Reinforcement in parent-operated remedial reading programmes

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of a simple parent-operated remedial reading programme which incorporated delayed token reinforcement for accurate prose reading. A control group design was used, in which the control group were to receive the reading programme without the addition of knowledge of results or token reinforcement. The subjects of the study were 30 children, aged 9 years 4 months to 11 years 2 months, with accuracy reading ages (as measured by the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability) ranging from 7 years 10 months to 10 years 0 months. Retardation in reading accuracy ranged from 8 months to 2 years 8 months where "retardation" was defined as the difference between chronological age and accuracy reading age. Parents were trained in two group sessions lasting approximately 1-1 1/2 hours and three home visits were made during the experimental period to check on the accuracy of procedures and to give help where needed. The programme operated for 10 weeks. The hypothesis of the study that the experimental group would make significantly greater increases in reading accuracy than the control group, was not confirmed. Significantly greater increases in reading comprehension were made by the experimental group however, and the increases in reading comprehension were greater than the increases in reading accuracy, in both groups. That the actual difference in treatments was less than intended is suggested as one possible reason for the absence of a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in effects on accuracy reading age. Although the control group children were to receive no knowledge of results or token reinforcement, parent responses to a questionnaire indicated that most of the control group children did receive knowledge of results at least occasionally. In addition, parent questionnaire responses indicated dissatisfaction, on the part of some experimental group parents, with the token reinforcement component Of the programme. The differential effects of delayed reinforcement on word accuracy and reading comprehension is suggested as another possible reason for the absence of a significant difference between the groups in reading accuracy and the presence of a significant difference in reading comprehension. The large increases in reading comprehension are attributed in part to the fact that two aspects of the programme were included to facilitate reading comprehension. These were the use of prose rather than single words and the maintenance of a minimum word reading accuracy level of 95%.