect upon rea .ng rateReidford (1965) and Reiland (1970) found no such e -ct.

The previous research studies reviewed have ra led to ade-quately compare traditional reading improvement 0:ethods (Le ,visual-pacing through which the presentation time a the visualtext is controlled) to methods utilizing time - compressedspeech. Likewise, no previous research was reviewed whichexamined the treatment method of combining the time-com-pressed audio narration with a moving, synchronous text Itwould appear from a review of the research literature that thequestion remains: What relative effect will training in com-pressed listening, visual-pacing, compressed audio-pacing,and non-paced reading have upon subjects' visual reading abili-ties?

The independent variables of the present experiment arethe tour separate training conditions: (1) compressed-listeningpractice (i e the audio treatment). (2) visual- pacing practice(i.e., the visual treatment): (3) compressed audio-pacing prac-tice (i.e., the audio/visual treatment): and, (4) non-paced read-ing practice (i e., the control treatment) The dependent vari-ables are subjects' reading rate and reading comprehensionduring non-paced reading.

The major hypotheses are of the null hypothesis type of nodifferences among treatment groups for both reading rate andreading comprehension gain scores. Alternate major hypoth-eses involve the groups' improved relative performance in re-spect to the control group The minor hypotheses are of thenull hypotheses type, of no differences between treatmentgroups for reading rate and comprehension. Alternate Minorhypotheses, nvolve the relative performance between individualtreatment groups It is hypothesized that the audio/visu-dltreatment scores will be greater than those of the audio andvisual t..ea.anen..-, i espectively.

Several assumptions are made in the present experiment.One assumption is that the Nelson-Denny Reading Test ade-quately measures subjects' reading rates and comprehensionA second assumption is that the use of compressed audio-pacingof a synchronous visual text will have a favorable effect uponsubjects' reading rate. A third assumption is that the treat-ment intervals. for the present experiment are of adequatelength to have effect upon reading abilities.

Several limitations of the study should be noted. One limi-tation is the limited generalizability of its findings which ispossible. Secondly, limited treatment time was available dur-ing the experiment A third limitation is that sever.,. subjectsreported to have fatigue after the audio and audio/visual treat-ments. This may have affected post-testing. A fourth linnta-tion is the inherent limitation of traditional reading abilitiestesting.

Survive the Savage Sea (Robertson, 1973) was chosen as thevisual text in the experiment. A professionally recorded nar-ration of the book was time-compressed from 160 to 600 wordsper minute in 20 word per minute increments. A .ideotaped"crawl" of the visual text was produced, and synchronized tothe compression rate of the time-compressed narration The' pacing point", at which this text and narration were synhro-nous was near the vertical mid-point of the television sciccn

Forms "A" and -B" of the Nelson-Denny Reacting Test

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(Nelson-Denny, 1960)Vere used as pre mid post instrumentsfor measurement of reading rate and comprehension. The testitself is a widely-used test of reading abilities. Psychometric,haracterislics of the 'est concerning its standardization wereadjudged favorable

Treatment sessions were individually scheduled, lasting atotal of 70 to 80 minutes in length. Pre- and post-tests totaled40 minutes, each consisting of a timed one minute rate testand a 19 minute comprehension test. Subjects in audio andaudio/visual treatments were permitted to adjust the televi-sion monitors volume and brightness. Control group subjectscould adjust ambient room light.

The eVerimental design was a pre-test/post-test controlgroup design (Campbell and Stanley, 1963). Subjects were ran-domly assigned both pre-tests and treatments. Post-tests wereassigned as the alternate test form from that given its the pre-test.

An analysis of variance was performed upon the treatmentgroups' mean gain scores to test the hypothesis Ho: 81, =

3= 04 for the dependent variables of reading rate and reaetngcomprehension. The F ratios obtained were 1.5476 (for rate)and 1.3639 (for comprehension). There were 2 degrees of free-dom among sample means and 2f ceegrees of freedom withinsamples. The tabled F (P< .05) was 2.934. Since neither 01the obtained F ratio values exceeded the tabled F value,neitherof the null hypotheses of no significant difference among groupsfor ieading rate or comprehension gains could be rejected.Since no significant differences among treatments were re-vealed for measures of reading rate and comprehension, poet -hoc procedures to determiae the relative strengths of treat-ment effects (as were hypothesized in Chapter One) were notappropriate.

