title: Improving attention and preventing reading difficulties among low-income first-graders: a randomized study.
abstract: Students' inattention is predictive of reading problems and of non-response to effective reading intervention. In this randomized study, 58 first-grade classrooms located in 30 schools were assigned to a control condition or to one of two intervention conditions. In these last two conditions, peer-tutoring activities were conducted to improve classroom reading instruction. In one of the intervention conditions, the Good Behavior Game was also implemented to maximize students' attention during reading lessons. Both interventions were effective: peer-tutoring activities helped students improve their reading skills and attention was generally higher when the Good Behavior Game was implemented. Contrary to expectations however, students identified as inattentive at pretest did not become better readers when the two interventions were implemented.
authors.affiliation: Département d'éducation et formation spécialisées, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-ville, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3P8, Canada. dion.e@uqam.ca
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dion
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roux
authors.forename: Danika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Landry
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fuchs
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wehby
authors.forename: Véronique
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dupéré
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D010379:Peer Group; D011203:Poverty; D011792:Quebec