Reading Comprehension Interventions Research Articles

Evaluating a self-regulated strategy development reading-comprehension intervention for emerging bilingual students with learning disabilities

Simultaneous development of academic language and reading comprehension is critical for emerging bilingual students’ academic success. With a focus on reading comprehension, this study extends the research on self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) to include emerging bilingual students with learning disabilities. Through a multiple probe across participants design, researchers evaluated effects of instruction on fifth-grade participants’ use of reading-comprehension strategies and accuracy with comprehension-question answering. Intervention sessions lasted 32 minutes and met for 61 consecutive school days. Visual analyses indicated level changes and a functional relation between SRSD instruction and scores depicting strategy use and question-answering accuracy. Furthermore, participants reported high satisfaction with the goals, procedures, and outcomes of the intervention. Implications for supporting emerging bilingual students with learning disabilities are discussed.

Etiology of teacher knowledge and instructional skills for literacy at the upper elementary grades.

The purpose of this research was to study the etiology of teacher knowledge about and factors that influence implementation of evidence-based reading and writing interventions at the upper elementary grade levels. Five data sources are used in this study: first, we used teacher surveys about their pre-service preparation on reading comprehension and literacy practices gathered during a recent cluster randomized control trial on a reading comprehension intervention conducted with 280 fourth and fifth-grade teachers and their classroom students. We also conducted focus group interviews with 43% of the teachers and observed 90% of the teachers once during the implementation years. For writing, we used data collected from 32 teachers during a 3-year design project for a teacher-led computer-supported writing intervention. We also collected data from groups of school administrators using structured interviews during both studies. Finally, we conducted an artifact review of school curricula and posted professional development (PD) plans. Our results show that in both reading comprehension and writing, all teachers reported not receiving sound evidence-based pre-service preparation and they were not currently employing any evidence-based approaches. Most teachers reported using the basal reading series with very little variation from the lesson scope and sequence. Teachers and administrators frequently reported that skills were being taught in isolation (e.g., skill of the week is summarizing) and that writing was neglected. The interviews showed very interesting patterns of curricula decision-making by school administrators and these findings were further confirmed through the artifact reviews. Based on these results, we recommend that any review of teacher practices focus also on administrator decision-making and school level factors that are driving what happens in the classrooms. The review showed that the teachers themselves do not feel empowered to learn and deliver evidence-based literacy practices and feel constrained by the system.

Content-area reading comprehension and teachers’ use of instructional time: effects on middle school students’ social studies knowledge

We examined the influence of teachers’ use of instructional time on students’ learning within the context of a randomized controlled trial investigating the effects of a content-area reading comprehension intervention. Participants were 8th grade social studies teachers who had their classes randomly assigned to either Promoting Acceleration of Comprehension and Content through Text (PACT) or business-as-usual (BAU). In both conditions, the same social studies content was the focus of instruction. Thirty-five 8th grade teachers (18 female, 17 male) audio-record instruction in both PACT and BAU classes for the duration of the 6–8 week intervention. Instruction was coded on five dimensions: interactive instruction, teacher silence, noninstructional activities, video usage, and neutral class time. Social studies knowledge acquisition was measured amongst 2786 8th grade students. Findings indicated that teachers spent more time engaged in interactive instruction when delivering content-area instruction in PACT classrooms as compared to BAU classrooms. Further, instructional behaviors were significantly related to changes in content knowledge acquisition in the BAU classes. In the treatment condition, teachers’ instructional behaviors were not significantly related to changes in content acquisition, except for noninstructional activities and non-content related video, which both had negative effects. Our findings suggest that while interactive instructional time remains important, the instructional methods utilized during this time are equally (if not more) impactful on student achievement.

Effects of Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Intervention on Comprehension-Related Outcomes for Ninth Graders With Low Reading Comprehension

This experimental study examined the efficacy of a multicomponent reading intervention compared to a business-as-usual comparison condition on the reading comprehension and content area vocabulary outcomes of adolescent students with low reading comprehension. We randomly assigned 9th-grade students with low reading comprehension to a researcher-provided intervention (n = 51) or a business-as-usual comparison (n = 49) group. Reading interventionists provided weekly instruction for 2 semesters (M = 114 hr) to small groups of students (M = 5). We estimated intervention effects for each outcome measure using repeated measures analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) for measures of reading and vocabulary. Results indicated statistically significant differences between students in the intervention and comparison conditions on measures of vocabulary and on the Test of Sentence Reading Efficiency and Comprehension (TOSREC) and no differences on the Woodcock–Johnson III Passage Comprehension subtest. Repeated measures ANCOVAs indicated large effect sizes on vocabulary measures between intervention and comparison students on multiple-choice and free response items (ηp2 = .16 and .19, respectively) and small effect sizes on the TOSREC (ηp2 = .02).

