Effects of an Explicit Decoding Plus Frequency Building Intervention on Word Reading Fluency for Students With Disabilities in an Urban Elementary Setting

Abstract

Students with disabilities in upper elementary grades who read well below grade level often require one-to-one intensive intervention. The following study examines the effects of a combined explicit decoding plus frequency building intervention on consonant–vowel–consonant (CVC) word reading fluency. Participants were two third-grade students and one fourth-grade student receiving special education services from an urban U.S. elementary school. Delivered during the intervention block, the students practiced 5 to 8 min per day over 8 to 9 days per word list. The multiple probe design demonstrated an experimental effect for all three participants, with significant gains revealed on individual word lists, curriculum-based assessment, and curriculum-based measurement.