Utilising Voice Recognition Software to Improve Reading Fluency of Struggling Adolescent Readers
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Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 2016 Utilising voice recognition software to improve reading fluency of struggling adolescent readers Peter Count Edith Cowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses Part of the Educational Methods Commons Recommended Citation Count, P. (2016). Utilising voice recognition software to improve reading fluency of struggling adolescent readers. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1799 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1799 Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 2016 Utilising voice recognition software to improve reading fluency of struggling adolescent readers Peter Count Edith Cowan University Recommended Citation Count, P. (2016). Utilising voice recognition software to improve reading fluency of struggling adolescent readers. Retrieved from http://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1799 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. http://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1799 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. Where the reproduction of such material is done without attribution of authorship, with false attribution of authorship or the authorship is treated in a derogatory manner, this may be a breach of the author’s moral rights contained in Part IX of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Courts have the power to impose a wide range of civil and criminal sanctions for infringement of copyright, infringement of moral rights and other offences under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. UTILISING VOICE RECOGNITION SOFTWARE TO IMPROVE READING FLUENCY OF STRUGGLING ADOLESCENT READERS By Peter Count B.A. (English); Grad. Dip. Ed; B. Ed.; M.Ed.(Man.) A Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of Doctor of Philosophy (Education) at the School of Education Edith Cowan University 2016 i ABSTRACT Approximately 15-20% of secondary students in Australia experience reading difficulties. For many, the cognitive effort required to decode words or the lack of automaticity in the elements that contribute to fluent reading prevents effective reading comprehension. Because reading comprehension is of critical importance across the curriculum, students with difficulties in this area are at significant academic risk. One effective method of improving reading fluency is ‘repeated readings’ (NICHHD, 2000). The purpose of this study was to examine whether the use of repeated readings delivered via a home-based program employing voice recognition software (VRS) could improve the reading fluency and self-perception as readers of adolescent students experiencing reading difficulties. The intervention was designed to overcome the problems associated with delivering a repeated reading program within a secondary English classroom. These problems relate to the amount of time required to conduct such a program within the constraints of the existing curriculum, and the reluctance of students to participate in a program that would draw attention to their reading difficulties. A treatment group participated in a home-based repeated reading program using VRS over a 20-week period and their results were compared to a comparison group who participated in a more traditional school-based repeated reading program. Reading fluency, comprehensions and reader self-perception were measured before and after the intervention. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and case studies. The intervention reported in this study resulted in improved reading rate, accuracy and comprehension for both the home-based treatment group and a school-based comparison group, with evidence of larger gains in the treatment group. The students’ perceptions of themselves as readers, however, did not show significant gains. ii COPYRIGHT AND ACCESS DECLARATION I certify that this thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge and belief: (i) incorporate without acknowledgement any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any institution of higher education; (ii) contain any material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the text; or (iii) contain any defamatory material. Signed (signature not included in this version of the thesis) Date………………………………………. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Carrying out the requisite work and then writing this thesis was, undoubtedly, the most arduous task I have undertaken. I felt very alone on the long nights of writing, staring at the computer whilst struggling to articulate what I thought were some impressive findings in a coherent way. In reality, though, I was not alone thanks to a group of dedicated people who have supported me over the many years. I would like to begin by thanking my principal supervisor, Associate Professor Deslea Konza and my co-supervisor, Dr Jeremy Pagram. It is an often used cliché, but in this case it is no overstatement to say that without the consistent guidance, tutelage, support, unparalleled knowledge, and encouragement of my two supervisors, this thesis would never have existed. In particular, I would like to thank Deslea who went above and beyond to read every line of the manuscript in meticulous detail. Thank you also to Dr Martin Cooper for his advice on statistics and methodology. The support I received at my school was excellent and I would like to thank my teaching colleague, who worked so closely with the comparison group, and gave up many hours of her time, not just to help me with this research, but out of genuine concern for her students. The staff at my school, including the Principal, whose cooperation contributed to the smooth data collection during that phase of the study, also deserve thanks. I would also like to thank the students who participated in this study. They willingly put their hands up, acknowledged their reading difficulties, and worked hard to overcome those difficulties, not knowing whether their efforts would be successful or not. I have been able to observe many of these students since the initial data collection in 2010 and have been pleased by the progress they made in their studies. I hope their participation in my research contributed more than a little. Finally, I would like to thank my daughter, Bronte. She has been almost without a father while I was engaged with this and I look forward to being able to spend more time with her. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................... ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................... v LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................... x LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................. xiv Glossary .............................................................................................................. xvi Chapter One: Introduction ..................................................................................... 1 The Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................... 2 Background to the Study ........................................................................................ 2 Rationale ................................................................................................................ 5 The importance of fluency in skilled reading .................................................... 6 Research Questions ................................................................................................ 9 Significance of the Study ..................................................................................... 10 Delimitations of the Study ................................................................................... 11 Organisation of the Thesis ................................................................................... 13 Chapter Two: Review of the Literature ............................................................... 14 Overview .............................................................................................................. 14 Explanations of the Reading Process ................................................................... 15 Identification of fluency as a core component of reading: Contribution of the Report of the National Reading Panel .............................................................. 23 The impact of reading difficulties ........................................................................ 26 The Matthew Effect in relation to reading development .................................. 29 v The struggling reader in secondary school ...................................................... 30 Effect of motivation and self-efficacy on reading...........................................