The results of the present experiment raises several im-plications for future research. The use of time - compressedspeech in methods for iniprovenient of reading abilities couldnot be demonstrated in the present experiment to be signifi-cantly better than practice in non-paced reading or a tradi-tional sual-pacing technique. It is anticipated, however, thatlime-compressed audio-pacing practice may prove superiorto existing reading improvement techniques under the condi-tions of extended training session length with a larger samplepopulation. Order No. 77-5893, 185 pages.

SURVEY OF ADULT BASIC EDUCATION LEARNERS'PERCEPTIONS OF TEACHING SKILLS AND BEHAVIORS:IN TACOMA AND SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

WESLEY, Barbara (Parks), Ed.D.University of Massachusetts, 1976

Director: Dr. Harvey B. Scribner

The study deals with the United States Government's formalcommitment to the all viation of Witeracy among t:,e unedu-cated or undereducal.. .dults since 1962. The author arguesthat two significant events occurred to create increased in-terest and growth in the field of adult basic education duringthat period: (1) Congress passed the Economic Opportunity Actin 1964, and (2) the Adult Education Act or 1966 was passed. Fur-ther impetus reportedly came from former U.S. Commissioner

of Education, James E. Allen's assertion that for the nextdecade the nation's highest educational priority would be theeradication of illiteracy.

To achieve a literate nation, the study asserts that we facedthe reprehensible problem of inservice training and develop-ment of teachers to meet the new and increasing demands ofthe adult basic education population. Furthermore, the authorreports tha' traditionally all planning for student learning hasbeen done by teachers, administrators or other practitionersin the field, though one of the most often verbalized objectivesof adult education has been to involve the student in the pro-cess of planning his/her learning activities.

The purpose of the study was to survey the perceptions ofadult basic learners regarding the desirability of specific teach-ing skills and behaviors in their teachers. Emphasis was placed

.

inverving the student in planning his/her learning climate andiletening activities. More specifically, the study surveyed theOM basic learners in an attempt to solicit their input regard-logieeishingskills and behaviors which they considered essentialand desirable.

The study was conducted in Tacoma and Seattle, Washington.The study population was an intact total student population ofsae hundred and sixty-seven adult basic learners. They weren ailve-horn adult learners and foreign-born adult learners.

used upon the data obtained from the a-h4lt basic educationlienars, the study cited a need for continued research and studyregerdingwhat teachini IAMB and behaviors sii.uld be sought isealikelag teachers of adult basic education, and what kinds of pre-Ionise and inservice training programs should be devised forat basic education instructors.

Order No. 77-15,138, 128 pages.

THE ROLE OF READING ABILITY IN THE RETENTION OFCOMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS

WEST, Lallor Patricia, Ed.D.University of Southern California, 1976

Chairman: Professor Wilbur

The fulfillment of the individual's academic potential is al-ways a major concern, and now, with increased emphasis onprogram and attendance accountability, it behooves all segmentsof the institution to determine the efficiency of its operation.Many schools have developmental reading programs, but theliterature gives little evidence of studies at the communitycollege level to determine whether such courses meet the gen-erally avowed objectives of improved scholastic achievementand retention in school. Dropouts mean possible loss of humanpotential and a definite loss of dollars to the institution. Eitherloss should provide s'ifficient motivation for research, but whenboth aspects are involved the need for investigation is doublyapparent. It is appropriate that a developmental program beexamined at the community college level, since a significantproportion of its enrollees qualify for such courses.

Statement of the Problem. Do students who complete de-velopmental reading classes earn higher grades and remainin school longer than students who express an initial need forreading improvement but who do not complete such a course?

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine therecords of two groups of students who expressed an initial needfor reading improvement to deter-nine: (1) the number of unitscompleted, (2) their grade point average (GPA), (3) comparativereading ability upon entrance, (4) the distribution of these var-ious elements within the two groups, (5) the amount of readingimprovement made by students completing the course, and(5) whether either group had an academic advantage as mea-sured by these factors.

