Date of Award

1987

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine what changes occur in individual students' reading comprehension during the non-instructional time period of summer vacation compared to the changes that occurred during an equal instructional time period. Data were obtained from 96 students enrolled in the third, fourth, and fifth grades of an urban public school. The Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests, Level C and Level D, Forms 1 and 2, were used to evaluate students' changes in reading comprehension. The three intelligence levels, established through ranking of the Otis-Lennon Mental Abilities Test scores, and three grade placements were used as independent variables in the analysis of the changes. The.05 level of significance was used. The findings of this study indicated that: (1) There were significant differences between the effects of summer non-instructional time on the estimated reading comprehension scores of the three levels of intelligence. (2) There were no significant differences between the effects of summer non-instructional time on the estimated reading comprehension scores of the three grade levels. (3) There were no significant differences found between the interaction of intelligence levels and grade levels on the predicted reading comprehension scores. The conclusions drawn from the study were: (1) Non-instructional reading comprehension score changes were less than the instructional reading comprehension score changes for each grade and each intelligence level. (2) The mean reading comprehension score change during the non-instructional time period was less for the lower intelligence group than for either the above average group or the average intelligence group. (3) The mean reading comprehension score change during the instructional time period was less for the above average intelligence group than for the average group or the below average intelligence group. (4) Reading comprehension is not a linear, continuous process.

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