Implementing a Structured Story Web and Outline Strategy to Assist Struggling Readers

Abstract

The authors present an instructional strategy designed to assist struggling readers (with or without disabilities) in enhancing their reading comprehension and performance on reading tasks. This explicit, structured reading strategy was presented in a supportive manner in an inclusive, regular education classroom. In the case example described, a fourth-grade teacher used a structured story web and outline to teach students to organize basic information from reading passages. The strategy involved the creation of a structured web of factual details which was converted into a traditional outline format. Repeated use of this strategy throughout the school year resulted in improved performance on classroom-based reading assessments and on tests of reading comprehension by regular and special education students. The article also includes a description of a scaffolded approach to strategy instruction in which the teacher provides a gradual reduction of direct support to allow students to become independent users of the strategy. Jacob sighs and shifts uncomfortably in his chair. The rest of the class appears to be working diligently on the set of comprehension questions the teacher assigned to be answered after the students read a chapter from a young readers' novel. Story details and events seem to run together in a confused jumble for Jacob. His reading disability makes organizing key concepts difficult for him, and he struggles to make sense of even the most basic information, even though he can read the words and can understand the basic vocabulary within the text.