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Student Choice of Text in an Upper Secondary Independent Reading Program: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Student Choice of Text in an Upper Secondary Independent Reading Program: A Quasi-Experimental Study.
Authors: DeLoach, Brian (AUTHOR), Rodriguez, Susan (AUTHOR), Chan, Roy Y. (AUTHOR)
Source: Reading Psychology. Jul2026, Vol. 47 Issue 5, p823-835. 13p.
Subjects: Reading comprehension, Secondary education, Reading, Reading level of students, Pre-tests & post-tests, Reading materials
Abstract: This study examined the effects of student choice-of-text and reading comprehension outcomes in a 12-week independent reading program in an upper-secondary classroom. Students aged 17–18 years (n = 52) were divided into two groups. One group received an assigned text at an age-appropriate Lexile level and genre; the other group was given free choice of text from an appropriate Lexile level from a classroom library. A pretest-posttest ANCOVA design was used with both groups receiving the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test series before and after the intervention. Both groups achieved modest gains; however, the ANCOVA results revealed no statistically significant difference between the choice-of-text and no-choice-of-text groups (p = 0.262), challenging the reported efficacy of choice-of-text, especially for older students. Recommendations for further research include a call for a readjustment of previously reported effect sizes upon which to build future studies in adolescent literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Description
Abstract:This study examined the effects of student choice-of-text and reading comprehension outcomes in a 12-week independent reading program in an upper-secondary classroom. Students aged 17–18 years (n = 52) were divided into two groups. One group received an assigned text at an age-appropriate Lexile level and genre; the other group was given free choice of text from an appropriate Lexile level from a classroom library. A pretest-posttest ANCOVA design was used with both groups receiving the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test series before and after the intervention. Both groups achieved modest gains; however, the ANCOVA results revealed no statistically significant difference between the choice-of-text and no-choice-of-text groups (p = 0.262), challenging the reported efficacy of choice-of-text, especially for older students. Recommendations for further research include a call for a readjustment of previously reported effect sizes upon which to build future studies in adolescent literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:02702711
DOI:10.1080/02702711.2026.2614447