Main idea instruction: An analysis of three basal reader series

Abstract

Abstract This study investigated main idea instruction in three basal reader series. Materials were analyzed within a framework developed from empirical research, and theory related to main idea comprehension. The framework consisted of three parameters for main idea instruction: main idea task, acknowledgment of strategies mediating main idea task, and monitoring main idea statements and strategies. Content analysis of main idea lessons in each basal reader series was used to expand the parameters. Statistically significant differences in main idea instruction were found in the first two parameters, and it was determined that basal reader materials rarely encouraged students to monitor their main idea statements or strategies. The nature of main idea lessons in basal readers was not anticipated by the reading comprehension strategy research literature. Examination of the discrepancies between main idea research findings and basal reader instructional practice was thwarted by a lack of information in the ...