Specialist in Education (Ed.S.), University of Dayton, 2013, School Psychology

With the increased emphasis on data collection in schools, educators need efficient, reliable systems for progress monitoring. Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) is one such system for basic reading skills. Previous studies demonstrated differences in growth rates between males and females with respect to oral reading fluency. The present study examined if, despite previous researches noted differences in growth rates, fewer data points would give appropriate growth estimates in males and females. Results indicated that growth estimates in weeks 1 and 5 gave a comparable growth estimate to those taken in weeks 1 and 10. This comparison held true for both male and female students. These important results can help school psychologists guide school staffs on how to efficiently gather oral reading fluency progress monitoring data.

Committee: Sawyer Hunley Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Susan Davies Ed.D. (Committee Member); Elana Bernstein Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Educational Psychology; Psychology; Reading Instruction

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2019, Education

Preschools have become an important beginning step in education. This sequential mixed methods study sought to determine if the Montessori preschool setting provides greater academic achievement in reading readiness, specifically phonemic awareness, in preschoolers as compared to a conventional elementary standards-based preschool setting. Social constructivist theory and sociocultural theory were used as theoretical frameworks. Qualitative data was comprised of interviews with kindergarten teachers who agreed unanimously that preschool had a positive impact on students' academic ability upon entrance to kindergarten. However, all four teachers had a negative connotation pertaining to Montessori students and the Montessori Method based solely on students' behavior and students' lack of conformity. For the quantitative data, multiple two sample t-tests were conducted to determine the effect of preschool experience on all 90 participants' reading readiness scores upon entrance to kindergarten based upon DIBELS FSF and PSF and their KRA assessment scores, while taking socio-economic status into consideration. T-tests were used to compare the results from 30 Montessori students, 30 conventional standards-based elementary students, and 30 students with no preschool experience. All three sub-groups were matched equally based on socio-economic status. Montessori students outperformed the other two school groups on all three assessments. The difference in scores when separating Montessori students by socio-economic status is the most significant finding to come from this study. Montessori students considered low income had statistically lower scores on all three assessments when compared to Montessori students who are not considered low income.

Committee: Mary-Heather Munger Ph.D. (Committee Chair) Subjects: Curriculum Development; Early Childhood Education; Education; Educational Tests and Measurements; Elementary Education; Language Arts; Literacy; Preschool Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2014, Curriculum and Instruction Reading Arts and Language Arts (Education)

This investigation examined oral reading fluency improvement through the use of self-graphing within a Tier 2 Response-to-Intervention (RtI) model. Oral reading rate increased when students actively participated in graphing correct words per minute (WPM) progress within a Leveled Literacy Intervention (LLI) framework. Participants included Tier 2 second graders who were performing academically below grade level in reading. Students received 30 minutes of intensive LLI instruction four times per week. Self-graphing took place once per week during Tier 2 RtI instructional sessions. Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) Next oral reading fluency subtests were used as the progress monitoring measure. A multiple baseline across participants design was used to investigate effectiveness of the self-graphing strategy on oral reading fluency improvement. The researcher concluded that self-graphing had a positive effect on correct WPM progress within Tier 2 RtI.

Committee: Sara Helfrich PhD (Advisor) Subjects: Teacher Education

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2006, Education : School Psychology

This investigation examined the efficacy of assisted self-graphing for improving early literacy skills within an urban public school that employed a response-to-intervention model. Self-graphing supplemented the classwide kindergarten reading instruction and an empirically-based small group literacy intervention. Effects were studied through a multiple baseline across participants design (N = 3). The efficacy and social validity of self-graphing also were analyzed. The study demonstrated that kindergarteners are capable of self-graphing with adult assistance. However, on 43% of occasions, children chose not to self-graph. Furthermore, while there is some evidence that the self-graphing intervention produced increases in students' phoneme segmentation fluency (the primary dependent measure), findings were not strong overall and did not show effectiveness for the secondary dependent measure, nonsense word fluency, used to assess generalization of self-graphing skills. Sample selection may have attenuated findings in that students acquired some targeted skills prior to the onset of self-graphing. Recommendations for future use of self-graphing were suggested.

