The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to determine the effects of an intensive six-week summer reading program on the reading achievement and self-esteem of Upward Bound students, (2) to ascertain if gains in reading and gains in self-esteem would be maintained over nine months' time, and (3) to determine whether a positive significant relationship would exist between gains in reading and gains in self-esteem. The sample for the investigation consisted of students who had been selected for participation in Upward Bound, a federally funded compensatory education program for disadvantaged secondary students. Individualized or personalized reading instruction was selected as the appropriate instructional approach for these students. Sustained Silent Reading and the use of cross-age tutors were components of this personalized reading approach. Practices, strategies, and techniques to enhance self-esteem were integrated into the reading program in an effort to emphasize the affective dimension of the curriculum. Two instruments were used for data collection: the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test, vocabulary and comprehension subtests, and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. The dependent variables were (1) reading vocabulary, (2) reading comprehension, and (3) self-esteem. The independent variable was time of test administration: pretests which were administered in June, posttests which were administered in August, retention tests which were administered the following May. The results of the investigation indicated that the six-week summer reading program was successful. Statistically significant gains were made in reading achievement and in self-esteem. A subset of the sample was used to determine if gains in reading achievement and in self-esteem were retained over nine months' time. Results of the data analyses indicated that gains in vocabulary were retained. Gains in self-esteem fell back to the pretest level. A positive significant correlation was not found between the gains in reading achievement and the gains in self-esteem.
