Examining Differential Boost from Read Aloud on a Test of Reading Comprehension at Grades 4 and 8

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Examining Differential Boost from Read Aloud on a
Test of Reading Comprehension at Grades 4 and 8

• Cara Cahalan-Laitusis
• Linda Cook
• Fred Cline
• Teresa King

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Accommodation vs. Modification

• States are not in agreement on read aloud on
  reading tests
• Many students use read aloud even when not
  allowed by the state
• In California nearly 4,000 fourth graders took
  the STAR English Language Arts assessment in 2004
  with the test read aloud
• Schools are torn between complying with state
  policy to not allow read aloud and federal
  regulations to allow all accommodations used in
  the classroom

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Differential Boost
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Prior Research

• No Differential Boost
• Kosciokek Ysseldyke (2000). Small sample size
  (n31)
• Meloy, Deville, and Frisbie (2002) Between
  subjects design (n260, 76 non-disabled, random
  assigned to audio or standard)
• McKevitt Elliott (2003) Small sample size
  (n39)
• Differential Boost
• Crawford and Tindal (2004) (n338, 78
  non-disabled)
• Fletcher, et. al (2006) Between subjects design
  (random assigned to audio or standard) and sample
  included 91 Dyslexic (poor decoder) and 91
  average decoders

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Differential Boost Design
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Data Collected

• 2 Reading Comprehension Tests
• Extra Time
• Extra Time with Read Aloud via CD
• 2 Fluency Measures
• 2 Decoding Measures (4th grade only)
• Student Survey
• Teacher Survey

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Sample

• 1170 4th Graders
• 522 Students with RLD
• 648 Students without a disability
• 855 8th Graders
• 394 Students with RLD
• 461 Students without a disability

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Mean Scale Score and Boost
    RLD Non-LD
Grade 4 Standard 457 497
Grade 4 Audio 477 502
Grade 4 Boost 20 5
       
Grade 8 Standard 511 552
Grade 8 Audio 521 554
Grade 8 Boost 10 2
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(No Transcript)
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Teacher Prediction
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Student Prediction
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Preliminary Findings

• Differential Boost at both 4th and 8th grades
  (i.e., students with LD had significantly greater
  score gains from read aloud than non-LD students)
• Differential Boost (at both grades) even after
  controlling for Reading Fluency

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Additional Analyses Planned

• Examine if controlling for decoding and fluency
  result in differential boost
• Differential Item Functioning between groups
• Examine which variables (decoding, fluency,
  teacher ratings, student ratings) best predict
  boost from audio

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Additional Analyses Planned

• Predictive Validity of test scores
• Compute regression equation for non-RLD standard
  score to other measure of RC (e.g., teacher
  ratings, state test scores, and/or fluency
  measure
• Examine over/under estimations of non-LD audio,
  RLD audio, and RLD standard