A case study of the impact of Guided Reading groups in second grade on comprehension improvement

This study combined both qualitative and quantitative research to determine the impact of instructional practices on comprehension improvement in second grade Guided Reading groups. Four second grade teachers and their 73 students ages seven through eight years old participated in this study. Additionally, the study examined the effects of Guided Reading instruction on the standardized reading test scores of students. Two specific standardized comprehension tests were examined: The Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA) and the comprehension subtest of the Storytown theme tests from the publisher of the reading texts (Harcourt, 2009) used by the students.;The qualitative methodology for this study included teacher and student surveys, teacher interviews, and focused observations of Guided Reading instruction in each of the four second grade classrooms. The data was triangulated to determine the impact of Guided Reading instruction with second grade readers. Results from the teacher and student surveys assisted in the discovery of patterns within Guided Reading groups, classrooms, and teachers. Teacher interviews provided additional information in regard to each teacher's opinion of the effects/outcomes of implementing Guided Reading groups with their students. Observations of Guided Reading instruction provided data about the implementation of instructional strategies during Guided Reading groups. Variations among the teachers' Guided Reading anecdotal notes for student observations were also reviewed.;Using quantitative methodology, the researcher investigated the effects of Storytown theme tests on students' comprehension improvement. A pretest and posttest design comparing the students' scores on theme one (pretest) to theme three (posttest) was used for each of the four classrooms involved in this study. A dependent t-test was performed for the pretest and posttest. The mean difference was tested at a 0.05 level. The results of these tests illustrate a statistically significant difference between the means for the students in all four teacher's classes, thus concluding that the students in all four classes improved their reading comprehension knowledge and skills based on their test results.;The effects of Developmental Reading Assessments on student comprehension achievement were also investigated. A single group pretest (Fall scores) and posttest (Spring scores) were used for each of the four teachers involved in this study. The results found a statistically significant difference between the two test averages (Fall scores and Spring scores) for all four classrooms involved in this study, thus concluding, on average, students performed higher on the DRA Spring assessment than the DRA Fall assessment. In this study, Guided Reading groups had an impact in second graders' comprehension improvement.