Characteristics of Kindergarten Reading Instruction and Intervention Associated with Growth for At-Risk Kindergarten Students

Abstract

This study explored how different characteristics of reading instruction for kindergarten students can affect the development of foundational reading skills for students who enter kindergarten at-risk for reading failure. Study participants included a total of 213 kindergarten students and 37 kindergarten teachers. All participants were located across various parts of Texas and represented a range of ethnicities. Students’ reading growth was assessed with tests of phonological awareness, letter-sound fluency, and word identification, and information was gathered on teachers’ instructional characteristics using questionnaires and interview forms. Analyses investigated differences in students’ rates of growth according to the amount of teachers’ reading instruction per week, number of students in instructional groups, type of skills targeted during reading interventions, and methods of instruction used during reading intervention.