An Evaluation of Physical Activity on the Reading Achievement of Middle School Students

Author

Christina N. Phillips, Lynn University

Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Dissertation

Granting Institution

Lynn University

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EDD)

Degree Program

Educational Leadership

Department

College of Education

First Advisor

Kelly Burlison

Second Advisor

Korynne Taylor-Dunlop

Third Advisor

John Best

Abstract

This study analyzed the relationship between reading achievement and the use of Exergames an intervention, to investigate the areas in which physical activity can improve reading achievement among struggling readers, and to understand the amount of minutes and levels of intensity of physically active adolescents that supports reading achievement. The need for an innovative reading intervention has become more urgent because of the lack of improved reading achievement in the United States. In addition, students should not lose access to physical activity in an attempt to increase reading achievement. Using a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, nonequivalent group design, this study attempted to measure the effect of Exergames between a control and treatment group.

Participants were assessed at the beginning and the end of the 6-week intervention. The findings from a Pearson chi-square test indicated no common difference between the groups, such as race/ethnicity, educational status, and gender. The results from the postassessment indicated no common difference between the control and treatment group. However, results showed that in some areas the control group academically outperformed the treatment group. The research resulted in several recommendations for improvement with the data collection method as well as the suggestion for a longer-term study. The proposed recommendations may provide insight on how well-trained reading specialists impact reading achievement among struggling readers in middle school and not the time allotted for instruction.

Recommended Citation

Phillips, C. N. (2014). An Evaluation of Physical Activity on the Reading Achievement of Middle School Students [Doctoral dissertation, Lynn University]. SPIRAL. https://spiral.lynn.edu/etds/151