The Relationship Between Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension for Third-Grade Students
By Carla M. McConnaughhay
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Master of Education
May 2008
Graduate Programs in Education
Goucher College
Table of Contents
List of Tables
i
Abstract
ii
I. Introduction
1
Statement of the Problem
3
Statement of Research Hypothesis
3
Operational Definitions
3
II. Review of the Literature
4
Reading
4
Decoding
5
Reading Fluency
6
Reading Comprehension
8
The Relationship between Reading Fluency and Reading
Comprehension
10
Reading Instruction
13
Summary
14
III. Methods
15
Design
15
Participants
15
Instruments
16
Procedure
18
IV. Results
21
V. Discussion
22
Implications
23
Threats to Validity
24
Comparison with Other Research
26
Recommendations for Future Research
27
References
29
List of Tables
1. Pearson Correlation Between DIBELS Fluency and AACPS Reading Assessment 2, Comprehension Section
20
2. Simple Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) between DIBELS Instructional Categories and Comprehension Assessment Mean Scores and Levels
22
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension. A correlational study design was used. Participants in the study were 50 third-grade students who were enrolled in one suburban public elementary school. Of the 50 students involved in the study, 31 were females and 19 were males. Data regarding students’ performance on the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, Sixth Edition (DIBELS) and the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Reading Assessment 2, comprehension section was collected and analyzed using the Pearson correlation. The analysis showed a significant relationship between...