Using Beginning-of-Year Diagnostic Reading Measures to Predict Third Grade Comprehension Scores in Virginia

Author(s)

Todd Johnson, Liberty UniversityFollow

Date

7-2014

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Chair

Karen Parker

Keywords

Comprehension, Decoding, Phonological Awareness, Simple View of Reading, Standards of Learning, Vocabulary

Disciplines

Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Educational Methods | Elementary Education and Teaching

Recommended Citation

Johnson, Todd, "Using Beginning-of-Year Diagnostic Reading Measures to Predict Third Grade Comprehension Scores in Virginia" (2014). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 887.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/887

Abstract

The purpose of this correlational investigation is to examine the magnitude of the relationships between three diagnostic reading measures and scores obtained on the third grade Virginia SOL reading test. Specifically, this study investigated the relative utility of predictor variables against one another while also evaluating the strength of the model utilizing all three variables simultaneously. Grounded in the Simple View of Reading as outlined by Gough and Tunmer (1986), this study incorporated the Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (or PALS), the STAR Reading Test, and the QRI-5 as independent variables. While each instrument has been the subject of previous investigations, no prior study has compared the value of these commonly used assessments in predicting the same outcome measure. This study incorporated a multiple regression analysis to investigate two research questions designed to evaluate the ability of diagnostic reading measures to predict outcome scores on the third grade Virginia Standards of Learning reading assessment. This investigation utilized a data set from a sample of third grade students attending a semi-rural school division in Virginia. Pearson correlation coefficients revealed strong relationships between each of the independent variables and scores obtained on the third grade SOL test. Further, regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between a linear combination of predictor variables and SOL achievement scores. These findings suggest that students can be effectively screened for inclusion in remedial and enrichment programs prior to the administration of high stakes end-of-course reading tests.