Committee: Dr. David Barnett (Advisor) Subjects:

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2004, Education : School Psychology

Learning to read is at the heart of the United States' guaranteed free and appropriate public education. The standard-based educational reform movement prescribes high standards for student performance, assessment tools to measure performance against these standards, opportunities for schools to change curricula and instruction, and accountability for student outcomes. Ohio has responded to the standards-based reform movement by implementing accountability systems centered on summative statewide assessments. These summative systems are appropriate for demonstrating global reading performance, but formative assessment tools are needed to make decisions about individual students' reading skills. Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) are formative tools used to measure pre-reading skills. This study examined the relationships among three of the DIBELS measures, and among DIBELS, student placement in their reading curricula (Reading Mastery), and student performance on the Ohio Off-Grade Proficiency reading test (OOPT-2). DIBELS measures included: phoneme segmentation fluency (PSF), nonsense word fluency (NWF) and oral reading fluency (ORF). Approximately 110 first grade students and 14 teachers from a Midwestern urban school district were participants in the study. Students' fall, winter, and spring DIBELS scores, their scores on the OOPT-2 reading test, and their fall, winter, and spring placements in the Reading Mastery curricula were utilized for analysis. Across the school year, students demonstrated an increase in their performance on NWF and ORF, but their PSF performance remained stable. Both NWF and ORF were well correlated with the OOPT-2, with ORF being the best predictor of students' proficiency on the OOPT-2. Students who reached recommended year end levels in both NWF and ORF were rated as proficient on the OOPT-2 at a higher than 70% rate. Nearly all students considered deficit by the two DIBELS measures were rated as non-proficient o (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Dr. Francis Lentz (Advisor) Subjects:

Doctor of Education, University of Toledo, 2009, Business Administration

Throughout the past eight decades, the research of teaching and assessing early literacy skills has provided teachers with information that vacillates regarding what and how the skills were taught and assessed. However, what has stayed constant in research is that once students struggle with reading, by third grade they will continue to fall behind unless interventions are started in the younger grades (Fletcher, Shaywitz, Shankweiler, Liberman, Stueging, Francis, Fowler, & Shaywitz, 1994; Moats, 2004). Thus, second-grade becomes a pivotal year to make sure struggling readers are provided with interventions that address specific skills. In order to determine which students need which interventions, screening assessments are the first key to start the process of intervention. However, many teachers have not been trained in using screening assessments such as the Dynamic Indicators of Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) oral reading fluency (DORF) probe. Thus, effective professional development that includes initial, follow-up, and ongoing phases is the first step in providing teachers with the knowledge and tools to use screening assessments like DORF. The findings of this study indicate that a positive and negative significant relationship exists between second-grade teachers' initial DIBELS professional development and the percentage of their students showing yearly improvement from their pre- to post-DORF scores of 35 words per year. In addition, a positive significant relationship exists between second-grade teachers' confidence level and the percentage of their students' pre- to post-DORF score improvement of 35 words and 45 words. Moreover, teachers' confidence level predicts the percentage of students improving 45 words from their DORF pre- to- post-scores. However, on closer examination, the majority of struggling students appear to make little gains while as many teachers do not receive follow-up and ongoing professional development. These results indicate that f (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lloyd Roettger Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Barbara Bleyaert Ed.D (Committee Member); Caroline Roettger. Ed.D. (Committee Member); Eileen Carr Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Evaluation; Elementary Education; Literacy; Organization Theory; Reading Instruction; School Administration; Teacher Education

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2003, Educational Services and Research

The current study examined the efficacy of direct, small-group instruction in phonemic awareness and letter-sound recognition for pre-reading kindergartners who have been identified as possessing poor phonemic awareness. Subjects selected for this study consisted of nine kindergarten students from a suburban elementary school who were identified as deficient in phonemic awareness skills as measured by their performance on the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). The intervention utilized was the Scott-Foresman Early Reading Intervention Program. Participants in this study received three half-hour sessions of intervention per week for either eight, ten, or twelve weeks. The effects of the Scott-Foresman Reading Intervention Program were measured by a multiple baseline across subjects design on the DIBELS, as well as pre- and post-test comparison of standard scores of the Letter-Word Recognition Test within the Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery, Third Revision. Results show that the Scott Foresman Reading Intervention Program positively influenced the attainment of critical reading benchmarks as defined by the DIBELS subtests of Phoneme Segmentation Fluency and Nonsense Word Fluency. Students who participated in the above intervention also made statistically significant gains in letter and word recognition as measured by the WJ-III. The above findings support the efficacy of highly explicit, direct, small-group instruction in phonemic awareness and letter-sound recognition as components of an early reading intervention program.

Committee: Antoinette Miranda (Advisor) Subjects:

Specialist in Education, Miami University, 2009, School Psychology

The following study examines patterns in reading performance as students progress from one grade to the next, while specifically exploring the potential of skill regression following summer vacation. In addition, the study also compared the post-summer vacation reading performance of students from distinct socioeconomic backgrounds, with the intention of examining the effects of socioeconomic status on summer regression. Trimester benchmarks measuring oral reading fluency were utilized in evaluating the reading performance of over 300 first and second grade students from a rural Midwestern school district. The results of the study indicated significant post-summer reading losses for all students participating in the study, with students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds incurring more severe deficits following summer break. With current federal objectives aimed at closing achievement gaps, such outcomes amplify the need for consideration in expanding the use of supplemental instruction throughout summer breaks.

