Effects of Correspondence Training on Self-Reports of Errors During a Reading Task

This study investigated correspondence in children's self-reports about the correctness of previous reading responses. Participants were typically developing children ages 9-14, with a poor school performance. Experiment 1 was conducted in a school setting, and Experiment 2 replicated it in a lab setting. Each trial presented a target word on a computer screen. The child read the word orally and, after the computer dictated the target word, selected a green or a red window to report whether the response had been correct or incorrect, respectively. In an initial baseline, children often selected the green window, regardless of whether they read correctly or not. A correspondence training then provided points for self-reports that corresponded to the reading response, whereas non-corresponding reports did not produce points. Correspondence quickly increased and was maintained in subsequent baseline sessions. Correspondence training was effective to establish accurate reports of errors in these children.