Educators need to provide students with opportunities to engage with digital texts to support their development in becoming digitally literate (Plowman et al., 2012). The purpose of this practitioner research inquiry was to explore how teachers can support readers in the meaning-making process during read alouds with picture e-books, which contain…

Picture books are a common staple of children's reading diet. The role of pictures in reading acquisition, however, remains a topic of considerable controversy. To examine the effect of pictures on second graders' (N=40) oral reading behavior and comprehension, this study used a 2 (picture condition) x 2 (genre) x 3 (reading ability) mixed ANOVA…

This qualitative study focuses on the importance of reading picture books aloud to improve students' social skills capacity by utilizing literacy and social skills in a rural setting. It is designed to address a problem of practice: the need for striving third, fourth, and fifth-grade students to gain and maintain motivation and positive attitudes…

The purpose of this study is to investigate if a mindfulness mandala coloring activity reduces a student's anxiety about reading. Reading is a fundamental skill for all other academic success, making proficient reading skills necessary. This study investigates if a reduction in a third grade student's reading anxiety results in changes to oral…

Foundational reading skills are key to the mastery of early literacy skills. While the process of reading is characterized by a combination of both word decoding skills and language comprehension, there are many reading skills that contribute to students being able to proficiently read text. In addition to mastery of skills, good school attendance…

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to investigate primary teachers' perspectives about whole-class read-alouds with diverse children's literature (DCL) and their practices for implementing and conducting them. This multiple and instrumental case study drew from critical sociocultural perspectives. Five primary teachers (grades K-3)…

Knowledge supports all aspects of reading including decoding, fluency, and comprehension (Cervetti & Hiebert, 2015; Cervetti & Wright, 2020; Duke & Cartwright, 2021; Kintsch, 1988, 1988; McNamara & Kintsch, 1996; Priebe et al., 2012). Early knowledge predicts reading growth, and science knowledge and reading have a mutually…

The purpose of this quantitative, comparative study was to examine if and to what extent, there are statistically significant differences in decoding and oral reading fluency scores between at-risk Title I students who receive multisensory phonics-based instruction in first grade and those who do not in the Western United States. Paivio's dual…

Curriculum-based measurements (CBM) are used in schools to screen students for academic difficulties. Oral reading fluency curriculum-based measures (CBM-R) are the most popular, yet several studies have identified predictive bias in CBM-Rs in relation to key variables (e.g., race, sex). Despite a massive increase in the use of these measures as…

Due to barriers to kindergarten readiness, many kindergarten students do not enter kindergarten with the prerequisite skills needed for reading. A number of students do not leave kindergarten with adequate reading skills needed for future success. As a result, students are ill-prepared for first grade and are at risk for future reading failure.…

The goal of this study was to determine if Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) Oral Reading Fluency is an indicator for Scantron Performance Series Reading Comprehension. Using a mixed methods research study, the researcher utilized existing end of the year DIBELS and end of the year Scantron Performance Series data, and…

Struggling readers are likely to face life-long challenges in achieving success in school and life as a result of their struggles with reading (Armbruster et al., 2001; Arnold, 2010; Hernandez, 2011). Third-grade students with reading disabilities are an exceptionally critical group who may experience enhanced risk during the year that the focus…

This study investigated the effect of font style and character spacing on reading performance of 25 second graders, measured by an oral reading fluency test. The effect of font type and character spacing on reading performance was analyzed with ANOVA. Font style did affect reading performance. Character spacing may be relevant for longer reading…

Students who receive English Learner (EL) services at Forest Oak Elementary School in Newark, Delaware, do so through a pull-out model of instruction. They meet with an EL coach in a separate setting for instruction on reading, writing, speaking, and listening in English. A first-grade teacher at Forest Oak Elementary School participated in this…

The purpose of this study was to identify and categorize the morphologically complex words in the Kindergarten and First Grade Common Core State Standards English and Language Arts (CCSS ELA) Exemplar Texts. Four text types were analyzed: student-read fiction, student-read informational text, teacher read-aloud fiction, and teacher read-aloud…