Most reading research has focused on the ability to read and comprehend text. A deeper construct is reading maturity, which encompasses attitudes, abilities, interactions with and reactions to reading. This presentation examines the content validity of the Reading Maturity Survey (Thomas, 2008) and initial exploratory factor analyses. Implications are discussed for measuring reading maturity in pre and inservice teachers.
The Reading Maturity Scale: Initial Examination of Content and Construct Validity
1. The Reading Maturity Scale:
Initial Examination of
Content and Construct
Validity
KarynW.Tunks, Ph.D., University of South Alabama
Jessica Harlan, University of South Alabama
2. History of Reading Research
1700s:
Alphabet
method
1800s:
Word
recitation
Early
1900s:
Phonics
v. Whole
word
Mid
1900s:
Basal
Readers
Late
1900s:
Whole
language
2000
National
Reading
Panel
4. Reading Maturity
Area of interest for scholars, but not well represented
in the field or professional standards and not well
researched. Need ability to measure this skill in a
reliable, valid way.
Reading
proficiency
???
Reading
maturity
5. Reading Maturity Scale
Attitudes & interests
Purpose
Ability
Reaction to & use of ideas
Kind of materials read
Transformational reading
Thomas, M. M. (2001). Proficient reader characteristics: Relationships among text-dependent and higher-order literacy
variables with reference to stage theories of intellectual development (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest
Dissertations and Theses. (3010626)
6. Purpose of the study
Need ability to measure this skill in a reliable,
valid way
Plan:
Examine content validity
Use revised tool to collect data for exploratory
factor analysis
Actual:
Pattern of responses from SMEs made us pause for
further investigation
7. Content Validity
Does the tool measure all facets of a given construct?
Calculate ContentValidity Ratio (CVR) for each item
Expert panel: is an item essential, useful but not essential, or
not necessary?
(E – (N/2))/N/2)
N = number of experts, E = number rating as essential
Can range from -1.0 to 1.0
ContentValidity Index: Average CVR
8. Participants
Sent request to 33 SMEs
22 responses (67% response rate)
11 Higher Education Reading Faculty
11 K-6 School Personnel
12. Possible Explanations
Poor measure
Lack of clear definition of Reading Maturity in the field
Common in new areas of research (e.g., integrated
STEM)
Level of students taught by school staff
Traditional focus on reading ability
13. Next Steps
Expand pool of SMEs
• Secondary school personnel
• Media specialists
Continue investigating how Reading Maturity is
defined across the field
15. References
Ayre, C., & Scally, A. J. (2014). Critical values for Lawshe’s Content
Validity Ratio: Revisiting the original methods of calculation.
Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development,
47(1), 79-86.
Gray, W. S. & Rogers, B. (1956). Maturity in reading: Its nature and
appraisal. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Lawshe, C.H. (1975). A quantitative approach to content validity.
Personnel Psychology, 28(4), 563-575.
Thomas, M. M. (2001). Proficient reader characteristics: Relationships
among text-dependent and higher-order literacy variables with
reference to stage theories of intellectual development (Doctoral
dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.
(3010626)
Wilson F. R., Pan W., Schumsky D. A. (2012). Recalculation of the
critical values for Lawshe’s content validity ratio. Measurement and
Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 45(3), 197–210.
Editor's Notes
The preponderance of Reading-related research over the past two centuries has been on reading development or learning how to read.
Alphabet method- Teaching the names of alphabet letters (learning your ABCs) was once thought to be adequate to lead children into the reading of words. This was expressed in 1620 when flash cards, booklets, and classroom slates were used to teach the letters of the alphabet in rural America.
Word recitation- Essentially, memorize the phrase or passage so that it can be recited fluently without hesitation between words.
Phonics instruction- beginning readers understand how letters are linked to sounds (phonemes) to form letter-sound correspondences and spelling patterns and to help them learn how to apply this knowledge in their reading.
Whole word method- In this teaching method, learners are expected to look at the general appearance of words. Then from the shape of the word's appearance,the pupil is expected to memorize the sounds that should be spoken. The goal is for learners to see each word as a little picture and associate the teacher's spoken word with the little word-shapes on the page.
Basal readers- Phonetically controlled text.
Whole Language Method demanded riddance of all wordlists and drill materials. Phonics became a dirty word. Focus was adjusted to maximize student self-esteem and to amplify all the self-satisfying pleasures to be found in listening to reading. The satisfaction of hearing new and exciting ideas read out of books was expected to attract children to become readers just by being around books and teachers who made it attractive in every way possible.
NRP- five components of reading instruction: Phonics, Phonemic Awareness, Comprehension, Vocabulary, Fluency
Reading Maturity is defined by Gray & Rogers (1956) as “the attainment of those interests, attitudes and skills which enable young people and adults to participate eagerly, independently, and effectively in all the reading activities essential to a full, rich, and productive life” (p. 56).
Reading Maturity has also been an area of interest for scholars (Stauffer, 1969; Maring, 1979; Chall, 1983; Smith & Sheehan, 1998; Thomas, 2001). However, it is not well represented in classrooms (Fisher, 2004), educational journals, textbooks, published professional standards, or teacher education (Thomas, 2013), especially when compared to the extensive body of research on reading acquisition.
The lack of research in this area has resulted in a gap in understanding behaviors that occur between becoming proficient in reading and becoming a mature reader.
Thomas (2001) developed the Reading Maturity Survey to further research in this area. The survey measures six dimensions of reading maturity:
reading attitudes and interests
Interest in reading and personal importance. Questions relate to frequency of reading and breadth and depth of reading interest and topics.
reading purpose
Items measure whether respondent has a purpose for reading and chooses materials that are of interest or useful, as well as ability to make adjustments to reading rates (e.g., skimming, scanning, survey reading) based on reading purpose (Stauffer, 1969).
reading ability
Perception of ability as a proficient reader. This includes reading comprehension skills such as literal understanding as well as inferences and implied meanings (Theiss, Philbrick, & Jarman, 2008).
reaction to and use of ideas
Ability to use prior personal experiences to make connections to new materials being read. Ability to form new understanding as a result of making connections.
kind of materials read
Use of challenging reading material. More challenging materials, such as content related text versus newspapers and magazines, help readers create meaningful and insightful understandings that can be applied to their own lives.
transformational reading
Is the respondent personally reflective in his/her reading? Reading has the ability to change a reader’s perspective and motivate the reader to make personal changes in her life (Thomas, 2001).
Sixty items are measured using a four-point Likert-type scale, with responses ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree).
The Reading Maturity Survey can be accessed here: http://www.keenreading.org/
The purpose of the study was to examine the Reading Maturity Survey’s content validity using reading subject-matter experts to generate content validity ratios for each item as well as overall and subscale-specific content validity indices.
We will also report on initial exploratory factor analyses from a pilot project and discuss the implications for use of the tool to measure reading maturity.
Sent request to 33 SMEs
22 responses (67% response rate)
11 Higher Education Reading Faculty
11 K-6 School Personnel (classroom teachers, administrators, reading coaches, retired/former classroom teachers)
Items under the category of “Reaction to & use of ideas” is taught explicitly reading programs at the elementary level which may account for why more SMEs designated these items as “essential.”
Include secondary school personnel because their students have moved past learning how to read and are reading for content knowledge.
Include Media Specialists due to their expertise of promoting reading through guidance in selecting materials.