Promoting Reading Accuracy and Fluency Outcomes in Complex Texts for Struggling Readers: A Comparison

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Wednesday 3:45pm
  In Poster Session: Research in Research and Literacy (SIG 11) Poster Session I

Abstract

This matched-sample quasi-experimental study compared two reading interventions for struggling third-grade readers—one using complex informational texts with embedded multisyllabic word instruction (Read Like Us), and one using a commercial decoding program with simpler narrative texts (Active Control). Despite greater text and word complexity, students in Read Like Us showed significantly greater gains in reading accuracy, particularly those starting with the lowest baseline scores. Logistic regression revealed they were nearly three times more likely to reach 98% accuracy, a key comprehension benchmark. These findings suggest that struggling readers benefit from explicit word instruction within complex, content-rich texts, challenging assumptions that simplified texts are necessary for fluency and supporting a more equity-driven approach to foundational reading interventions.

Authors

• Jake Downs, Utah State University

• Kristin Conradi Smith, College of William & Mary

• Elfrieda H. Hiebert, TextProject