Intensive Reading : An intervention with repeated reading of word and text

The aim of the study was to investigate if an intensive reading intervention based on decoding word and text through repeated reading could improve the students’ reading fluency and thereby their reading comprehension. Reading fluency can be defined as reading with suitable speed, good decoding and word recognition, by using prosody and showing understanding of what has been read. The method in the study was an experimental intervention combined with interviews with participating students. Eight students in grades 2 and 3 were included, and they were divided into two comparable groups, an intervention group and a control group. Pre- and post-test examined whether the intervention had effects on the students’ decoding and reading comprehension compared to the control students. The interviews explored how the students experienced the intervention and how they felt that the training affected their ability to read. The results showed that most of the students in the intervention-group improved their reading accuracy, which in turn may have affected their reading comprehension in a positive way. According to the interviews, the students experienced the activities mostly as meaningful and fun (with one negative thing, they missed class teaching) and they all think they have learned things that have been positive for their ability to read. In conclusion, this study proposes that an intensive reading intervention can be a good way for specialist teachers to assist students in their early reading development