Skill Moderators of the Effects of a Reading Comprehension Intervention

This study utilized secondary analyses of a randomized controlled trial and investigated the extent to which prestest word identification efficiency, reading fluency, and vocabulary knowledge moderated the effects of an intervention on reading comprehension outcomes for struggling readers in sixth through eighth grades. Given that the experimental intervention included components that targeted word reading, reading fluency, and vocabulary, we hypothesized that students with lower pretest performance in those skill domains would benefit more from the intervention compared to students with relatively stronger pretest performance or students who received school-implemented (business-as-usual) intervention. Results indicated that pretest word identification efficiency and vocabulary did not moderate the effects of the intervention; however, moderation effects were observed for pretest oral reading fluency such that reading comprehension gains of students with lower pretest fluency were greater in the experimental intervention compared to students with higher pretest fluency or in the comparison condition. Reasons for the moderation effect are discussed. Findings underscore the use of moderation analyses when evaluating multicomponent interventions.

Moved by Reading in a Spanish-Speaking, Dual Language Learner Population.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an English-only version and a Spanish-support version of an embodied reading comprehension intervention (Moved by Reading) consisting of 3 stages (physical manipulation, imagined manipulation, and transfer) for Spanish-English dual language learners. Sixty-one dual language learners in Arizona were randomly assigned to 4 groups (Spanish-support control, Spanish-support intervention, English-only control, and English-only intervention). Analyses of variance were used to compare control and intervention groups and to compare groups according to the language of the intervention. Children in the Spanish-support intervention group significantly outperformed both control groups during the physical manipulation stage, whereas children in the English-only intervention group outperformed both control groups in the imagined manipulation stage, but there was little transfer to a new, unrelated text. The Moved by Reading intervention, in both its English-only and Spanish-support versions, improved performance on comprehension questions, but in different stages of the intervention. The Spanish-support version of the intervention was most effective in the physical manipulation stage, whereas the English-only version was more effective in the imagined manipulation stage. Neither version was effective in producing significant transfer effects.

Class Percentage of Students With Reading Difficulties on Content Knowledge and Comprehension

We examined the efficacy of a content acquisition and reading comprehension intervention implemented in eighth-grade social studies classrooms. Using a within-teacher randomized control design, 18 eighth-grade teachers’ social studies classes were randomly assigned to a treatment or comparison condition. Teachers taught all their classes (treatment and comparison) using the same content; however, in the treatment classes, teachers used instructional practices that included comprehension canopy, essential words, knowledge acquisition, and team-based learning. Students with reading comprehension difficulties in the treatment classes (n = 359) outperformed students with reading comprehension difficulties in the comparison classes (n = 331) on measures of content knowledge acquisition and content reading comprehension but not general reading comprehension. In addition, the proportion of students with reading comprehension difficulties in classes moderated outcomes for content knowledge acquisition and content reading comprehension.

Fostering Self‐Regulation of Students with Learning Disabilities: Insights from 30 Years of Reading Comprehension Intervention Research

AbstractThirty years of intervention research on the effects of reading comprehension strategies for students with learning disabilities was reviewed in this quantitative synthesis. Specifically, researchers targeted studies that contained self‐regulated learning components. A systematic search yielded 18 studies from nine research journals that met specified inclusion criteria. Studies were evaluated for methodological quality and to identify types of instructional and self‐regulation components within interventions. Large effect sizes were found immediately after instruction and after a time delay, suggesting that instruction in reading comprehension strategies that contain self‐regulation components may have a long lasting impact on student performance. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Reading comprehension difficulties in children with rolandic epilepsy.

Difficulties in reading comprehension can arise from either word reading or listening comprehension difficulties, or a combination of the two. We sought to determine whether children with rolandic epilepsy had poor reading comprehension relative to typically developing comparison children, and whether such difficulties were associated with word reading and/or general language comprehension difficulties. In this cross-sectional study, children with rolandic epilepsy (n=25; 16 males, 9 females; mean age 9y 1mo, SD 1y 7mo) and a comparison group (n=39; 25 males, 14 females; mean age 9y 1mo, SD 1y 3mo) completed assessments of reading comprehension, listening comprehension, word/non-word reading, speech articulation, and Non-verbal IQ. Reading comprehension and word reading were worse in children with rolandic epilepsy (F1,61 =6.89, p=0.011, ηp2=0.10 and F1,61 =6.84, p=0.011, ηp2=0.10 respectively), with listening comprehension being marginal (F1,61 =3.81, p=0.055, ηp2=0.06). Word reading and listening comprehension made large and independent contributions to reading comprehension, explaining 70% of the variance. Children with rolandic epilepsy may be at risk of reading comprehension difficulties. Thorough assessment of individual children is required to ascertain whether the difficulties lie with decoding text, or with general comprehension skills, or both. Children with rolandic epilepsy may be at risk of poor reading comprehension. This was related to poor word reading, poor listening comprehension, or both. Reading comprehension interventions should be tailored to the profile of difficulties.

