Adaptive Reading
Table 2 presents the mean and standard deviation values for the scores of both groups on the Adaptive Reading (aReading) assessment. This assessment, which is part of the FAST protocol, takes between six and twenty minutes per student. It is administered online to students. The outcome of this assessment is a standard score measure. These are then used to monitor progress children make in acquiring literacy skills.
Please Insert Table 2
The control group children had higher average scores on the aReading protocol for both the Fall and Winter testing periods. The experimental group had a slightly higher mean score during the Spring testing than did the control group. The variability, as expressed by standard deviation, was greater for the experimental group children during the Fall and Winter testing periods. It was greater for the control group children during the Spring assessment period.
An analysis of variance showed that the effect of exposure to STS/VP in first grade did not have a significant effect on the results for aReading assessment protocol over three assessment periods, F (1,4) =.0206, p=.8927. Effect size values were: d=.126 for the Fall assessment; d=.107 for the Winter assessment; and d=.050 for the Spring assessment. These are judged to be small effects. On the basis of this analysis the null hypothesis is accepted as it pertains to the effect of first grade exposure to STS/VP on this assessment protocol.