This study examined the effects of a structured reading comprehension intervention based on systematic prompt fading on three third-grade students from a socioeconomically disadvantaged elementary school in Germany. Self-questioning was incorporated as one instructional component of the intervention. A single-case AB design with multiple baselines across participants was employed to evaluate functional relations between the intervention and outcomes. Each student engaged in 15 individual sessions, during which comprehension was assessed through curriculum-based probes consisting of 250-word texts and ten open-ended questions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, nonparametric effect size indices (PET, Tau-U), and piecewise regression models at both the individual and group level. Results demonstrated clear improvements for all participants, with median comprehension scores rising from 1 correct answer at baseline to 5 during the intervention. Nonparametric indices indicated strong or large effects, while regression analyses confirmed significant slopes and level changes in Phase B. Social validity outcomes were uniformly positive. Findings provide convergent evidence that systematic prompt fading can substantially enhance reading comprehension in ecologically valid school settings.
Matthias Grünke, Anne Barwasser, Susanne Hoff· International Journal of Lea...· 0 citations
This single-case experimental study examined the effectiveness of the colour-coded paragraph-writing intervention (CCPWI) with three fifth-grade students attending a German lower-secondary school that provides inclusive special education. All participants demonstrated adequate spelling and grammar but persistent difficulties in organizing written text. A multiple-baseline-across-participants design was employed, featuring concurrent baselines and staggered intervention onsets. Instruction followed the gradual-release model (“I do, we do, you do”) and utilized a colour-coded graphic organizer to support topic, detail, explanation, and conclusion sentences. Paragraph quality served as the dependent variable. Visual analysis revealed consistent phase changes across all three cases. Effect-size indices indicated strong improvements, with nonoverlap of all pairs (NAP) values of 94%, 89%, and 94% and Tau-U coefficients of .62, .63, and .87 for the three participants, respectively; Hedges’ g ranged from 1.20 to 1.53. Hierarchical piecewise regression showed a significant positive intervention slope, suggesting progressive growth rather than an abrupt level shift. End-of-study, one-on-one interviews reflected high social validity. Overall, findings support CCPWI as a feasible, acceptable, and effective approach for enhancing expository-paragraph structure among at-risk learners who, despite adequate foundational skills, exhibit pronounced and persistent difficulties in higher-order writing.
Matthias Grünke, Kathy B. Ewoldt, Anne Barwasser et al.· Exceptionality Education Int...· 0 citations
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