Literacy Work Stations: Effects on Students’ Reading Comprehension and Fluency

According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, “Despite recent national attention to the importance of teaching early reading skills, many children in America continue to struggle with reading. Forty percent of U.S. fourth grade children read below a ‘basic level’ and have ‘little or no mastery’ of the knowledge of skills necessary to perform work at each grade level” (Choutka, Jitendra, Edwards, Starosta, Sacks & Jacobson, 2004). With this data in mind, the purpose of this research is to determine how literacy work stations are affecting students’ literacy skills.This research was conducted in a fourth grade classroom at a rural, elementary school. Using two surveys, student participants were asked to reflect upon their interests and self-perceptions of their abilities in reading comprehension and reading fluency. Furthermore, students were asked about their views of literacy work stations. Student surveys, a teacher survey, and observation notes were analyzed for common themes and trends. Data showed that students enjoy participating in literacy work stations and believe in the stations’ ability to help improve their reading comprehension and fluency. Quantitative data confirmed these personal beliefs, as students’ words read per minute for fluency increased throughout the study’s one month span. Teacher comments confirmed increases made in students’ comprehension skills. This data suggests that literacy work stations should be implemented in today’s classrooms in order to increase students’ skills in reading.