Procedure. Students enrolled in developmental readingclasses during the fall semesters of 1962, 1966, and 1972 wereinvestigated. The 252 who completed the course were consid-ered the Treatment Group, and the 162 who dropped out of thecourse during the f mesters of 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966,1971, and 1972 we consider d the Control Group. Pre- andposttest scores fro a Silent Reading Test provided theinformation pertaining to reading ability levels. Official schoolrecords were examined to ascertain GPA and total units com-pleted. This study was essentially a comparative one whichdealt with predetermined data having time and sex differentials.Two measures of central tendency, the median and the mean,were seed to determine central foci for the numerous com-parison.

Findings. An examination of the data revealed (1) studentscompSting the class made significant improvement in readinglevels, (2) the CPAs for those finishing the course were sig-nificantly higher, (3) as measured by the total units completed,Outlasts completing a semester course in developmental read-ing remained in college from four to six times as long as theControl Group, and (4) the significant factor about initial read-ing ability is not so much the level, but whether it, along withstudent interest, Is developed. Trends were apparent in re-gards to degree of improvement, initial reading level, and therole of women.

Conclusions. In both the humanistic and practical aspects,Tata-II-nits Completed is the most useful indicator derivedfrom this investigation since it reflects a degree of successshared by the student and his school. Recommendations forincreased academic counseling, increased awareness of read-ability levels of textbooks, and additional types of researchare made. In summary, the research indicates that more un-derprepared, or even average ability, students should be di-rected into developmental reading classes, and that theirprogress should be measured by broad indexes over an ex-tended period of time.

PROJECT GRASP: A CASE STUDY OF A READINGACADEMY

ZALMAN, Richard Gordon, Ph.D.Northwestern University, 1976

Major Adviser: Dr. Sidney R. Bergquist

Project GRASP was a program funded by Right to Read asa Reading Academy for the service area of Evanston, Illinois,during the 1975-1976 fiscal year. Project GRASP served par-ticipants in need of basic reading instruction through sambellite

schools. One of these schools operated autonomously for theemployees of the Evanston HospitaL At two other locations,storefront satellites operated in the community. The designof Project GRASP followed guidelines published in the FederalRegister which called upon applicants to propose a plan to elim-inate functional illiteracy of youth and adults, within a local ser-vice area.

Project GRASP succeeded in its specific objectives (help-ing 350 students and training 75 volunteer tutors) by combiningprofessional, non-professional, public and private inputs. Stu-dents at Project GRASP were provided with highly individwal-ized instruction. Students decided upon their awn learning ob-jectives, and were able to study in a private setting. Strindsused a variety of materials. Tutoring was by appointment, andwas free of charge. Student-tutor relationships were confide,-tiaL Diagnosis was informal and non-threatening to definite:The storefront centers al Project GRASP were located Is areasof seed, and were open at times convenient to students.

A group of organizations supported the Project GRAF, ef-fort. Each of these organizations saw the Academy as a mewsolution to the local illiteracy problem. Four institutions lenttheir support: the Evanston Hospital, the Evanston TownshipHigh School, the City of Evanston, and Northwestern University.Local community organizations included the Evanston *deb-bors-At-Work, the Youth Organizations Umbrella, the EvanstonEmployment Support Program, and the Womi-i's Auxiliary ofthe Evanston Hospital Nursing Committee. These groups wereall represented on the Project GRASP Unit Task Force, apolicy-making administrative body. The combination of insti-tutional and local community support formed an unusual con-sortium.

To manage the community storefronts, a Community Loader,a Professional Resource Developer, a Tutor Trainer, and twoStorefront Aides worked under the guidance of the Project Di-rector.

The Reading Academy did not attempt to help students whohad severe learning problems, or non-flutel speakers ol

Them; students were referred to other agencies.The literacy plan devised byt he Evanston Academy proved

workable, but the need for literacy education in Evanston farexceeded 'die capacity of the Academy.

If the experience of Project GRASP can be extrapolatedonto a national level, then there may be m 'lions of Americansin need of basic literacy education.

A national commitment to literacy education would rosesin specific literacy legislation, an increased and a sustainedlevel of funding for Right to Read, the upgrading of literacyeducation in public school curricula, and the development ofnational standards for literacy assessment and literacy defini-tion. Unless there is a national commitment, illiteracy maycontinue to be widespread in the United States.

Order No. 77-10,106, 14$ pages.

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