Special Education ETDs

Publication Date

7-8-1974

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between reading ability and the ability to discriminate verbal auditory stimuli among representative groups of first and fourth grade pupils. The sample was randomly selected from the first and fourth grade population of one Albuquerque, New Mexico elementary school located in a predominantly Caucasian low--middle to middle class neighborhood with some Mexican-American children. Subjects were administered the Quiet and Noise subtests of the Goldman-Fristoe-Woodcock. Test of Auditory Discrimination (GFW), the Wepman Auditory Discrimination Test (Wepman), the Word Recognition subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT), and the Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test (OLMAT). Data were organized to test the relationship between the Quiet and Noise subtests of the GFW, the Wepman, the WRAT, and the OLMAT. In addition to correlational analysis between test measures, partial correlation coefficients were calculated to control for the effect of intelligence on the obtained relationships between the auditory discrimination measures and the reading measure. The findings for the auditory discrimination measures and the reading measure partially supported the hypothesized relationship between the ability to discriminate verbal auditory stimuli and reading achievement. The Wepman was found to be significantly (p <.05) related to the WRAT at the first grade level but not at the fourth grade level. Neither subtest of the GFW was significantly related to the WBAT at either grade level. When intelligence was held constant, none of the correlated measures reached significance for either grade level. No significant differences were found between either the first and fourth grade Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients or the first and fourth grade First-Order partial correlation coefficients. In summary, the results of this study partially support the hypothesized relationship between auditory discrimination ability and reading achievement at the first grade level.

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Degree Name

Special Education

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Special Education

First Committee Member (Chair)

Billy Leslie Watson

Second Committee Member

Gary Adamson

Third Committee Member

Glenn Van Etten

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