The Impact Of A Balanced Reading Basal On Third Grade Reading Achievement PDF Download

A student’s ability to acquire reading skills plays a critical role in ensuring a student’s success in life. Therefore, students reading below grade level can be cause for alarm. Students who attended third grade in a Title I school district demonstrated a lack of proficiency in balanced reading based on formative and summative assessments. As a result, the district adopted a reading basal program in 2013; however, the effectiveness of the program on third-grade students’ achievement had not been examined. This convergent parallel mixed-method study sought to determine if the reading program increased third-grade student achievement. The research questions of the study examined the reading achievement scores of third-grade students and the effectiveness of McGraw-Hill Reading Wonders. Significant differences were observed when a paired sample t test measured progress on the Reading 3D composite, Text Reading Comprehension, and North Carolina Beginning of Grade/North Carolina End of Grade from the beginning of the year to the end of year. Responses from a teacher survey and interviews provided descriptive quantitative and qualitative data that revealed teacher perceptions of McGraw-Hill Reading Wonders basal program and the impact on student achievement. Qualitative responses were reviewed and analyzed for common themes. The overall findings suggest that McGraw-Hill Reading Wonders had a positive effect on student reading achievement. The findings of this study can be used to help educators make data-driven decisions about utilization of balanced reading programs in the classroom.