Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
Judith Stein
Committee Member
Karen B. Kamin
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
ability grouping, attitude surveys, elementary schools, heterogeneous grouping, homogeneous grouping, intervention strategies, Lexile scores, Maya Angelou, reading achievement, reading attitudes, reading comprehension, reading deficiencies, reading development, reading difficulty, reading inventory, reading proficiency, scholastic reading inventory, student achievement, student attitudes, teacher interviews, third grade students
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of homogeneous-ability grouping of 3rd-grade students with reading deficiencies. Three research questions were employed to determine the effects of a homogeneous-abilitygrouping model when compared to a heterogeneous-abilitygrouping model: (1) What were contributing factors of third-grade students’ reading deficiency? (2) What impact would homogeneous-ability grouping have on student reading proficiency? and (3) How would third-grade students engaged in a heterogeneous-ability group compare with students engaged in a homogeneous-ability group with regard to the development of reading proficiency? The study used a Teacher Interview Questionnaire to obtain feedback from teachers, a Student Reading Attitude Survey to assess reading attitudes, and a Scholastic Reading Inventory to assess students’ reading achievement. Intervention strategies were implemented with both sample groups over a 6-month period, and data were collected and analyzed for the purpose of comparing and interpreting outcomes from both the 3rd-grade teachers and students of Maya Angelou Elementary School of which the researcher served as the investigator and the assistant principal.
At the end of the 2002/2003 school year, there were three major findings: (1) The homogeneous-ability group demonstrated an increase in Lexile range from 250-535 to 475-795) following intervention strategies; a 38% Lexile mean gain. 2) Eighty-two percent of the homogeneous-ability group expressed a positive reading attitude, compared to 45% of the alternate group; and (3) The homogeneous-ability group demonstrated a 45% gain in reading comprehension skills, compared to a 28% gain of the alternate group. The homogenous-ability group demonstrated steady growth, while the heterogeneous-ability group decreased in reading performance. The results indicate that homogeneous-ability grouping of 3rd-grade students with reading deficiencies promotes reading proficiency and appreciation.