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The Independent Reading Level Assessment and Its Impact on Third Grade

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The Independent Reading Level Assessment and Its Impact on Third Grade University of Portland Pilot Scholars Graduate Theses and Dissertations 2019 The ndepI endent Reading Level Assessment and Its Impact on Third Grade Reading Achievement Amy Amato Jackson Follow this and additional works at: https://pilotscholars.up.edu/etd Part of the Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, and the Elementary Education Commons Recommended Citation Amato Jackson, Amy, "The ndeI pendent Reading Level Assessment and Its Impact on Third Grade Reading Achievement" (2019). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 55. https://pilotscholars.up.edu/etd/55 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by Pilot Scholars. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Pilot Scholars. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Independent Reading Level Assessment and Its Impact on Third Grade Reading Achievement by Amy Amato Jackson A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Neuroeducation University of Portland School of Education 2019 REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED REDACTED iii Abstract This study focuses on the developmental reading taxonomy known as the Independent Reading Level Assessment (IRLA). The purposes of the study were to analyze the inclusion and timing of the elements required for learning to read, and to discover whether the use of the IRLA impacted results on summative third grade assessments (Smarter Balanced Assessments). A taxonomic structure was used to examine the content validity study of the IRLA. Findings were that while the developmental progressions were accurate and the elements were inclusive, the areas of executive functioning, phonological awareness, and vocabulary could be strengthened, and that spelling could be more pronounced to strengthen decoding and encoding of language. ANOVA analysis of standardized test scores in 49 IRLA schools over four years showed no statistically significant change. The wide range of scores from year one to year four indicated potential issues with implementation of the IRLA. This study yielded two conclusions: (1) the elements and timing for teaching reading as presented in the IRLA largely match the research base; 2) no evidence through standardized test scores of the impact of the IRLA was found. iv Acknowledgements Thank you, Jane, and the American Reading family for the ideas, space, and encouragement to see this through. Thank you, mom, dad, and family for supporting my work and helping me find time to play. Your cultivation of and tolerance for my tenacity are among the greatest gifts of my life. Thank you, John. A million times. v Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................ iii Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... v List of Tables ................................................................................................................ xi Chapter 1: Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 Consensus and Confusion ................................................................................ 2 Implementation Challenges ............................................................................. 6 Implementation Supports ................................................................................ 7 Structure as Support ........................................................................................ 9 The Promise of Taxonomy as Organizational Structure ............................ 10 Developmental Reading Taxonomy .............................................................. 12 Purpose Statement .......................................................................................... 14 Significance of the Study ................................................................................ 15 Summary ......................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 2: Literature Review ................................................................................... 17 Comprehension of Complex Text .................................................................. 19 Definition .............................................................................................. 19 Empirical research ................................................................................ 20 The reader and the skills the reader brings to the text ............. 21 The text and its demands. ......................................................... 23 vi The activity, made up of purpose, processing, and outcome, done by the reader with the text ............................................... 28 Executive Function ......................................................................................... 31 Definition .............................................................................................. 31 Empirical research. ............................................................................... 33 Print Concepts ................................................................................................ 35 Definition .............................................................................................. 35 Empirical research ................................................................................ 35 Interaction with other elements ............................................................ 38 Phonological Awareness ................................................................................. 38 Definition .............................................................................................. 38 Empirical research ................................................................................ 39 Interaction with other elements ............................................................ 43 Word Recognition ........................................................................................... 44 Definition .............................................................................................. 44 Empirical research ................................................................................ 44 Interaction with other elements ............................................................ 47 Phonics ............................................................................................................. 49 Definition .............................................................................................. 49 Empirical research ................................................................................ 49 Interaction with other elements ............................................................ 54 Vocabulary ...................................................................................................... 54 Definition .............................................................................................. 54 Empirical research ................................................................................ 55 Interaction with other elements ............................................................ 59 Fluency ............................................................................................................. 61 Definition .............................................................................................. 61 Empirical research ................................................................................ 62 vii Interaction with other elements ............................................................ 65 Formative Assessment .................................................................................... 66 Definition .............................................................................................. 66 Empirical research ................................................................................ 68 One-to-One Instruction .................................................................................. 69 Definition .............................................................................................. 69 Empirical research ................................................................................ 70 Timing of Skills ............................................................................................... 73 Inclusion and Timing of Taxonomic Elements of the IRLA....................... 81 Comprehension of complex text in the IRLA. ..................................... 82 Executive functioning in the IRLA. ..................................................... 86 Print concepts in the IRLA. .................................................................. 88 Phonological awareness in the IRLA. .................................................. 90 Word recognition in the IRLA. ............................................................ 95 Phonics in the IRLA. ............................................................................ 97 Vocabulary in the IRLA. .................................................................... 102 Fluency in the IRLA. .......................................................................... 105 Formative assessment in the IRLA ....................................................
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