At-Risk Eleventh Graders' Perceptions of High School Developmental Reading Programs and Their Effects on Reading Comprehension and Motivation

This study investigates the perceptions of struggling readers in the eleventh grade regarding the methods and motivational effectiveness of reading instruction provided to them in high school. Support must exist specifically for high school students in reading comprehension. Additionally, motivation plays a major factor when building high school students’ reading comprehension skills. It is assumed that upon entering high school, students are proficient readers. However, due to recent national and state assessment results, this is unfortunately not the case. Instead, current trends in students’ academic performance continue to become more rigorous, increasing the need for support for the furthering of students’ ability to comprehend written text at a proficient level. Therefore, this study seeks to explore the following areas: 1) What specific challenges do at-risk high school readers report they face that keeps them from comprehending written text at a proficient level. A “proficient level” will be indicated by satisfactory scores on their most recent standardized state-mandated reading test, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), as well as Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test scores that reflect that the student is reading at least on grade level. 2) What do at-risk high school readers view as ways in which the school can help them achieve reading comprehension proficiency? 3) Based upon the students’ perceptions, do the at-risk high school students feel they are receiving adequate support to achieve reading comprehension proficiency? 4) How do the perceptions of the particular students included in this study differ from those of their teachers regarding their progress in reading comprehension and motivation to read?