Engaging African American Students to Increase Reading Comprehension By: Melanie Page December 11, 2007 Research in Curriculum and Teaching

Introduction: What is the Reading Achievement crisis for African American Students? “African-Americans male reading scores by the time they graduate from high school are only equal to that of 8th grade white student’s.” (Education Trust, 2003) “African-Americans male reading scores by the time they graduate from high school are only equal to that of 8th grade white student’s.” (Education Trust, 2003) “12% of African American fourth graders reach proficient or advance levels, while a heartbreaking 61% have not been taught to even the basic level.” (Education Trust, 2003) “12% of African American fourth graders reach proficient or advance levels, while a heartbreaking 61% have not been taught to even the basic level.” (Education Trust, 2003)

Introduction: Purpose of Research The purpose of this study is to increase reading comprehension between African American males through an intervention of engagement.

Introduction: Research Questions Does an African American student’s engagement in reading effect their achievement in reading comprehension? Does an African American student’s engagement in reading effect their achievement in reading comprehension? Will the engagement of African American males increase when reading materials are relevant to their personal experience? Will the engagement of African American males increase when reading materials are relevant to their personal experience?

Introduction: Terms Relevant reading material: Materials that are applicable, significant, or important to the student’s personal experiences (ie. African American History, Urban stories, Books with images of African American students) Relevant reading material: Materials that are applicable, significant, or important to the student’s personal experiences (ie. African American History, Urban stories, Books with images of African American students) Generic/traditional reading material: Materials that are commonly found within American reading courses (many of which are not relevant to African American students) Generic/traditional reading material: Materials that are commonly found within American reading courses (many of which are not relevant to African American students)

Hypothesis: I hypothesize that increasing engagement through the usage of relevant reading material for African American students will increase their reading comprehension achievement level. I hypothesize that increasing engagement through the usage of relevant reading material for African American students will increase their reading comprehension achievement level.

Review of Literature: What are some causes of the African American literacy issues in the United States? “The study found that reading for pleasure positively impacted the African American Students’ scores on a standardized measure of reading” (Flowers, 2003) “The study found that reading for pleasure positively impacted the African American Students’ scores on a standardized measure of reading” (Flowers, 2003) “Literature functions as a major socializing agent…If African American students cannot find themselves and people like them in books they read and have read to them, they receive powerful messages about how they are undervalued in both the school and society. If those students then fail to become readers, that failure is understandable; reading has little to offer them.” (Bishop, 1990) “Literature functions as a major socializing agent…If African American students cannot find themselves and people like them in books they read and have read to them, they receive powerful messages about how they are undervalued in both the school and society. If those students then fail to become readers, that failure is understandable; reading has little to offer them.” (Bishop, 1990)

Review of Literature: Why is it important to conduct research focused on African American students? “With numerous proposals to educate the African American male presented over the past three decades, a major focal point is omitted or presented as a non-important factor in the process teaching African American males to read and write.” …this demonstrates the…“need for high quality studies that evaluate reading intervention programs currently in use and the need to test other instructional alternatives for African American students.” (Lindo, 2006) “With numerous proposals to educate the African American male presented over the past three decades, a major focal point is omitted or presented as a non-important factor in the process teaching African American males to read and write.” …this demonstrates the…“need for high quality studies that evaluate reading intervention programs currently in use and the need to test other instructional alternatives for African American students.” (Lindo, 2006)

Review of Literature: What impact does relevant reading material have on African American students? “All the proposed solutions emphasize a meaningful curriculum reflective of student experience…by selecting appropriate reading materials, teachers can engage African American adolescent males with text, particularly those students who have not mastered the skills, strategies, and knowledge that will lead to positive life outcomes.” (Tatum, 2003) “All the proposed solutions emphasize a meaningful curriculum reflective of student experience…by selecting appropriate reading materials, teachers can engage African American adolescent males with text, particularly those students who have not mastered the skills, strategies, and knowledge that will lead to positive life outcomes.” (Tatum, 2003) “Research findings indicate that use of curriculum materials perceived by low income African American students as relevant to their circumstances and background can help motivate them to learn.” (Levine, 1994) “Research findings indicate that use of curriculum materials perceived by low income African American students as relevant to their circumstances and background can help motivate them to learn.” (Levine, 1994)

Literature of Review: How can Bandura’s theory renovate the reading achievement of African American student? Modeling: learn by observing the behavior of others and the outcomes of those behaviors. Modeling: learn by observing the behavior of others and the outcomes of those behaviors. Example: “Not only did the children imitate the model, but also they internalized what the model was teaching” (Holland, 2001) Example: “Not only did the children imitate the model, but also they internalized what the model was teaching” (Holland, 2001) Self-Efficacy:, “a person's judgments of his or her ability to perform an activity and the effect this judgment has on the future conduct of the activity. These judgments are likely to either motivate or inhibit learning.” (Halsey, 2003/2004) Self-Efficacy:, “a person's judgments of his or her ability to perform an activity and the effect this judgment has on the future conduct of the activity. These judgments are likely to either motivate or inhibit learning.” (Halsey, 2003/2004) Example: “Children need to see that their efforts yield positive results and that their progress is continuous. Children also need concrete illustrations of their progress often. Increase in positive feedback is important from teachers, parents, and classmates. Positive feedback, however, must be accompanied by giving students the tools they need to become successful readers.” (Halsey, 2003/2004) Example: “Children need to see that their efforts yield positive results and that their progress is continuous. Children also need concrete illustrations of their progress often. Increase in positive feedback is important from teachers, parents, and classmates. Positive feedback, however, must be accompanied by giving students the tools they need to become successful readers.” (Halsey, 2003/2004)

Methodology: Sample of Participants The participants of this study will be the African American males of a third grade classroom in a Washington, DC inner city school. Although the research will include females and non- African American students, only the African American male students will be measured for change and for results of the intervention. The participants of this study will be the African American males of a third grade classroom in a Washington, DC inner city school. Although the research will include females and non- African American students, only the African American male students will be measured for change and for results of the intervention.

