The Effects of a Program of Learning Games upon Selected Academic Abilities in Children with ...

238 Pages·2007·3.1 MB·English

DOCUMENT RESUME'
EC 030 626
ED 044 863
Cratty, Bryant a.; Martin, Sister Margaret Mary
AUTHOR
The Effects of a Program of Learning Games upon
TITLE
Selected Academic Abilities in Children with
Learning Difficulties.
California Univ., Los Angeles, Dept. of Education.
INSTTTUTION
Sep 70
PUB DATE
GRANT 0FG-0-0142710(032)
NOTE
237p.
EDRS PRICE
EDRS Price MF-S1.00 HC-Fg11.95
DESCRIPTORS
Culturally Disadvantaged, *Exceptional Child
Research, *Games, Learning Difficulties, *Learning
Disabilities, Mexican Americans, *Minority groups,
Negroes, Primary Grades, Program Effectiveness,
*Teaching Methods, Underachievers
ABSTRACT
Designed to evaluate the effectiveness of active
learning games in the enhancement of selected academic onerations
among Negro and Mexican-American children, the investigation involved
127 children (mean IQ 85, in grades 1 from the inner city
through 4)
in Los Angeles who were identified as low achievers. The children
were divided into four groups receiving the following treatment ir
addition to their regular curriculum: a supplementary program of
physical education, special small group tutoring within the
classroom, sequenced learning games, and no additional treatment. At
the end of the 18-week project, results indicated that the children
in the Learning Games Group showed significantly greater alphabet
learning, self control, serial memory, and motor ability when
compared with all three other groups. No signficiant sex differences
or changes in measurable TO were revealed.
(RD)
THE EFFECTS OF A PROGRAM OF LEARNING GAMES
r4(
CO
UPON! SELECTED ACADEMIC ABILITIES IN
CHILDREN WITH LEARNI NG DIFFICULTIES
Bryant J. Cratty, Ed.D..
University of California, Los Angeles
Sister Margaret Mary Martin, M.S.
Alvemo College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Evaluation of a Program Grant awarded by the U.S. Office
of Education, (0-0142710)(032). Under the Jurisdiction of
the Bureau of Handicapped Children.
September, 1970
EC03062
THE EFFECTS OF A PROGRAM OF LEARNING GAMES UPON
SELECTED ACADEMIC ABILITIES IN
CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DIFFICULTIES
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION & WELFARE
OFFICE OF EDUCATION
THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE
POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS
PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT.
STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION
POSITION OR POLICY.
Bryant J. Cratty,
University of California, Los Angeles
Sister Margaret Mary Martin, M.S.
Alvemo College, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Evaluation of a Program Grant awarded by the U.S. Office
of Education, (0-0142710)(032). Under the Jurisdiction of
the Bureau of Handicapped Children.
September, 1970
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The primary investigator is grateful to many individuals
who aided in the program and evaluation described in this
Reverend John Mihan, Superintendent of Elementary
monograph.
Schools in the Catholic Archdiocese, gave his approval for the
project, and for its continuation through a seccnd year.
His
assistants, Sister Carol Ann and Sister Bridget Ann, Supervisors
of Elementary Schools, and the project coordinator Sister
Dorothy Denise, also of the Los Angeles Archdiocese, extended
to us their support and cooperation.
The principals of the four schools involved in the program,
were most helpful in lending us their facilities, in inter-
preting our program to their staff and to the mothers of
the children, and in generally offering our staff their hospi-
These kind la-Ues included: Sister Caroline, principal
tality.
of St. Odilia Elementary School; Sister Ida Marie, principal
of Nativity Elementary School; Sister Jane Celeste, principal
of St. Raphael's Elementary School; and Sister Mary Clare,
principal of St. Columbskille Elementary School.
Our clerical staff at UCLA worked long and hard to
and
Miss Barbara Goen, Mr. Brian Tash
sustain the project.
Miss Nancy Laskow typed and re-typed the final manuscript,
with diligence and dedication.
Dr. Lawrence Rarick lent his advice during the instigation
of the project, and aided us in formulating the proposal and
To him also go our sincere thanks.
clarifying our rationale.
Most of all we would like to thank the classroom teachers
Although they suffered daily and
at the various schools.
hourly interruptions of their' classes, they bore these with
At the completion of the project
understanding and grace.
many of them have become enthusiastic supporters of the method
we have researched.
We would like to thank the wonderful, bright, and happy
They often
children whom it was our pleasure to work with.
invented games, and helped us refine methods by offering us
their own insights into the learning problems with which we
were confronted.