Committee: Michael Woodin PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Jason Abbitt PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Tonya Watson PhD (Committee Member); Jane Cole PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Educational Psychology; Elementary Education; Reading Instruction

Specialist in Education, Miami University, 2010, Educational Psychology

The following study examines the relationship between state achievement assessments and curriculum-based measurements. Specifically, reading performance on the Ohio Achievement Test and curriculum-based measurement oral reading fluency scores were evaluated. Relationships were examined to determine possible predictors of future state achievement test performance. Trimester benchmarks in oral reading fluency were utilized in evaluating the reading performance of 575 students from a suburban Southwestern Ohio school district. The results indicated that curriculum-based measurements of oral reading fluency and Ohio Achievement Test reading have a strong predictive relationship. A model, utilizing the most recently administered Ohio Achievement Test and oral reading fluency scores demonstrated the strongest predictive relationship with future successful state test performance. Given the federal and state objectives focused on increasing student achievement, these findings provide schools and educators with practical methods of monitoring and predicting student success.

Committee: Jason T. Abbitt PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Michael F. Woodin PhD (Committee Co-Chair); Jane E. Cole PhD (Committee Member); Tonya S. Watson PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Master of Arts, Miami University, 2009, Speech Pathology and Audiology

The current study seeks to identify the relationship between the linguistic skills of auditory and visual perception and literacy readiness in kindergarteners. The purpose of the study was to address the following questions: a) Is auditory perception positively correlated with literacy readiness in kindergarteners? b) Is there a significant difference between the components of auditory perception (discrimination, comprehension, and memory) and literacy readiness in kindergarteners across subgroup means? c) Is visual perception positively correlated with literacy readiness in kindergarteners? d) Is there a significant difference between visual perception performance and auditory perception performance across subgroups? Thirty children were assessed, 10 within each subgroup, using the Test of Auditory Perception Skills and the Motor Free Visual Perception Test- Third Edition. Results indicated that literacy readiness skills are significantly, positively correlated with auditory perception, specifically auditory memory. Visual perception was determined not to be correlated with literacy readiness skills.

Committee: Joan Nolan Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Kathleen Hutchinson Ph.D. (Committee Member); Lisa Williamson M.A. (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Literacy; Reading Instruction; Special Education; Speech Therapy

PHD, Kent State University, 2010, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences

Contemporary education is experiencing substantial reform across legislative, pedagogical, and assessment dimensions. The increase in school-based accountability systems has brought forth a culture where states, school districts, teachers, and individual students are required to demonstrate their efficacy towards improvement of the educational environment. An awareness of the necessity for identifying students who are at-risk or already failing heralds the implementation of progress monitoring systems that continuously survey acquisition of skills and development of subsequent academic competencies. Early literacy and mathematics skills are understood as essential prerequisites towards future academic achievement, emotional adjustment, and adult quality of livelihood. Brief, reoccurring informal process assessment practices, such as DIBELS and Math Concepts and Applications, may yield a powerful mechanism to accomplish such progress monitoring and data based decision-making objectives. Previous quantitative approaches towards studying the outcomes of school-based data, however, were frequently plagued with methodological shortcomings and violations of statistical assumptions. Advances in understanding nested or hierarchical organized data allows for analysis of data without many of these confounds. The present study employed a longitudinal collection from 2002 to 2006 of informal DIBELS and Math Concepts and Application assessment results. Repeated measurement of a high-stakes measure, the Ohio Achievement Test subtests in reading and mathematics, were regressed onto informal math and reading assessments with various individual student-level predictor variables in a progressive sequence involving hierarchical linear models (HLM). The intent was to develop a cogent model of predicting high stakes achievement test performance as related to the above variables. Results were significant for the usage of informal DIBELS measures to predict future high stakes achieveme (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Caven Mcloughlin PhD (Committee Chair); Frank Sansosti PhD (Committee Member); Jason Schenker PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Psychology

Specialist in Education (Ed.S.), University of Dayton, 2012, School Psychology

This study evaluates the performance of students from diverse backgrounds on the curriculum-based measure “DIBELS Next.” While the literature supports the use of curriculum based measures to evaluate academic skill, research has been limited in the study of students with different backgrounds and their performance on curriculum based measures. Results of the present study indicated that DIBELS Next is a tool that does not discriminate among white non-Hispanic (WNH), black non-Hispanic (BNH), or Asian Pacific Islander (API) in the targeted schools. Thus, ethnicity does not have an effect on DIBELS Next oral reading fluency scores or weekly rate of change. Future research might evaluate students from other ethnicities to ensure DIBELS Next probes are an appropriate measure of oral reading fluency for all students.

