The Effect of the Method of Repeated Readings on the Reading rate and Word Recognition Accuracy of Deaf Adolescents

Abstract

This study examined the effects of the method of repeated readings (RR), a well-accepted remedial reading technique for improving the reading rate of hearing children, with deaf adolescents. Forty-two students from a midwestern residential school for the deaf were randomly assigned into treatment and control groups. The groups were equivalent with respect to age, level of hearing loss, reading achievement, and mental ability. All subjects read material previously determined to be at their instructional levels. Members of the treatment group were videotaped during the initial reading of an assigned passage, allowed to practice over three 15-minute sessions, then videotaped again during a final reading of the assigned passage. The control group differed only in that it practiced reading material other than the assigned passage. Reading rates and word recognition accuracy were recorded for the initial and final reading of each of five passages. Results indicated that the treatment subjects demonstrated significant improvement between pre- and posttesting regarding reading rate and two measures of word recognition accuracy. The performance of subjects engaged in nonrepetitive reading demonstrated minimal improvement. We discuss applicability of this procedure with a deaf population and implications for future research and practice.