Reading is one of the most important academic skills, because it is a requirement to be able to learn. The reading skills of Dutch students have worsened over the last years and the COVID- 19...Show moreReading is one of the most important academic skills, because it is a requirement to be able to learn. The reading skills of Dutch students have worsened over the last years and the COVID- 19 pandemic has had a negative influence on that. That is why it is important to help struggling readers. This study examined the effects of two intensive, individual reading interventions aimed at improving the reading skills of students with reading difficulties. The effects of the Universele Interventie voor Lezen, a structured online reading intervention, were compared to the RA, the control condition. Additionally, the effects of the interventions on reading enjoyment were examined. Two research questions were formulated. Firstly, "What are the relative effects of the Universele Interventie voor Lezen and Read-Along reading interventions on the reading performance of children with reading difficulties?" Secondly, "What are the relative effects of the Universele Interventie voor Lezen and Read-Along reading interventions on the reading enjoyment of children with reading difficulties?" The Universele Interventie voor Lezen is a structured intervention that uses explicit, direct instruction. The Read-Along intervention, on the other hand, is based on the idea that more reading is sufficient to improve the reading skills of struggling readers. During this study, both interventions were administered through online, individual meetings. The sample consisted of 29 struggling readers from fifth and sixth grade. A significant effect over time was found for reading performance, but not for intervention. No significant effect was found for reading enjoyment. These findings suggest that it can be beneficial to implement reading interventions such as the Universele Interventie voor Lezen and the Read-Along for struggling readers.Show less
The development of vocabulary in primary school is of high importance. A foundation for toddlers’ school career can be laid by teaching new words in an efficient way. By doing so, all toddlers can...Show moreThe development of vocabulary in primary school is of high importance. A foundation for toddlers’ school career can be laid by teaching new words in an efficient way. By doing so, all toddlers can proceed school with the same level of reading and writing. Reading storybooks aloud in an interactive way is crucial when stimulating vocabulary development. Within the reading intervention program, e-Prent&ABC, the interactive reading of animated storybooks with a smartboard is combined with the 4-cycle word development model to learn new words in an effective way. A previous study stated that e-Prent&ABC has a positive effect on the vocabulary and language development of toddlers. This positive effect did not occur for toddlers who show inattentive-withdrawn or disruptive behavior. In the current study, e-Prent&ABC is extended to e-Prent&ABC+ by adding behavior regulating elements. Within e-Prent&ABC+, specific attention is paid to toddlers with problematic behavior. The purpose of the current study is to assess whether the learning behavior and vocabulary of toddlers with problematic behavior can be improved by e-Prent&ABC+, compared with e-Prent&ABC and the control condition (electronic Living Books). The influence of working memory on learning behavior and vocabulary is also examined. A total of 60 toddlers participated in this study, in which 30 toddlers showed inattentive-withdrawn or disruptive behavior, followed by 30 control children. Nine classes from three primary schools in Leiden completed three intervention weeks. The results of the current study showed that e-Prent&ABC is effective in increasing the vocabulary of toddlers. However, the behavior regulating elements of e-Prent&ABC+ were found to be ineffective. In future research, it is important to replicate e-Prent&ABC+ with a larger and more reliable sample. Due to its effectiveness within education, it is recommended to add the 4-cycle model and animated storybooks to current reading methods.Show less