학습장애 학생의 읽기 유창성과 읽기 이해 중재연구에 관한 문헌 분석

학습장애 학생의 읽기 유창성과 읽기 이해 중재연구에 관한 문헌 분석

Academic Language as a Predictor of Reading Comprehension in Monolingual Spanish‐Speaking Readers: Evidence From Chilean Early Adolescents

AbstractAlthough literacy achievement has improved in Chile, adolescents’ underperformance in reading comprehension is still a serious concern. In English, core academic‐language skills (CALS) have been found to significantly predict reading comprehension, even controlling for academic vocabulary knowledge.CALSare high‐utility language skills that support reading comprehension across school content areas. Guided by an operational definition of SpanishCALS(S‐CALS), three goals drove this study: to develop two psychometrically reliable tests, the S‐CALSInstrument and the Spanish Academic Vocabulary (S‐AVoc) Test; to explore the dimensionality of core academic‐language proficiencies, as measured by these two tests; and to examine the contribution of core academic‐language proficiencies to reading comprehension. A cross‐sectional sample of 810 Chilean students (grades 4–8) participated in four assessments that measured standardized reading comprehension, word‐reading fluency, Spanish academic vocabulary, and S‐CALS. Using classical test theory and item response theory analyses, results yielded robust reliability evidence for both instruments. Consistent with prior research, S‐CALSand academic vocabulary scores displayed upward trends in higher grades yet considerable within‐grade variability. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that S‐CALSand S‐AVoc were best conceptualized as part of a higher order construct, the Spanish core academic‐language and vocabulary skills (S‐CALVS). The aggregated S‐CALVSscores predicted reading comprehension, beyond the contribution of grade, school factors, and word‐reading fluency. This study advances our scientific understanding ofCALSas relevant for adolescent literacy beyond the English language. The high‐utility school‐relevant language and vocabulary skills offer promising tools to inform and evaluate innovative reading comprehension interventions for Spanish‐speaking adolescents.

Reading Intervention for Poor Readers at the Transition to Secondary School

ABSTRACTThis study evaluated two 20-week reading interventions for pupils entering secondary school with reading difficulties. The interventions were delivered by trained teaching assistants (three 35-min sessions per week). 287 pupils (ages 11–13) from 27 schools were randomly allocated to three groups: reading intervention (targeting word recognition and decoding skills), reading intervention plus comprehension, or a waiting list control group. Neither intervention produced statistically significant gains in word reading but the reading intervention plus comprehension intervention produced significant gains in reading comprehension (d = 0.29) and vocabulary (d = 0.34). Further evaluations of methods to improve word reading in this population are needed.

Effects of an Informational Text Reading Comprehension Intervention for Fifth-Grade Students

Upper elementary school students who have reading problems may have difficulty in one or more areas of reading, each requiring specific types of interventions. This study evaluated a short-term reading intervention for 46 fifth-grade students with poor reading comprehension. Students were randomly assigned to an intervention or no treatment control condition. The 40 session (20 hr) intervention targeted reading comprehension strategy instruction in the context of informational science texts. Analyses showed statistically significant effects favoring the intervention on two proximal measures (i.e., measures closely related to the intervention content). The effects for the outcomes were moderate ( gs = 0.61 and 0.72). There were no statistically significant differences on distal measures (i.e., measures less closely aligned with the intervention). The findings provide support for the efficacy of a reading comprehension intervention that may inform short-term interventions within a Response to Intervention framework.

Improving content knowledge and comprehension for English language learners: Findings from a randomized control trial.

Supporting the reading comprehension and content knowledge acquisition of English language learners (ELs) requires instructional practices that continue beyond developing the foundational skills of reading. In particular, the challenges ELs face highlight the importance of teaching reading comprehension practices in the middle grades through content acquisition. We conducted a randomized control trial to examine the efficacy of a content acquisition and reading comprehension intervention implemented in eighth-grade social studies classrooms with English language learners. Using a within-teacher design, in which 18 eighth-grade teachers’ social studies classes were randomly assigned to treatment or comparison conditions. Teachers taught the same instructional content to treatment and comparison classes, but the treatment classes used instructional practices that included comprehension canopy, essential words, knowledge acquisition, and team-based learning. Students in the treatment group (n = 845) outperformed students in the comparison group (n = 784) on measures of content knowledge acquisition and content reading comprehension but not general reading comprehension. Both ELs and non-ELs who received the treatment outperformed those assigned to the BAU comparison condition on measures of content knowledge acquisition (ES = 0.40) and content-related reading comprehension (ES = 0.20). In addition, the proportion of English language learners in classes moderated outcomes for content knowledge acquisition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)

Effects of a Text-processing Comprehension Intervention on Struggling Middle School Readers.