Committee: Sawyer Hunley (Advisor); Bobbie Fiori (Committee Member); Susan Davies (Committee Member) Subjects: Education

Specialist in Education (Ed.S.), University of Dayton, 2012, School Psychology

The purpose of this thesis was to explore a curriculum based measurement procedure and its reliability for practical applications in the educational setting. Twenty third grade oral reading passages were selected from the Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) system and used to assess reading progress of three third grade classes from different school districts in southwestern Ohio. The DIBELS system includes a comprehensive assessment system that is validated through research and assesses early reading skill development from kindergarten through sixth grade. The standard procedure of using the one-minute median probe of a three probe administration was compared to the alternative procedure of using only the first of three probes. The correlational analysis of single first probe scores was positive and highly significant with median score probes r(537) = .96, p < .01. This study's discussion included the innovation of progress monitoring tools, the utility of such, legal enactments, a decision making framework in reading for progress monitoring use with the K-12 school system and exploration of a more efficient and reliable solution.

Committee: Sawyer Hunley PhD (Committee Chair); Susan Davies PhD (Committee Member); Elana Berstein PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Early Childhood Education; Educational Evaluation; Educational Psychology; Educational Tests and Measurements; Elementary Education; Experimental Psychology; Experiments; Preschool Education; Psychological Tests; Reading Instruction

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2009, Leadership Studies

The purpose of this correlational study was twofold: to examine the relationship of students' reading performance on six different diagnostic reading assessments and the third grade Ohio Reading Achievement Test; and to assist educators in choosing the diagnostic assessments that best identify students at risk of failing the third grade Ohio Reading Achievement Test so early reading intervention can be implemented. The six diagnostic reading assessments analyzed were (1) kindergarten KRA-L (Kindergarten Readiness Assessment-Literacy); (2) first grade Ohio Reading Diagnostic Test; (3) first grade DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators for Basic Early Literacy Skills) Oral Fluency subtest (ORF); (4) second grade Ohio Reading Diagnostic Test; (5) second grade DIBELS ORF; and (6) third grade DIBELS ORF. The sample included 49 third grade students in a rural Ohio public elementary school.Four research questions and Chall's (1983) theoretical literacy framework guided the examination of student literacy data. Pearson Correlation Coefficient revealed that the second grade Ohio Reading Diagnostic Test and second grade DIBELS ORF had the strongest correlations with the third grade Ohio Reading Achievement Test. The correlations of third grade DIBELS fluency assessment and first grade DIBELS ORF with the third grade Ohio Reading Achievement Test were weak and had no predicative ability or value. The strongest significant predictive models were the third grade DIBELS ORF and second grade Ohio Reading Diagnostic Test. The strongest early assessment predictive model was the KRA-L. The second grade DIBELS ORF was a significant predictive model for male and middle/high socioeconomic participants. The second grade Ohio Reading Diagnostic Test was a significant predictive model for female and low socioeconomic participants. Finally, significant regression equations were created for the KRA-L, first grade and second grade Ohio Reading Diagnostic Test, and second grade DIBELS ORF. The six diagno (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Rachel Vannatta Reinhart PhD (Committee Chair); Nancy Williams Fordham PhD (Committee Member); Lee Anne Nickoson Massey PhD (Committee Member); Carol Rosiak EdD (Committee Member); Judith Zimmerman PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Elementary Education; Literacy; School Administration

Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership), Youngstown State University, 2013, Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Studies

Within the walls of our schools lies the future of our society. The contributions and achievements of the next generations will determine the course of our country and the world. The responsibility for preparing and educating this population falls on our school systems and the teachers within them. The demands and expectations placed on our educational systems are ever-changing. One of the most significant of these changes has been an increase in the level of accountability for the achievement and growth of every student. Teachers in the primary grades, working with our youngest students, are the first to see the disparity of skills and readiness they demonstrate. Charged with developing not only academic skills, but also social, emotional and interpersonal skills, this first experience to structured education lays a critical foundation. Kindergarten is the time during which students begin to develop their knowledge base, as well as their perception of themselves as learners. Reading readiness and the acquisition of its component skills, form the scaffold upon which all later skills will be layered. Dr. Seuss said, “The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn the more places you'll go” (Seuss, 1990). While it is clear that literacy skills are critical elements of early instruction, it is not clear in what format or with which approach, these skills are most appropriately taught. Additionally challenging in the instructional process is keeping students motivated and engaged in the learning process. Effective means by which to achieve these outcomes are also not universally accepted. Teacher education organizations, as well as researchers in the field identify the use of technology as a tool for thinking, decision-making and learning (Couse & Chen, 2010). This study looks to examine the impact of the use of iPad 2 literacy based applications on the acquisition of emergent literacy skills in the areas of phonemic aw (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Karen Larwin Ph.D. (Advisor); Robert Beebe Ph.D. (Committee Member); Amy Camardese Ph.D. (Committee Member); Gail Saunders-Smith Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Early Childhood Education; Literacy; Technology