Corrective Reading, Self-Esteem, Locus of Control and Parental Perception of Disabled Readers and Disabled Learners.

Abstract

Corrective reading programs have been evaluated by assessing client short-term and long-term gains. While some studies have found significant short-term gains, few have demonstrated persistence of gains over the long term. Among factors which have been correlated with gains are self-esteem, locus of control, program design and parental perception of a child's academic ability. This study reports an evaluation of the impact of a University affiliated four-week (24 hour) summer reading program. The program may be characterized as systematic, intensive, learner-controlled, using daily objectives, criterion measures, self-evaluation and graphing. All reinforcement is intrinsic, i.e., derived from graphic feedback. The purpose of the study was to determine whether or not: (1)a population of learning disabled and reading disabled children will increase their reading achievement after a four week intensive reading program; (2)gains made, if any, are maintained over time; (3)self-esteem and locus of control are related to reading achievement and parental perception of their children's academic ability; and (4)changes in self-esteem and changes in locus of control on the one h and , and changes in academic achievement on the other, covary over time. The study population consisted of 67 students (46 males and 21 females), from second to sixth grade, referred by schools or parents because of reading difficulties. Sixteen were categorized as Learning Disabled. Small groups of students were assigned to 29 clinical interns. All received the same assessment measures and individualized prescriptive programming. Effectiveness of the program was determined after treatment and six months following treatment by using the following instruments: (1)Reading ability: Woodcock Reading Mastery Test; (2)Self-esteem: Child Self-Esteem Scale; (3) Locus of control: Nowicki-Strickl and Personal Reaction Survey; and (4)Parental perception: Parental Perception Survey (before treatment only). Analysis of variance, covariance (controlling for pretest scores and age), regression analysis, tests of independence and pairwise T-tests were used. At entry into the program, the two subpopulations, Learning Disabled and Non-Learning Disabled (Reading Disabled), differed significantly on all of the reading achievement measures and on some of the psychological measures. The Learning Disabled population had a greater reading deficit, lower self-esteem, greater degree of internal control and parents who perceived their academic ability as lower than that of the disabled readers. Both groups made gains in reading at a rate of four months to one month and moved toward more internal control. Six months following treatment, gains continued at a normal rate. The Learning Disabled students were no longer distinguishable from the Non-Learning Disabled students in reading. Conclusions: (1)That students referred with severe reading disorders can reduce their reading deficits substantially. (2)That such students tend to continue to progress normally. (3)Whether children are labelled "Learning Disabled" or "Reading Disabled," their response to intensive reading instruction is similar in kind and degree. (4) That students, whether Learning Disabled or Non-Learning Disabled, who have undergone such intervention, develop a greater degree of internality (increase their awareness of their ability to control their achievement). (5) That, among students with severe reading disorders, gains in self-esteem correlate significantly with gains in reading. (6)That parents of children labelled "Learning Disabled" tend to perceive their children as academically less able than do parents of children labelled "Reading Disabled".