The effect of the backward chaining method of decoding with computer assisted instruction on the reading skills of struggling adolescent readers

Many older students and young adults leave high school without adequate reading ability to be successful as they transition into college or employment. Researchers report that the level of nearly illiteracy has reached a rate that threatens the economy and health of the nation. This study was founded on the reading stages scheme suggested by Chall that suggests that many older students struggle because they are deficient in, or lack, the phonological awareness skills, particularly phonemic awareness, that are normally acquired in Chall's pre-reading and decoding stages of reading. This study explored the possible benefit of instruction in a specific method of decoding upon the general reading skills of struggling adolescent readers.;The study was conducted in an alternative high school using two groups with random assignment, pre- and posttests. The intervention was instruction in the backward-chaining method of decoding multisyllable words (as developed by Lewkowicz) followed by practice with computer-assisted instruction, using the Word Workout program.;Pre- and posttest results for the two groups were compared in the areas of phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, and silent-reading comprehension. Nonparametric statistical analysis using the Mann-Whitney U-test found a statistically significant difference in phonemic awareness after the intervention. There were moderate to large effect sizes found in single-word decoding and in silent-reading comprehension. Results of a posttest survey and focus group with experimental group students indicated that the participants had positive feelings about the helpfulness of the backward-chaining method to their reading.