Abstract
Students’ inattention is predictive of reading problems and of non-response to effective reading intervention. In this randomized study, 58 first-grade classrooms located in 30 schools were assigned to a control condition or to one of two intervention conditions. In these last two conditions, peer-tutoring activities were conducted to improve classroom reading instruction. In one of the intervention conditions, the Good Behavior Game was also implemented to maximize students’ attention during reading lessons. Both interventions were effective: peer-tutoring activities helped students improve their reading skills and attention was generally higher when the Good Behavior Game was implemented. Contrary to expectations however, students identified as inattentive at pretest did not become better readers when the two interventions were implemented.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Al Otaiba, S., & Fuchs, D. (2002). Characteristics of children who are unresponsive to early literacy intervention: A review of the literature. Remedial and Special Education, 23, 300–316.
Al Otaiba, S., & Fuchs, D. (2006). Who are the young children for whom best practices in reading are ineffective? An experimental and longitudinal study. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 39, 414–431.
Barrish, H. H., Saunders, M., & Wolf, M. M. (1969). Good Behavior Game: Effects of individual contingencies for group consequences on disruptive behavior in a classroom. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 2, 119–124.
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Conners, C. K. (2000). Conners rating scale-revised. Toronto: Multi-Health Systems.
Cornfield, J. (1978). Randomization by group: A formal analysis. American Journal of Epidemiology, 108, 100–102.
Dally, K. (2006). The influence of phonological processing and inattentive behavior on reading acquisition. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98, 420–437.
Desrochers, A. (2008). The assessment of reading skills among French-speaking children: Test construction procedure and psychometric properties. Ottawa: Cognitive Psychology of Language Laboratory, University of Ottawa.
Dion, E., Morgan, P. L., Fuchs, D., & Fuchs, L. S. (2004). The promise and limitations of reading instruction in the mainstream: The need for a multi-level approach. Exceptionality, 12, 163–173.
Dion, E., Borri-Anadon, C., Vanier, N., Potvin, M.-C., & Roux, C. (2005a). Apprendre à lire à deux. Manuel de l’enseignante et matériel de lecture [Learning to read two by two: Teacher’s manual and reading material]. Montréal: Université du Québec à Montréal.
Dion, E., Potvin, M.-C., & Roux, C. (2005b). Attention je lis! Manuel de l’enseignante [Pay Attention, I’m Reading: Teacher’s Manual]. Montréal: Université du Québec à Montréal.
Dion, E., Potvin, M.-C., Gosselin, C., Brodeur, M., Mercier, J., & Roux, C. (2009). Teacher’s management of student’s attention in regular education classrooms: Naturalistic practices and empirically-validated strategies. In G. D. Sideridis & T. A. Citro (Eds.), Classroom management and learning strategies for struggling learners (pp. 19–32). Weston, MA: Learning Disabilities Worlwide.
Dolan, L. J., Kellam, S. G., Brown, C. H., Werthamer-Larsson, L., Rebok, G. W., Mayer, L. S., et al. (1993). The short-term impact of two classroom-based preventive interventions on aggressive and shy behaviors and poor achievement. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 14, 317–345.
DuPaul, G. J., Ervin, R. A., Hook, C. L., & McGoey, K. E. (1998). Peer tutoring for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Effects on classroom behavior and academic performance. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 31, 579–592.
Edwards, L., Salant, V., Howard, V. F., Brougher, J., & McLaughlin, T. F. (1995). Effectiveness of self-management on attentional behavior and reading comprehension for children with attention deficit disorder. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 17, 1–17.
Fuchs, D., & Fuchs, L. S. (1986). Test procedure bias: A meta-analysis of examiner familiarity effects. Review of Educational Research, 56, 243–262.
Fuchs, D., & Fuchs, L. S. (2005). Peer-assisted learning strategies: Promoting word recognition, fluency, and reading comprehension in young children. Journal of Special Education, 39, 34–44.
Fuchs, L. S., Fuchs, D., & Maxwell, L. (1988). The validity of informal reading comprehension measures. Remedial and Special Education, 9, 20–29.
Glynn, E. L., & Thomas, J. D. (1974). Effect of cueing on self-control of classroom behavior. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 7, 299–306.
Harris, K. R., Graham, S., Reid, R., McElroy, K., & Hamby, R. S. (1994). Self-monitoring of attention versus self-monitoring of performance: Replication and cross-task comparison studies. Learning Disability Quarterly, 17, 121–139.
