Intensification of a Reading Comprehension Intervention Using Student Data: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Many students in the upper elementary grades and beyond uniquely struggle with reading comprehension, necessitating explicit instruction and remediation in this area. This study used data-based decision-making (DBDM), a research-based systematic approach to student data collection and analysis, to intensify the evidence-based Strategies for Reading Information and Vocabulary Effectively (STRIVE) reading comprehension intervention. Results indicate that students who received DBDM to intensify STRIVE and students who received STRIVE alone outperformed students in a business-as-usual comparison condition on a researcher-designed vocabulary mastery measurement. Other findings, future directions, and implications for research and teaching are also discussed.