Proposed Research on Class Size & Reading

OF SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS ATTENDING A LARGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

The purpose of the proposed research will be to examine whether a sample of sixth grade elementary school students evidence differences in reading performance as a function of differences in the size of the class where they receive instruction. This paper describes all of the methods and procedures that will be used to both collect and analyze data in the study.

Prior research conducted on the effects of class size on children's academic performance have been mixed; that is, some studies have found class size to influence performance while other studies have not observed any influence. More current research has not resolved the mixed findings which means that the existing knowledge base provides no definitive grounds for the formulation of directional hypotheses. For this reason, the hypothesis formulated for testing in the proposed study is worded as a null thesis. This null hypothesis is:

Null Hypothesis - Students' reading performance will not significantly differ depending upon whether they receive their reading lessons in a class consisting of a total of 16 students, 24 students, or 30 students.

Research Approach. The proposed study will consist of a randomized three group design that is experimental in nature. In other words, the independent variable (Class Size) will be manipulated by the investigator in order to

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g pretest to match students' existing reading performance levels across all three classes. Third, differences in teacher expertise will be controlled for by using one teacher to teach all three reading classes, a procedure that will involve holding the three reading classes at different times during the day. Population, Sample and Subject Selection Methods The population from which sample students will be drawn will consist of all sixth grade students attending a large (student body size = 2,000) local elementary school that has granted the investigator permission to conduct the study. At the beginning of the school year, all sixth grade students will be tested on their existing reading performance levels using the reading subscale of the California Achievement Test. Using the results of testing, students will be matched on reading ability and then further subdivided by gender. Students will then be assigned to either a reading class containing only 16 students, a reading class containing 24 students, or a reading class containing 30 students. Thus, classes will be composed of equal numbers of boys and girls and there will be an equivalency of reading level. Given the various class sizes, it can be seen that there will be a t
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Linton Gallo, Class Size, Procedures Arrangements, Hypotheses Prior, Test Using, Achievement Test, Selection Methods, Pretest Posttest, SCHOOL METHODS, Control Variables, reading performance, class size, reading subscale, reading subscale california, achievement test, california achievement, subscale california achievement, california achievement test, subscale california, analysis variance, reading class, 16 students, 24 students, students' reading performance, reading performance levels,
Approximate Word count = 1398
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)

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