An Analysis of the Reading Strategies Used by Deaf and Hearing Adults: Similarities and Differences in Phonological Processing and Metacognition Julia A. Silvestri Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy under the Executive Committee of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2016 © 2016 Julia A. Silvestri All Rights Reserved ABSTRACT An Analysis of the Reading Strategies Used by Deaf and Hearing Adults: Similarities and Differences in Phonological Processing and Metacognition Julia A. Silvestri This study is a mixed methods analysis of reading processes and language experiences of deaf and hearing readers. The sample includes four groups each with fifteen adults—identified as: deaf/high-achieving readers, deaf/struggling/non-academic readers, hearing/high-achieving readers, and hearing/non-academic readers. The purpose of this study is to identify factors related to reading achievement and to explore themes that emerge in the language experience and reading behaviors. The quantitative measures of the study are: a background demographics form, reading comprehension assessment, phonological skills assessment, metacognition assessment and think-aloud discussion with a reading strategy checklist where readers are guided through the process of decoding and interpreting the scene from a play. Scores from the reading comprehension assessment are correlated with other assessments and demographic statistics to identify factors of achievement. Similarities and differences between groups of readers are tested with one-way ANOVAs to identify mean differences in scores according to achievement level (skilled/struggling) and hearing status (deaf/hearing). Qualitative data are measured by collecting, reviewing and identifying shared themes in the transcripts of reading background interview and think-aloud discussions (open coding), relating codes and categories (axial coding), and determining a central theme (selective category). Results shows that deaf high-achieving readers perform at similar levels as hearing high- achieving readers, and that for all participants, phonology and metacognition are related to reading achievement; there are similarities and differences in their conceptualization of language; and access to varied instructional strategies and meaningful language experiences is an overarching theme in effective reading. ii Table of Contents Figures and Tables ........................................................................................................... iii Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................................................1 1.1. Background ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Background ................................................................................................................................... 5 1.3. Purpose ........................................................................................................................................... 7 1.4. Significance ................................................................................................................................... 9 1.5. Research Questions ................................................................................................................. 10 Chapter 2: Literature Review .........................................................................................11 2.1. Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 11 2.2. Achievement Records ............................................................................................................ 11 2.2.1. Background ......................................................................................................11 2.2.2. Measurements ..................................................................................................14 2.2.3. Interventions ....................................................................................................17 2.2.4. Conclusions ......................................................................................................18 2.3. Factors of Achievement ......................................................................................................... 19 2.3.1. Background ......................................................................................................19 2.3.2. Measurements ..................................................................................................20 2.3.3. Interventions ....................................................................................................24 2.3.4. Conclusions ......................................................................................................27 2.4. Phonology ................................................................................................................................... 28 2.4.1. Background ......................................................................................................28 2.4.2. Measurements ..................................................................................................29 2.4.3. Interventions ....................................................................................................33 2.4.4. Conclusions ......................................................................................................35 2.5. Metacognition ........................................................................................................................... 35 2.5.1. Background ......................................................................................................35 2.5.2. Measurements ..................................................................................................36 2.5.3. Interventions ....................................................................................................39 2.5.4. Conclusions ......................................................................................................41 2.6. Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 42 Chapter 3: Methodology..................................................................................................44 3.1. Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 44 3.2. Participants ............................................................................................................................... 44 3.2.1. Sample..............................................................................................................44 3.2.2. Recruitment Procedures ...................................................................................45 3.3. Instruments and Procedures .............................................................................................. 45 3.3.1. Background Form and Interview .....................................................................47 3.3.2. Reading Comprehension Assessment ..............................................................48 3.3.3. Phonological Skills Assessment ......................................................................49 3.3.4. Metalinguistic Assessment...............................................................................50 3.3.4. Think-Aloud Discussion/Reading Strategy Checklist .....................................50 3.4. Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 53 3.4.1. Factors Related to Reading Achievement ........................................................53 3.4.2. Deaf and Hearing Readers: Similarities and Differences ................................54 i Chapter 4: Results............................................................................................................59 4.1. Overview .................................................................................................................................... 59 4.2. Research Question #1: Factors of Achievement ........................................................... 59 4.2.1. Phonological Skills and Reading Achievement ...............................................59 4.2.2. Metacognition and Reading Achievement .......................................................60 4.2.3. Personal Factors and Reading Achievement ....................................................61 4.3. Research Question #2: Similarities and Differences in Deaf and Hearing .......... 62 4.3.1. Reading Achievement ......................................................................................62 4.3.2. Phonological Processing ..................................................................................65 4.3.3. Metacognition ..................................................................................................67 4.3.4. Language Experiences and Reading Behaviors ...............................................71 4.3.4.1. Open Coding .............................................................................................71 4.3.4.2. Axial Coding .............................................................................................85 4.3.4.3. Selective