Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Fischler Graduate School of Education and Human Services
Advisor
Barbara Packer
Committee Member
Dana S. Mills
Committee Member
Maryellen Maher
Keywords
book buddy program, children’s literature, descriptive statistics, elementary school children, grades 1, grades 2, grades 3, grades 4, grades 6, grades K, intervention, language learning, language learning disabilities, older students, pleasure reading, posttreatment baseline, reading, schoolwide book buddy program, students, target vocabulary, therapy program, vocabulary improvement, vocabulary knowledge, weekly meetings, younger students
Abstract
This applied dissertation was designed to improve vocabulary knowledge in elementary school children, using a book buddy program. No collaboration existed between the schoolwide book buddy program and the therapy program for students demonstrating language learning disabilities. The existing book buddy program paired classes, enabling each older student within the school to read to a younger peer. The purpose of the existing program was to promote reading for pleasure.
The writer reviewed children's literature and developed a list of target vocabulary for each of the 6 language learning disabled participants. An older language learning disabled student from grades 3, 4, and 6 was paired with a younger student from grades K, 1, and 2. Each older student participated as a reader, while each younger student listened to stories read to them by their older peer. Book buddies met once a week for a total of 10 weeks.
Participants' initial baseline and posttreatment baseline scores were compared using descriptive statistics. Results indicated that older participants experienced statistically significant vocabulary improvement. The vocabulary knowledge of the younger students improved; however, the gains were not statistically significant. iii