An Example of Digital Transformation in Reading Instruction: The Effect of Online Paired Reading on Fourth Graders' Reading Outcomes

Abstract

In this study, a traditional practice was adapted to the online environment by considering the digital transformation in reading instruction. The study discusses technology as a new learning environment rather than regarding it merely as a scaffold. The paired reading strategy, which is an effective method for improving reading skills and which allows students to work collaboratively, was implemented online. A total of 22 fourth-grade students participated in the study. The study aims to determine the effect of online paired reading activities on reading fluency, reading comprehension, and reading self-concept in fourth-grade students consisting of good and poor readers. For this purpose, a quasi-experimental design was used in the study. The implementation process lasted 36 lesson hours. Online paired reading (OPR) activities were carried out in the spring semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. The study was designed as a one-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental design. A curriculum-based measurement (CBM) approach was considered for measuring reading fluency and reading comprehension skills. The Reading Self-Concept Scale (RSCS) developed by Chapman and Tunmer (1995) was used to determine the development in students' reading self-concept. As a result of the study, a significant improvement was observed in the students' reading fluency and reading comprehension skills. Furthermore, the online paired reading activities led to a positive improvement in students' reading self-concept. These results suggest that online paired reading can be an effective digital adaptation of traditional reading strategies in primary education.