Recruiting

Observational Study

Sponsor:

William Jewell College

Code:

NCT05692973

Conditions

Reading Disability

Reading Problem

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 8 - 14

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Role of Knowledge Retrieval

Inference Intervention

Study Details

Brief summary:

This project will (a) examine the relationship between knowledge retrieval and inferencing; (b) determine the effectiveness of an intervention that improves knowledge retrieval and inferencing among struggling readers; and (c) expand research opportunities for undergraduates. The research design uses 316 struggling readers in grades 4-6 of diverse backgrounds. The effects of knowledge retrieval (accuracy and speed) on inferencing will be modeled without dichotomizing the distribution. Linear mixed effect models will be fit to determine whether reader characteristics make unique contributions to inferencing across the posttest and follow-up data collection time points. First, several structural models will be considered as students may be nested in teachers, schools, and tutors. Unconditional models will estimate the intraclass correlation for each level of the study design. If significant interclass correlations emerge, multilevel models will be fit to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention while controlling for covariates such as pre-test performance on inference-related measures and child-attributes such as English learner status. The primary analysis plan assumes an intent-to-treat model in which the efficacy of two intact conditions will be tested. Effect sizes will be estimated to report the magnitude of difference between the two conditions. Expected outcomes include (a) the identification of a method that effectively facilitates knowledge retrieval and the application of relevant knowledge to form inferences among elementary struggling readers from diverse backgrounds; (b) the validation of an intervention that teaches struggling readers how to activate, retrieve, and interweave relevant knowledge with information in the text and accurately form inferences while reading that can be broadly implemented in general education classrooms; and (c) expansion of undergraduate research opportunities, particularly among students from diverse backgrounds who have been historically underserved.

Conditions

Reading Disability

Reading Problem

Study ID

NCT05692973

Start date

May 31, 2023

Status verified date

Jun, 2023

Completion date

Aug 31, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Aug 31, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 8 - 14

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • performance below a a standard score of 93 on the Test of Silent Reading Efficiency

Exclusion Criteria:

  • clinical diagnosis of a significant cognitive impairment
  • clinical diagnosis of a significant behavioral disability

Study Design

Enrollment

316 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Variable Test

Students will be taught a knowledge base comprised of 18 facts about Egypt. After learning the knowledge base to criterion, students will practice retrieving the knowledge base across four testing sessions spaced 24 hours apart. Students will receive different questions across testing sessions. Next, students will read 6 passages about Egypt and then answer literal and inferential questions about the passages. Immediately after reading the passages, students will get re-tested on their retention of the knowledge base and use of the knowledge base to form inferences. They will also get retested one week and one month later to examine students' long-term retention of the knowledge base and use to make inferences.

experimental: Repeated Test

Students will be taught a knowledge base comprised of 18 facts about Egypt. After learning the knowledge base to criterion, students will practice retrieving the knowledge base across four testing sessions spaced 24 hours apart. Students will receive the same questions repeated across testing sessions. Next, students will read 6 passages about Egypt and then answer literal and inferential questions about the passages. Immediately after reading the passages, students will get re-tested on their retention of the knowledge base and use of the knowledge base to form inferences. They will also get retested one week and one month later to examine students' long-term retention of the knowledge base and use to make inferences.

placebo comparator: Placebo

Students will be taught a knowledge base comprised of 18 facts about Egypt. After learning the knowledge base to criterion, students will re-read the passages. They will not receive any questions. Next, students will read 6 passages about Egypt and then answer literal and inferential questions about the passages. Immediately after reading the passages, students will get re-tested on their retention of the knowledge base and use of the knowledge base to form inferences. They will also get retested one week and one month later to examine students' long-term retention of the knowledge base and use to make inferences.

Interventions

Role of Knowledge Retrieval

Students will learn a new knowledge base to perfect mastery. Following the attainment of mastery students will read passages on the topic and answer questions that prompt the literal recall of key facts and the formation of inferences.

Inference Intervention

The intervention will pre-teach students a set of 20 essential facts about Egypt. Students will interact with expository and narrative texts. Students will practice using a text clue strategy to activate and integrate prior knowledge, will make in-text connections, connections across the 3 intervention texts, and connections between text and knowledge, and will make inferences about character motives and author intent. The tutor will ask students to justify connections and evaluate how these connections enhance understanding. Students will answer inference questions that require using text and background knowledge. A simple graphic organizer will support and scaffold inferencing. Throughout the intervention, students will practice retrieving the 20 essential facts about Egypt from memory using flash cards, completed in pairs with students providing each other feedback.

Primary outcome measure

  • Gates-MacGinite Reading Test-4th Edition; Change is being assessed [ Time Frame: pre-intervention ]
  • Gates-MacGinite Reading Test-4th Edition; change is being assessed [ Time Frame: immediately after the intervention ]
  • Test of Language Competence-Expanded; Change is being assessed [ Time Frame: pre-intervention ]
  • Test of Language Competence-Expanded; change is being assessed [ Time Frame: immediately after the intervention ]
  • Bridge-IT; change is being assessed [ Time Frame: pre-intervention ]
  • Bridge-IT; change is being assessed [ Time Frame: immediately after the intervention ]
  • Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-5; change is being assessed [ Time Frame: pre-intervention ]
  • Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-5; change is being assessed [ Time Frame: immediately after the intervention ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Andrea Meloan, BS

816-415-7831meloana@william.jewell.edu

Michael Stoll, Ph.D.

816-415-7624stollm@william.jewell.edu

Locations

Excelsior Springs School District

Recruiting

Excelsior Springs, Missouri, United States, 64024

Contacts

Melissa Miller, Ph.D.

816-630-9200mmiller@ga.essd40.com

Heather Gross, Ph.D.

816-630-9200hgross@ga.essd40.com

More Information

Sponsor

William Jewell College

Last update posted

Jun 23, 2023

Last verified

Jun, 2023

Keywords

  • Inference-making
  • Knowledge retrieval
  • Reading comprehension

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by William Jewell College on 2023-06-23.