Modification of deficits in reading for comprehension.

Two sixth-graders who read two years below grade level got pennies and praise each time they answered comprehension questions correctly.

The teacher asked five questions after short stories. Right answers earned a penny and verbal praise. Wrong answers got a polite 'no' and another chance.

Both students jumped from about half right to near-perfect accuracy. Their scores matched on-level classmates after only a few sessions.

The gains held while the pennies kept coming. When reinforcement stopped, accuracy drifted back, showing the pennies really drove the change.

Hart et al. (1974) repeated the idea one year later with second-graders learning sight words. Tokens plus praise again beat praise alone, proving the trick works across ages and reading skills.

Huguenin et al. (1980) kept the praise but added spelling overcorrection. Every child hit 100% on spelling tests, showing reinforcement pairs well with other tactics.

Singh et al. (1984) looks like a contradiction — they cut reading errors without any tokens. They simply previewed the passage with the kids before reading. The two studies target different pieces of reading: B et al. boosts comprehension after reading, while N et al. prevents errors during oral reading. Use both: preview first, reinforce answers after.

If a middle-schooler can’t understand what they read, try pennies and praise right away. You need no fancy curriculum — just five questions and a pocketful of cents. Pair this with quick text previews to tackle both accuracy and comprehension in the same lesson.