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Thesis/Dissertation Information
- Degree Disciplines:
- Education
Notes
- Abstract:
- Purpose: This mixed-methods research study quantitatively and qualitatively investigated efficacy of the National Institute for Learning Development (NILD) educational therapy model in a group educational therapy (GET) delivery system compared to an individual educational therapy (IET) delivery system. The purpose of the quantitative phase of this study was to compare treatment outcomes of IET and GET on the reading and writing skills of struggling readers. The purpose of the qualitative phase of the study was to explore the GET therapists’ perceptions of implementation of this pilot program for small-group therapy as compared to their prior, more familiar, experience of implementing IET that has been the established mode of delivery of NILD Educational Therapy for over 25 years. Method: Pre- and post-intervention composite and component reading and writing skills were assessed using standardized test measures for 39 IET participants and 34 GET participants. The two delivery systems of NILD Educational Therapy were implemented twice weekly (80 minutes per session) throughout the school year by certified NILD educational therapists. Between-group t tests were conducted to compare mean IQ and mean pre- and post-intervention academic skill scores of participants in the two educational therapy delivery systems. Within-group t tests were conducted to evaluate post-intervention academic gains for the two groups of participants and for subgroups of the GET participants. Using a five question open-ended questionnaire sent via e-mail, the phenomenological, qualitative phase of the study was conducted with nine GET therapists who provided their analytical perceptions and affective responses to implementing GET therapy. Triangulation of the qualitative findings came in the form of confirmatory follow-up interviews and an article written by one of the GET therapists. Major Findings: Whether in a GET or IET delivery system, NILD Educational Therapy, mediated by professionally certified NILD therapists, yielded improved reading skills with large effect sizes (eta-square) for full IET, full GET, and partial GET groups except for the GET subgroup that began therapy with its mean pre-intervention reading score above its mean IQ. The magnitude of the eta-square values indicated that for the GET subgroup that began therapy with its mean reading scores significantly below its mean IQ, the small-group (GET) delivery system accounted for proportionately greater variances in treatment outcomes than did the one-on-one (IET) delivery system. However, the IET group made greater academic gains and had a larger effect size in composition of written sentences compared to GET participants. Analyses of scores of various GET subgroups evidenced an efficacy of NILD Educational Therapy that crossed grade level differences and various IQ X Reading Severity categories. The qualitative findings gave very concrete evidence that the theories of Vygotsky and Feuerstein that are the theoretical underpinnings of NILD Educational Therapy were actually put into practice with the GET or IET participants of this study. The phenomenological analysis used for the qualitative phase provided hands-on information for NILD program directors to use in making decisions regarding placement of students into either a GET or an IET delivery setting.
- Thesis:
- Thesis (D.Min.)--Barry University, 2009.
- Bibliography:
- Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-237).
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- Barry University
- Holding Location:
- Barry University Archives and Special Collections
- Rights Management:
- Copyright Constance Hope Cawthon. Permission granted to Barry University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
- Resource Identifier:
- LB1050.5.C38 2009_CawthonConstance ( BU-Local )
- Classification:
- LB1050.5.C38 2009 ( lcc )
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