Reading Instruction for Youth with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in a Juvenile Correctional Facility

Abstract

This study examined the effects of a systematic, phonics-based reading intervention on the oral reading fluency and accuracy of adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) receiving educational services in a juvenile correctional facility. A multiple-baseline design across four participants was used to calculate the effect of daily, one-on-one, 30-minute reading instructional sessions provided over nine weeks. Oral reading fluency increased markedly and error rates decreased for each participant in the intervention phase. Participants also experienced improvements in reading as measured pre- and postintervention on a standardized reading assessment. Findings underscore the promise of systematic reading intervention for improving academic outcomes for adolescents with EBD confined to juvenile correctional facilities who are also struggling readers.