An Evaluation of a Summer Reading Improvement Course for Disadvantaged High School Students

Purposes of this investigation were to evaluate a seven-weeks reading improvement course and to analyze various correlates of reading achievement using disadvantaged high school students as subjects. Sixty students were randomly assigned to one of two groups: experimental (enrolled in course) or control (no reading instruction). Analysis of covariance results suggested that the reading improvement course was not effective in raising post-test reading achievement scores. Among those variables studied listening comprehension appeared to be the best correlate of reading achievement. Other variables considered were intelligence, total personality adjustment, achievement motivation, and endurance.