Time-on-Task and Reading Performance in Underachieving Children

Abstract

Elementary school pupils identified as being a year or more behind in reading achievement and who were observed as spending low percentages of time-on-task-were selected for participation in a short-term, highly structured program designed to increase task oriented behavior. Two different groups of approximately ten children each participated in each of three separate eight-week intervention phases. For each phase, a comparison group of approximately ten children remained in the regular classroom. Following the intervention, participating pupils were found to spend significantly more time-on-task and to achieve at a significantly higher level in reading than their comparison counterparts. These advantages in reading achievement performance were maintained over a period of four months after their return to regular classrooms on a full-time basis.