Promoting prosody in reading: effects of a systematic intervention
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-795X.2025.e104339Keywords:
Prosody, Reading fluency, Systematic interventionAbstract
Promoting reading skills presents a challenge for educational systems, especially during periods of significant learning loss, such as the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the critical reading skills, reading fluency is essential for constructing meaning from text. However, prosody, a key component of reading fluency, has been under-researched, particularly among students at risk for reading difficulties. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an intervention on prosody competence in at-risk students. We conducted a randomized controlled trial with two groups: an intervention group (N=67) and a control group (N=80). The intervention included strategies such as model reading, exploration of challenging words, echo reading, and self- and peer assessment. Both groups underwent pre- and post-intervention assessments. The findings revealed no statistically significant differences in prosody between the two groups following the intervention, although the experimental group demonstrated more noticeable improvement. These results underscore the need to reconsider the duration and strategies of interventions aimed at enhancing prosody skills.
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