And finally we would like to express our appreciation to
the teachers and testers who worked daily to make the program
Often they were cast upon a sea of uncertainty,
a success.
as indeed we ourselves were uncertain of just what kinds of
movement tasks, and what modifications would "work" best.
Their ranks included Miss Jane Durkin, Miss Dianne Juel
Miss Charlotte Kiwas, Mrs. Laura Kerins, and Miss Marilyn
Cohen.
BJC MMM
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Introduction
I.
1
Overview
10
Pilot Study
14
Chapter II:
II.
Program Procedures
30
Results
33
Summary, Conclusions, and Implications
52
of the Pilot Study
Methods and Procedures, for the
III, Chapter III:
Primary Portion of the Program
57
Teaching Method and Procedures
70
Summary
78
80
Findings
Chapter IV:
IV.
83
Survey of Mean Scores Obtained in Pre-tests
108
Results of the First Trend Tests
Results of the Second Trend Testing
116
124
Data Analyzed by Grade Level
175
Summary of the Findings
Discussion of the Findings
177
Chapter V:
V.
General Implications
177
183
Practical Implications
Implications for Further Study and for
190
Experimental Curricula
194
Summary
Summary, Conclusions, and
Chapter VI:
VI.
196
Recommendations
Page
VII.
201
Bibliography
209
VIII.
Appendix
TABLES IN THE PILOT STUDY
Page
Comparison of Test - Retest Scores.
Table A
26
Correlation Coefficients Between
Table B
SubTests Used in the Final Test Battery.
27
Comparison of Pre- and Post Test
Table C
Scores of tIn Total Subjects.
34
Comparison of Pre- and Post Test
Table D
Scores of the Boys.
37
Comparison of Pre- and Post Test
Table E
Scores of the Girls.
38
TABLES IN THE PRIMARY STUDY
Page
Mean Scores, by Test, for Total Subjecto
Table I
in Pre-Test.
82
Mean Scores by Learning Games Group in
Table II
Pre-Tests and Post Tests, and Comparison
87
of Differences via t Test.
Table III
Mean Scores by Classroom Tutoring Group
in Pre-Tests and Post Tests, and Compari-
88
son of Differences via t Test.
Mean Scores by Physical Education Group
Table IV
in Pre-Tests and Post Tests, and Compari-
89
son of Differences via t Test.
Table V
Mean Scores by "No Activity" Control Group
in Pre-Tests and Post Tests, and Comparison
90
of Differences via t Test.
Table VI
Correlation Coefficients of. Pre-Test Scores
96
for All Subjects.
Factor Analysis of Pre-Test Scores- The
Table VII
98
Varifax Factor Matrix for 15 Variables.
Table VIII
One Way Analyses of Variance Comparing,
by Test, Improvement Between Pre- and Post
Test Scores of Total Subjects, All Four
Groups.
99
One Way Analyses of Variance Comparing, by
Table IX
Test, Improvement Between Pre-Test Scores
and Those in Second Trend Test, by Group,
106
Total Subjects, in Selected Tests.
Means and Standard Deviations, by Group
Table X
111
and by Test, for the First Trend Tests.
Means and Standard Deviations, by Group
Table XI
119
and by Test, in Second Trend Testing.
Comparison of Scores on Pre- and Post Tests
Table XII
127
by First Graders, in Four Groups.
Page
Comparison of Pre-, Trend Test 1,
Table XIII
Trend Test 2, and Post Test, All Groups,
First Grade Only, Letter Recognition
129
(Written).
Comparison of Pre- and Post Test Means
Table XIV
139
of Second Grade Children, by Group.
Scores of Third and Fourth. Grade, by
Table XV
Group,'in Selected Tests Given During
150
Pre- and Post Test Periods.
Percentage.of Third and Fourth Graders,
Table XVI
by Group, Who Achieved Perfect Scores
(i.e. 26) in the 3 Letter Recognition
152
Tests in the Final Testing Period.
Table XVII
Means and Standard Deviations, by Group,
for Third and Fourth Grade Children,
Combined, in the Pre- and Post Tests in
154
the Two Trend Tests.
Comparison of Girls' Scores, by Group,
Table XVIII
157
in Selected Pre- and Post Tests.
Comparison of Boys' Scores, by Group,
Table XIX
158
in Selected Pre- and Post Tests.
Comparison of Pre- and Post Test Scores
Table XX
in the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
164
of I.Q., by Group.
Children Posting Lowest 10 Scores From
Table XXI
167
Each School in Tests Listed.