Date of Award
4-1-1986
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Center for Advancement of Education
Advisor
Dr. Joan Horn
Keywords
cross-age tutoring, dolch basic sight word vocabulary, dolch word lists, fifth grade tutors, individual education programs, learning disabilities, low achievement, low self-esteem, peer acceptance, peer relationships, peer tutoring, positive reinforcement, post-test, pre-test, primary resource room students, queen's vocabulary list, recognition, resource room programs, sight vocabulary, sight word, sight word recognition, social interactions, student motivation, supplemental word lists, teacher observation, ten week program, tutors, vocabulary development, word study skills
Abstract
The problem addressed in this practicum was the significant deficit in recognition of sight word vocabulary among Primary Resource room students partially due to insufficient exposure to the words, little positive reinforcement, and a lack of consistent practice providing the correct responses.
The method devised to remedy this deficit was to implement a ten week, cross-age tutoring program in which the Resource students were drilled for 10 minutes daily on the Dolch Basic Sight Word Vocabulary, the Queen's Vocabulary List, and supplemental word lists with positive verbal, and correct-response reinforcement by fifth grade tutors. Student tutors were selected from low achieving students who were achieving significantly below predicted potential due to low self-esteem or lack of motivation and were suffering social inadequacies.
Growth was measured by teacher observation and comparison of the student's growth in recognition of the sight word vocabularies in the pre-test administered before the ten week research period and a post-test upon completion.
The individual score differences were tabulated and compared to the expected 90-100% mastery at level indicated on Individual Education Programs. Student tutors were evaluated by a pre- and post-tutorial testimonial written by their teachers, evaluating their general academic status, self-esteem, social interactions and success motivation factors with gains recorded in one or more of these areas.