The Effect on Special Education Students’ Behaviors Using Whole Language/Literature Based Instruction versus Skill Based Instruction

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine how a particular approach to reading instruction affects students' behavior as measured by the behavior rating scale designed for this study. Seven separate paired two sample t tests were used to investigate the research questions presented in this study: (1) will one of the instructional reading approaches produce more positive/negative behaviors than the other approach? (2) will one area of behavior be affected more than another in regards to the instructional approaches? (3) will one of the instructional reading approaches produce more positive behaviors in either the high or low reading group? The results found no significant statistical differences in any of the tests of the research questions. The literature based approach had a higher mean score when compared to the skill based approach. It produced a higher total mean score in the four goal areas. Each behavioral goal showed a higher mean score in the literature based approach except when comparing the two ability groups. The low ability group did slightly better with the skill based approach. Each approach was equally effective.