Special Education ETDs

Publication Date

5-8-1973

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the efficacy of auditory discrimination and memory training on word recognition achievement of first grade students. First graders of ostensibly average intelligence and free of apparent observable organic deviations participated in this experiment. Twenty children were alternately assigned to the Experimental Group (n=10) and to the Control Group (n=10). Stimulus material consisted of commercially available instructional and program materials. While the series encompasses five sequential areas of development, only auditory discrimination and auditory memory were included for the purpose of this study. All subjects were administered the word recognition subtest from the Spache Diagnostic Reading Scales. Sixty-four lessons in auditory perception training, using cassette tapes and ditto lessons were provided for the Experimental Group, in a room apart from the regular classroom. The Control Group spent an equal amount of time in the regular classroom in a project unrelated to this study. Upon completion of the auditory training program, both groups were posttested on the Spache Diagnostic Reading Scales, word recognition subtest. Results on gain score differences using the Mann-Whitney U yielded statistical significance (p<.05) in favor of the predicted hypothesis. Pretest raw score data revealed higher scores among the Control Group. However, in comparing posttest gain measures for both groups, differences were significantly higher among the Experimental Group. This study suggests that auditory training is a type of instruction that may prove to be effective in eliminating specific reading deficits. Consequently, the data indicates that auditory perception training succeeded in effecting statistical significance in a word recognition task Positive results can be attributed to the intensity of auditory attentiveness.

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Degree Name

Special Education

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Special Education

First Committee Member (Chair)

James Samuel Everett

Second Committee Member

Glenn Van Etten

Third Committee Member

Billy Leslie Watson

Download

Share

COinS