Graduate Program

Elementary Education

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

2009

Thesis Director

Linda Reven

Thesis Committee Member

Joy Russell

Thesis Committee Member

Doug Bower

Abstract

A study was conducted to examine the relationship between fluency and comprehension for middle school students and determine if interest, prior knowledge, reading achievement and/or prior exposure to the content topic impact rate of reading (fluency) and level of comprehension for these students. Seventh grade students (n=242) completed fluency and comprehension assessments given by the school as benchmark assessments. In addition, the students were given prior knowledge and interest surveys concerning a topic (i.e., astronomy) to which only half of the population had been exposed. The students were then given researcher created fluency and comprehension assessments using a narrative text incorporating the science topic.

A significant positive correlation was found to exist between fluency and comprehension. Although interest, prior knowledge, and prior exposure to the content topic did not produce significant differences, middle school students who exceeded state standards in regard to reading achievement produced significantly higher scores in both fluency and comprehension. These results tend to support the notion that fluency and comprehension are related; however, interest, prior knowledge and prior exposure to the content topic may or may not influence rate of fluency and level of comprehension.

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