Harris, K. R., Reid, R. R., & Graham, S. (2004). Self-regulation among students with LD and ADHD. In B. Y. L. Wong (Ed.), Learning about learning disabilities (3rd ed., pp. 167–195). San Diego, CA: Elsevier Academic Press.
Ialongo, N. S., Werthamer, L., Kellam, S. G., Brown, C. H., Wang, S., & Lin, Y. (1999). Proximal impact of two first-grade preventive interventions on the early risk behaviors for later substance abuse, depression, and antisocial behavior. American Journal of Community Psychology, 27, 599–641.
Loe, I. M., Balestrino, M. D., Phelps, R. A., Kurs-Lasky, M., Chaves-Gnecco, D., Paradise, J. L., et al. (2008). Early histories of school-aged children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Child Development, 79, 1853–1868.
Martinussen, R., Hayden, J., Hogg-Johnson, S., & Tannock, R. (2005). A meta-analysis of working memory impairments in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 44, 377–384.
Mathes, P. G., Howard, J. K., Allen, S. H., & Fuchs, D. (1998). Peer-assisted learning strategies: Responding to the needs of diverse learners. Reading Research Quarterly, 33, 62–94.
McMaster, K. N., Fuchs, D., Fuchs, L. S., & Compton, D. L. (2005). Responding to nonresponders: An experimental field trial of identification and intervention methods. Exceptional Children, 71, 445–463.
Medland, M. B., & Stachhnik, T. J. (1972). Good Behavior Game: A replication and analysis. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 5, 45–51.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network. (2002). The relation of global first-grade environment to structural classroom features and teacher and student behaviors. Elementary School Journal, 102, 367–387.
Nye, B., Konstantopoulos, S., & Hedges, L. V. (2004). How large are teacher effects? Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 26, 237–257.
Rabiner, D. L., Malone, P. S., & the Conduct Problems Prevention Research Group. (2004). The impact of tutoring on early reading achievement for children with and without attention problems. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 32, 273–284.
Raudenbush, S. W., & Bryk, A. S. (2002). Hierarchical linear models: Applications and data analysis methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Raudenbush, S. W., Bryk, A. S., Cheong, Y. F., Congdon, R., & du Toit, M. (2004). HLM 6: Hierarchical linear and nonlinear modeling. Lincolnwood, IL: Scientific Software International.
Reid, R., & Harris, K. R. (1993). Self-monitoring of attention versus self-monitoring of performance: Effects on attention and academic performance. Exceptional Children, 60, 29–40.
Ritchey, K. D., & Speece, D. L. (2006). From letter names to word reading: The nascent role of sublexical fluency. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 31, 301–327.
Rooney, K. J., Hallahan, D. P., & Lloyd, J. W. (1984). Self-recording of attention by learning disabled students in the regular classroom. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 17, 360–364.
Stage, S. A., Abbott, R. D., Jenkins, J. R., & Berninger, V. W. (2003). Predicting response to early reading intervention from verbal IQ, reading-related language abilities, attention ratings, and verbal IQ-word readings discrepancy: Failure to validate discrepancy method. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 36, 24–33.
Stoolmiller, M., Eddy, J. M., & Reid, J. B. (2000). Detecting and describing preventive intervention effects in a universal school-based randomized trial targeting delinquent and violent behavior. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68, 296–306.
Torgesen, J. K. (2002). The prevention of reading difficulties. Journal of School Psychology, 40, 7–26.
Torgesen, J. K., Wagner, R. K., Rashotte, C. A., Rose, E., Lindamood, P., Conway, T., et al. (1999). Preventing reading failure in young children with phonological processing disabilities: Group and individual responses to instruction. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91, 579–593.
U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences What Works Clearinghouse. (July 2007). Peer-assisted learning strategies. Retrieved January 2, 2008, from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/beginning_reading/pals/
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (Grant No. 410-2005-1474), with additional support by the Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la société et la culture (Grant No. 96785). We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of Commission scolaire de Montréal administrators, principals and teachers who made this study possible, especially Lyne Leblanc, Marielle Cardinale, Josée Péthel, Chantal Legault, Maryse Gagnon, Nathalie Morin and Diane Talbot.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dion, E., Roux, C., Landry, D. et al. Improving Attention and Preventing Reading Difficulties among Low-Income First-Graders: A Randomized Study. Prev Sci 12, 70–79 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-010-0182-5
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-010-0182-5