Project Title: Decoding Strategies – Improving Reading Levels in Low Performing Students

Investigator(s): Rita Faustino

Would you like your child to take part in a research project? The research project is being done
by Rita Faustino as part of her Master's program to better understand the effects of explicitly
teaching decoding strategies.

I am seeking your consent to include your child in my research project. Your child’s participation
in this research is entirely voluntary. The purpose of my research is to better understand the
effects of explicitly teaching decoding strategies. In addition to our regular classroom
experiences; regular guided reading sessions, practicing decoding skills, being assessed using the
Developmental Reading Assessment (DRAs), children who serve as “participants” in my research
will be participating in guided reading groups, as they do currently. They will be assessed an
additional two times using the Developmental Reading Assessment. As part of their regular
reading instruction, participants will be practicing three specific decoding strategies.
Participation will take 20 minutes beyond regular reading time for participants to complete the
Developmental Reading Assessment. There are no foreseeable risks or discomforts to
participants, who regularly participate in guided reading groups or complete Developmental
Reading Assessments as part of their school experiences. Benefits to your child may include an
increased ability to use decoding strategies in order to figure out unknown words as well as
increased reading levels. Your child’s name will not be included in this study. Further
information is included below for your review.

If you would like your child to be included in the research project, West Chester University
requires that you agree and sign this consent form.

You may ask Rita Faustino any questions to help you understand this study. If you do not want
your child to be a part of this study, it will not affect any of your child’s studies or services from
Francis Hopkinson Elementary. If you choose to have your child be a part of this study, you have
the right to change your mind and stop being a part of the study at any time.

1. What is the purpose of this study?

o To better understand the effects of explicitly teaching decoding strategies. If you
would like your child to be included in the research project, West Chester
University requires that you agree and sign this consent form.
2. If you decide to be a part of this study, your child will be asked to do the following
during their guided reading times:
o Participate in 20 minutes sessions with other students of their reading level in
order to learn decoding skills and strategies.
o Given a pre DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment), midway DRA
assessment, and final DRA assessment in order to find current reading levels.
This will take approximately 10 minutes during guided reading times over the
first week.
o Students will practice using those decoding strategies by reading leveled books.
During this time, video recordings of students’ work in groups will be used to
determine decoding strategies used, and notes from my regular guided reading
anecdotal note record sheets will be used as data for my research.
3. Are there any experimental medical treatments?
o No
 4. Is there any risk to my child?
o There are no anticipated risks greater than those associated with daily school life.
5. Is there any benefit to my child?
o Benefits to your child may include: an increased ability to use decoding strategies
in order to figure out unknown words as well as increased reading levels.
o Other benefits may include: There are publications that detail the benefits of
teaching decoding strategies to help benefit the student as a reader. The
importance of this knowledge would help others who may be interested in
increasing students reading skills and reading levels. Information from my study
will be used to help me make decisions about time spent teaching decoding skills
to first grade students during the reamainder of this school year and in future
years.
6. How will you protect my privacy?
o The guided reading sessions will be recorded. Video recordings will only be used
for information purposes to complete frequency charts of reading strategies
before they are destroyed in June 2022. Names of students will not be used when
analyzing video recordings. The digital files will be kept on a password
protected computer in LSH 2 at Francis Hopkinson Elementary (4001 L St.,
Philadelphia, PA 19124) until June 2022 when it is destroyed. Only Rita
Faustino will be viewing the actual video recordings.
o Your child’s records will be private. Only Rita Faustino will have access to your
child’s name and responses. Your name or your child’s name will not be used in
any reports. Pseudonyms will be provided.
o Records will be stored in a locked cabinet in Francis Hopkinson Elementary
School Room LSH 2, which will also be kept locked and on a password protected
computer.
o Data will be de-identified and maintained until June 2022 in a locked filing
cabinet and password protected computer at LSH 2 at Francis Hopkinson
Elementary (4001 L St, Philadelphia, PA 19124).
o Data will be stored in a locked, filing cabinet, or a password protected computer
until June 2022 when it is destroyed.
7. Do I get paid to take part in this study?
o No
8. Who do I contact in case of research related injury?
o For any questions with this study, contact:
 Primary Investigator: Rita Faustino at 267-847-0036 or
rfaustino@philasd.org
 Faculty Sponsor: Heather Leaman at 610-426-3323 or
Hleaman@wcupa.edu

For any questions about your rights in this research study, contact the ORSP at 610-436-3557.

I, _________________________________ (your name), have read this form and I understand the
statements in this form. I give consent for my child, __________________, to participate in the
study. I know that I or my child can withdraw consent to participate in the study at anytime. My
child will continue to participate in guided reading regardless of their choice to participate in the
study. I know that it is not possible to know all possible risks in a study, and I think that
reasonable safety measures have been taken to decrease any risk.

Child’s Name: _________________________________

Parent Signature:___________________________________

Date: ________________________