Date of Award

2008

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Education Specialist (EdS)

Department

Education

First Advisor

Dr. Linda Dorn

Abstract

Since the signing of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) has been used by many schools to document students' reading gains. The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of timed reading practices on the reading levels and comprehension scores of third grade students as they participated in literature discussion groups. Data collection included: reading levels from Developmental Reading Assessment, students' reading reflection logs, and transcriptions of language patterns during literature discussion groups. The findings revealed no statistical significance for students who participated in timed reading drills in comparison to students who did not. However, students who did not participate in timed drills exhibited higher mean gains on reading comprehension and reading levels. An implication for schools is to help students develop reading strategies for comprehending texts and practice these strategies during non-timed independent reading situations.

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