Date of Award
Summer 8-1-2011
Document Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education (MAE)
Department
Education
Abstract
Read 180 is an intensive intervention program designed for middle level elementary up through high school. This is a program that teaches students through a combination of instructional, modeled, and independent reading components. The Read 180 class period is 90 minutes long and begins with 20 minutes of whole-group literacy instruction in which the teacher and students engage in shared reading, read aloud, or do direct instruction skills lessons. Next, students are split into three groups and each group participates in three 20-minute rotations. During each rotation the teacher works with one small group of students in the Small group rotation. The remaining two groups work independently at either the Software/Computer based literacy or the Independent Reading station. After all rotations are completed the instruction is completed with a 10-minute wrap-up for student reflection time. The Read 180 website (Scholastic, 2011) touts this statistic: "Read 180 is the most thoroughly researched and documented reading intervention program, proven to raise reading achievement for grades 4-12+. This research examines the question, "Can gaining an understanding of struggling middle school readers' perceptions of an intervention class (Read 180) help educators develop successful strategies to teach students?" I conducted in-depth interviews with four of the students who participated in my eighth grade Read 180 class. Themes that emerged from these interviews were: (1) Reading books that are relatable is the best, (2) IV Read-alouds are a helpful learning tool, (3) Technology is a great motivator, (4) pop culture is a powerful "hook," (5) autonomy and decision making is very important to teens in their own learning, and (6) general lack of self-understanding among teens. The project showed that students perceive Read 180 as an effective program with positive benefits.
Identifier
SC 11.MAE.2011.Johnson.EL
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Erica L., "Students' Perceptions of Read 180 at the Middle School Level" (2011). Theses and Graduate Projects. 559.
https://idun.augsburg.edu/etd/559