Does individualizing vocabulary instruction combined with fluency instruction increase reading comprehension to students scoring below the first quartile

Paper presented to the 6th Annual Symposium on Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects (GRASP) held at the Hughes Metropolitan Complex, Wichita State University, April 23, 2010.Research completed at the Department Curriculum and Instruction, College of EducationAfter pre assessing students in a third grade classroom, the researcher noted four students, scoring below the 25th Percentile on the reading portion of the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) in fall, 2008. As the researcher further assessed the students, it was noted that these students lacked proficient fluency and vocabulary skills. Research revealed that “Providing vocabulary instruction is one of the most significant ways in which teachers can improve students’ reading and listening comprehension” (Curtis & Longo, 2008). “Reading fluency is the bridge from decoding skills to comprehension” (Penner-Wilger, 2008). The researcher used a combination of the Power Pak Reading program and coupled it with individual, vocabulary strategies to assist readers with fluency and comprehension. As their reading progressed, students were challenged to next levels. Data was analyzed using the NWEA assessment, Houghton Mifflin Leveled Reading Assessment and Kansas State Reading Assessments during the course of the school year to mark progress. The research examined the question “Does individualized reading vocabulary combined with fluency instruction increase reading comprehension in below quartile, third grade readers?