The Reading Professor
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Third grade serves as a critical literacy benchmark in Indiana, where students who do not pass the Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination (IREAD) assessment may face retention. The consequences of retention are particularly pronounced for students living in high-poverty communities, where inequitable access to literacy opportunities often compounds existing academic challenges. This article examines a six-week, relationship-centered literacy intervention implemented at an underserved Catholic school in South Bend, Indiana. Through a partnership with Tutor-ND, trained community tutors provided one-to-one, evidence-based literacy instruction to students at risk of retention following unsuccessful performance on IREAD. Drawing upon research related to high-impact tutoring, affective learning environments, and literacy equity. this study explores how individualized tutoring relationships may contribute to both cognitive and affective outcomes. Preliminary findings suggest that students demonstrated growth in oral reading fluency, decoding, and reading confidence while tutors reported the development of meaningful relationships that supported engagement and persistence. The findings highlight the potential of summer literacy interventions to serve not only as academic supports but also as equity-focused opportunities that address the emotional and motivational dimensions of literacy learning. Implications for educators, policymakers, and community organizations are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Nussbaum, Amy
()
"Interrupting the Retention Cycle: The Impact of Relationship-Centered One-to-One Literacy Tutoring on Affective and Cognitive Outcomes for At-Risk Third-Grade Readers,"
The Reading Professor: Vol. 49:
Iss.
1, Article 6.
Available at:
https://scholar.stjohns.edu/thereadingprofessor/vol49/iss1/6