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An analysis of communication anxiety and reading comprehension in sixth, seventh and eighth grade students

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Date Issued:
2012
Abstract/Description:
The goal of this research was to determine whether communication apprehension impacted reading comprehension in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students and to examine the impact of family socio-economic status. Many studies have demonstrated the negative relationship between communication apprehension and academic achievement, however, studies of elementary and middle school students have been conspicuously missing from this research.Findings of this study indicated that the levels of communication apprehension rose slightly as grade level increased. Results showed that females in the study had higher levels of communication apprehension than males. The study also found that those students receiving free and reduced lunch had slightly higher levels of communication apprehension. Finally, nonminority status students had higher levels of communication apprehension than minority students.A review of previous studies found that children, exposed to high language input from their parents, know more words than those who are exposed to lower levels of input. Researchers have found that students who do not talk much in the classroom are evaluated less positively by their teachers, achieve less on teacher-made and standardized tests, and develop less positive affect toward school in general. Results of this study suggest that effort should be made to identify communication anxiety in children. The development of an age and grade appropriate instrument is warranted for early identification.
Title: An analysis of communication anxiety and reading comprehension in sixth, seventh and eighth grade students.
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Name(s): Davis, Tami, Author
Murray, Barbara, Committee Chair
Murray, Kenneth, Committee Member
Doherty, Walter, Committee Member
Butler, John, Committee Member
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2012
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: The goal of this research was to determine whether communication apprehension impacted reading comprehension in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students and to examine the impact of family socio-economic status. Many studies have demonstrated the negative relationship between communication apprehension and academic achievement, however, studies of elementary and middle school students have been conspicuously missing from this research.Findings of this study indicated that the levels of communication apprehension rose slightly as grade level increased. Results showed that females in the study had higher levels of communication apprehension than males. The study also found that those students receiving free and reduced lunch had slightly higher levels of communication apprehension. Finally, nonminority status students had higher levels of communication apprehension than minority students.A review of previous studies found that children, exposed to high language input from their parents, know more words than those who are exposed to lower levels of input. Researchers have found that students who do not talk much in the classroom are evaluated less positively by their teachers, achieve less on teacher-made and standardized tests, and develop less positive affect toward school in general. Results of this study suggest that effort should be made to identify communication anxiety in children. The development of an age and grade appropriate instrument is warranted for early identification.
Identifier: CFE0004368 (IID), ucf:49421 (fedora)
Note(s): 2012-08-01
Ed.D.
Education, Teaching, Learning and Leadership
Doctoral
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): Communication apprehension -- communication anxiety -- reading comprehension
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004368
Restrictions on Access: campus 2013-08-15
Host Institution: UCF

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