“Digging Reading”
Research on Teaching Reading
Comprehension Strategies
By
Gregory C. Sales, Ph.D.
President and CEO
gsales@sewardinc.com
SBIR Funded: The Digging Reading project is supported by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S.
Department of Education, through Grant #R305S050072. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily
represent the views of the U.S. Department of Education or the Institute of Education Sciences.

SBIR
The Small Business Innovation
Research program funds research
and development projects that
propose a sound approach to the
investigation of important education or
assistive technology, science, or
engineering questions.

Project Activities
• Proposal writing
• Getting buy-in
– Research participants
– Commercialization
• Materials development
• Implementation
• Research analysis and reporting

SBIR Phases
Phase I Phase 2
• 6 months • 24 months
• 12 lessons • 53 lessons
• Teacher training via CD • Teacher training via DVD
• Implementation: 4 weeks • Implementation: 8 months
• Research: • Research:
– 2 treatment and 2 control – 17 treatment and 17 control
classes in 1 school classes in 9 schools

Project Team
• Principal investigator • Evaluation expert
• Subject matter expert • Development team
– Project manager
– Instructional designers
– Graphic artist
– Editor
– Print production
– Programmer
– Videographer
– Research Assistant
• Advisory board

Components

Digging Reading
Digging Reading - a 13-week curriculum
supplement. It teaches nine crucial reading
comprehension strategies to 4th and 5th
graders. The program uses a unique and
effective approach that helps students
understand, learn and remember what they
read.

Implementation

Demographic Data
Percent and Post-Test Scores by Demographic Groups for Treatment and Control
Treatment N= 38 N = 347 Control N=334
Percent Post-test Score (SD) Percent Post-test Score (SD)
Sex
Male 50.6 25.20 (5.09) 50 16.86 (4.16)
Female 49.4 25.99 (5.06) 50 17.85 (4.04)
Race
African American 14.3 23.34 (5.63) 17.4 15.75 (4.63)
American Indian 0.6 19.75 (8.13) 1.8 18.66 (2.66)
Asian 15.3 25.76 (5.02) 11.1 14.70 (3.92)
Hispanic 8.2 22.09 (5.42) 6.9 17.56 (3.84)
White 59.6 26.57 (4.55) 59.9 18.46 (3.56)
Other 1.7 27.37 (0.85) 3 13.10 (4.41)
English Language
Learning English 26.1 24.57 (5.41) 18 15.31 (4.20)
Native Speakers 73.9 25.96 (4.93) 82 17.80 (3.99)

Instruments
Students Teachers
• State Level Standardized Test, • Teacher Pre-Survey
April 2006 • Teacher Training and
• Digging Reading Pre-test Resource DVD Pre-Test
• Weekly Quizzes • Teacher Training and
Resource DVD Post-Test
• Unit Tests
• Control Teacher Post-Survey
• Post Test – Part 1, Multiple Choice
• Digging Reading (Treatment)
• Post Test – Part 2, Free Response
Teacher Post-Survey
• Student Survey
• Teacher Knowledge Test on
• State Level Standardized Test,
Reading Comprehension
April 2007

Data Analysis
• All Seward designed assessments were hand scored and entered into a
database.
• Item analysis was performed on all assessments to improve them for future
use.
• Internal reliabilities were calculated for assessments.
• Mean scores on pre- and post assessments were compared between
treatment and control group.
• Data was also analyzed by each of the 9 reading comprehension strategies.
• Scores from state assessments were also entered in the database and
correlated with Seward designed assessments.
• Survey data from students and teachers was entered into a data base.
Descriptive statistics were calculated for each item.
• Hierarchical Linear Modeling was performed to group data within classrooms.

HLM (Part 1)

HLM (Part 2)

Research Findings
Teachers
Students
•
• Teacher in the treatment group did
There was no significant different
significantly better than their peers in
between treatment and control groups on
the control group on the teacher
the pre-test.
knowledge test.
• Students who completed the Digging
• Surveys provided valuable evaluation
Reading Curriculum did significantly
data for improving the curriculum.
better on both post-tests.
•
• There was no significant change in
Treatment students also had higher gain
teacher attitudes about reading
scores than control students.
comprehension from pre- to post
• When data was analyzed by strategy,
survey in either group. Most teachers
treatment students did significantly better
had positive attitudes to begin with and
on every strategy.
they stayed positive.
• Students indicated they had learned the
reading comprehension strategies on the
survey.
• Student surveys showed students
enjoyed the curriculum and what areas
could be improved.

Summary
Digging Reading is a reading comprehension
supplement. It includes a DVD for increasing
teacher preparedness and support. It also
provides all of materials needed for classroom
use.
Digging Reading is an effective classroom tool for
increasing students’ reading comprehension
through systematic instruction on and use of
critical reading strategies.