Date of Award

5-1-2009

Degree Type

Dissertation

University or Center

Clark Atlanta University(CAU)

School

School of Education

Degree Name

Ed.D.

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Trevor Turner

Second Advisor

Dr. Ganga Persuad

Third Advisor

Dr. Edward Williams

Abstract

This study investigated whether student achievement in reading could be explained by the students' socioeconomic status in relation to leadership and organizational styles of educational leaders and teachers' methods and strategies. This study also examined whether musical training in pitch discrimination facilitated reading achievement. The population of this study consisted of four second and four third grade classes, totaling 139 students and eight teachers from a Georgia Public School System. Students were matched in age and socioeconomic status. Two of the four classes from each grade level formed the experimental group and the other two constituted the control group. The experimental group received eight weeks of 30-minute musical training in pitch discrimination and the control group received eight weeks of 30-minute musical training, without receiving any special treatment related to pitch discrimination. The

findings of this study posit that there is a highly significant statistical relationship between student achievement in reading and students' socioeconomic status and a significant relationship between student achievement in reading and parent involvement. The findings of this study also suggest that there is a relationship between student achievement in reading and gender and a relationship between student reading motivation and pre/posttest gains in musical pitch discrimination. It is recommended that further studies be done over a longer period of time as a means of clarifying the effects of each independent variable on students' achievement in reading.


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