Decoding multisyllabic words: Structural analysis in reading by groups

An age appropriate, research-based systematic program that teaches a flexible strategy for decoding multisyllabic words may be the foundation for increased reading abilities of middle school male and female students struggling with grade level text. To meet this need, the REWARDS reading program (Archer, Gleason, & Vachon, 2000) was used with struggling 6th grade readers with learning disabilities (LD). The quasi-experimental research design used in this study is non-randomized control group (n = 20), pretest­ posttest design. The Basic Reading Inventory along with DIBELS measure of reading fluency were the instruments used to calculate findings. In a five week period, students' decoding levels increased by 1.72 grade levels, instructional reading levels increased by 1.45 grade levels, while the reading fluency rates were increased by 28% at instructional reading levels and 17% at grade level. Decoding ability was highly correlated to reading comprehension with the relationship of .88.