Methodology: Instruments Reading Comprehension Assessments Reading Comprehension Assessments Reading Interest Survey Reading Interest Survey “Relevant Reading Material” “Relevant Reading Material”

Methodology: Design Reading Interest SurveyPretestTreatmentPosttest Reading Interest Survey Both Groups BothGroups Generic Reading Material Group A (Control) Relevant Reading Material Group B Unit (Experimental)BothGroups Both Groups

Methodology: Data Analysis Did engagement increase with the treatment? T-test will measure and determine the differences between the pre and post surveys T-test will measure and determine the differences between the pre and post surveys Did the treatment (engagement) increase reading comprehension? T-Test to determine whether the post and pre tests are significantly different for the control group and the experimental group T-Test to determine whether the post and pre tests are significantly different for the control group and the experimental group

References “African American Achievement in America.” The Education Trust “African American Achievement in America.” The Education Trust Bishop, Rudine Sim. “Walk Tall in the World: African American Literature for Today's Children.” The Journal of Negro Education. Volume 59, Number Bishop, Rudine Sim. “Walk Tall in the World: African American Literature for Today's Children.” The Journal of Negro Education. Volume 59, Number Flowers, Tiffany. “Exploring the Influence of Reading for Pleasure on African American High School Students’ Reading Achievement.” High School Journal. Oct/Nov 2003, Vol. 187 Issue1. Pages Flowers, Tiffany. “Exploring the Influence of Reading for Pleasure on African American High School Students’ Reading Achievement.” High School Journal. Oct/Nov 2003, Vol. 187 Issue1. Pages Ford, Donna. “The American Achievement Ideology and Achievement Differentials Among Preadolescent Gifted and Nongifted African American Males and Females.” Journal of Negro Education. Volume 61, Number Ford, Donna. “The American Achievement Ideology and Achievement Differentials Among Preadolescent Gifted and Nongifted African American Males and Females.” Journal of Negro Education. Volume 61, Number Halsey, Pamela. “Self-Efficacy: One Teacher's Concern for Reading Improvement Students.” Ohio Reading Teacher. Fall 2003-Spring Halsey, Pamela. “Self-Efficacy: One Teacher's Concern for Reading Improvement Students.” Ohio Reading Teacher. Fall 2003-Spring Harris, Angel. “I (don't) hate school: revisiting oppositional culture theory of blacks' resistance to schooling.” Social Forces. December, 2006 Harris, Angel. “I (don't) hate school: revisiting oppositional culture theory of blacks' resistance to schooling.” Social Forces. December, 2006

References Con’t Harris, Angel. “I (don't) hate school: revisiting oppositional culture theory of blacks' resistance to schooling.” Social Forces. December, 2006 < Harris, Angel. “I (don't) hate school: revisiting oppositional culture theory of blacks' resistance to schooling.” Social Forces. December, 2006 < Holland, Spencer. “Social Learning Theory and the Influence of Male Role Models on African American Children in PROJECT 2000.” The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 4 December, 2001 Holland, Spencer. “Social Learning Theory and the Influence of Male Role Models on African American Children in PROJECT 2000.” The Qualitative Report, Volume 6, Number 4 December, 2001 Hunter, Delridge. “A Model for Educating African American Males.” Journal of African American Males. Volume 4, Number 3. December, Pages Hunter, Delridge. “A Model for Educating African American Males.” Journal of African American Males. Volume 4, Number 3. December, Pages Levine, Daniel. “Instructional Approaches and Interventions that can improve the Academic Performance of African American Students.” The Journal of Negro Education. Vol. 63, No. 1, Winter, Pages Levine, Daniel. “Instructional Approaches and Interventions that can improve the Academic Performance of African American Students.” The Journal of Negro Education. Vol. 63, No. 1, Winter, Pages Lindo, Endia. “The African American Presence in Reading Intervention Experiments.” Journal of Remedial and Special Education. Volume 27, Number 3. May/June Lindo, Endia. “The African American Presence in Reading Intervention Experiments.” Journal of Remedial and Special Education. Volume 27, Number 3. May/June pages

References Con’t Maguin, Eugene. “Does the relationship between poor reading and delinquency hold for males of different ages and ethnicities?” Journal of Emotional & Behavioral Disorders. April 1993, Vol. 1 Issue 2. Maguin, Eugene. “Does the relationship between poor reading and delinquency hold for males of different ages and ethnicities?” Journal of Emotional & Behavioral Disorders. April 1993, Vol. 1 Issue 2. Roethler, Jacque. “Reading in color: children’s book illustrations and identity formation for black children in the United States.” African American Review. Spring, Roethler, Jacque. “Reading in color: children’s book illustrations and identity formation for black children in the United States.” African American Review. Spring, Rosa, Marc. “Relationships Between Cognitive Styles and Reading Comprehension of Negro Education. Vol. 63, No , Howard of Expository Text of African American Male Students.” The Journal University. Rosa, Marc. “Relationships Between Cognitive Styles and Reading Comprehension of Negro Education. Vol. 63, No , Howard of Expository Text of African American Male Students.” The Journal University. Tatum, Alfred. “Engaging African American Males in Reading” Association for Supervision and Curriculum Tatum, Alfred. “Engaging African American Males in Reading” Association for Supervision and Curriculum Thomas, Murray. Comparing Theories of Child Development. 6th edition Thomas Learning Inc. Belmont, CA. Thomas, Murray. Comparing Theories of Child Development. 6th edition Thomas Learning Inc. Belmont, CA.

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