Efficacy of Computer-Assisted Instruction with Cross-Age Peer Mediated Tutoring for Developing Phoneme Awareness in Children At-Risk for Reading Disabilities

Previous research has demonstrated that instruction in phoneme awareness, computer-assisted instruction and cross-age peer tutoring can all effective methods for teaching phoneme awareness to struggling readers. This study investigated the efficacy of computer-assisted instruction in phonological awareness and cross-age peer tutoring (CAIPT) in improving phonological awareness of primary grade students at-risk for reading disabilities. Eighty-seven children ranging in age fiom 65 to 1 19 months (M = 89.45; SD = 11.7) were assigned using a stratified random procedure to one of two conditions: (1) cross-age peer tutoring in combination with computer-assisted phonological awareness instruction (CAIPT); and (2) phonological awareness instruction (PAI). Tutees and tutors in the CAIPT groups were age matched to pairs of children in the PA1 control groups. Children in the two CAIPT groups were poor readers (i.e., standard scores lower than or equal to 80 on the Letter-Word Identification subtest on the Woodcock Johnson Achievement Battery - Third Edition). The treatment groups received 20 minutes of CAIPT instruction five times a week for 3 weeks. The control groups participated in 20 minutes of phonological awareness and literacy activities taught daily for 3 weeks. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted in order to compare the performance of the CAIPT treatment and PA1 control groups on phonological processing. Profile analyses demonstrated that the phonological processing performance for the CAIPT treatment and PA1 control groups had identical parallel and flat profiles. Qualitative analyses of the data revealed that CAIPT fosters collaboration and communication between learners by providing an interactive and entertaining environment for learners.