Purpose:We examined the effects of a text-processing reading comprehension intervention emphasizing listening comprehension and expressive language practices with middle school students with reading difficulties.Method:A total of 134 struggling readers in grades 6–8 were randomly assigned to treatment (n= 83) and control conditions (n= 51) using a 2:1 ratio (two students randomized to treatment for every one student randomized to control). Students in the treatment condition received 40 min of daily instruction in small groups of four to six students for approximately 17 hr.Results:One-way analysis of covariance models on outcome measures with the respective pretest scores as a covariate revealed significant gains on proximal measures of vocabulary and key word and main idea formulation. No significant differences were found on standardized measures of listening and reading comprehension.Discussion:Results provide preliminary support for integrating listening comprehension and expressive language practices within a text-processing reading comprehension intervention framework for middle-grade struggling readers.

Impact of a Technology-Mediated Reading Intervention on Adolescents' Reading Comprehension

ABSTRACTIn this experimental study we examined the effects of a technology-mediated, multicomponent reading comprehension intervention, Comprehension Circuit Training (CCT), for middle school students, the majority of whom were struggling readers. The study was conducted in three schools, involving three teachers and 228 students. Using a within-teacher design, middle school teachers' reading classes were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 9) or business as usual (n = 7) conditions. In the CCT condition, students received, on average, 39 lessons of video-modeled instruction in word reading, vocabulary, and comprehension instruction during reading intervention classes. Results of multilevel structural equation models indicated statistically significant effects favoring the CCT condition on three measures: reading comprehension latent variable (ES = 0.14), proximal vocabulary (ES = 0.43), and silent reading efficiency (ES = 0.28). Subgroup analyses indicated that students with lower entry-level reading comprehension tended to benefit more from the CCT intervention in reading comprehension, silent reading efficiency, and state test scores.

Treating reading comprehension deficits in sub-acute brain injury rehabilitation: Identifying clinical practice and management

There is limited evidence for cognitive-communication reading comprehension (CCRC) interventions for adults following acquired brain injury (ABI), particularly during sub-acute rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical practice of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with CCRC deficits during sub-acute ABI rehabilitation and compare it to the best available evidence. An electronic survey was used to gather information from clinicians across Australia regarding clinical practice in the areas of assessment, intervention, treatment hierarchies and service delivery; survey questions were developed from an extensive review of the literature and expert clinician opinion. Survey findings were then compared with the literature in the form of a systematic review. Surveyed clinicians provided multiple interventions for CCRC rehabilitation, including impairment based (94.7%), activity based (94.7%) and reading strategy interventions (100.0%). Five strategies were used by >94% of SLPs (highlighting, identifying main points/wh- questioning, re-reading, summarising, reducing visual load). When compared with the literature, strong similarities were found for strategy-based interventions and individual service delivery, with broad similarities for functional and impairment-based interventions, and impairment based treatment hierarchies. Strong differences in assessment were identified. Strategy use reported in clinical practice (100.0% SLPs) was higher than in the literature. Further investigation into the effectiveness of specific reading strategies for people with ABI is warranted.

Reading Comprehension Interventions for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders

We conducted two separate but related single-case studies using alternating treatment designs to investigate the effects of two single-component reading interventions: question development and anaphoric cueing. In each study, we compared a typical intervention approach (Study 1, question development; Study 2, anaphoric cueing) with an alternate approach that included the addition of applied behavior analysis (ABA) techniques. The treatments that included ABA techniques were designed to improve the performance of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) on curriculum-based measures (CBM) of reading and on-task behavior measures during the reading tasks. The ABA techniques included the use of visual supports, a token economy, and the use of readings based on the perseverative interests of students. Four students in Grades 3 to 5 identified with ASD participated—two students in each study. Study 1 evaluated the relative effects of question development plus ABA compared with question development on CBM reading probes and an on-task behavior measure for two students. Study 2 evaluated the relative effects of anaphoric cueing plus ABA compared with anaphoric cueing on CBM reading probes and an on-task behavior measure for two students. The results indicated that the treatments that included ABA techniques were more effective than treatments that did not include ABA. These data support the use of ABA techniques for the enhancement of question development and anaphoric cueing as a means to improve reading comprehension and on-task behavior for students with ASD.

Middle School Reading Comprehension and Content Learning Intervention for Below-Average Readers

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to determine the efficacy of a content knowledge and reading comprehension treatment implemented by 8th-grade social studies teachers over the course of 1 school year. We randomly assigned 8th-grade students with reading difficulties to the intervention treatment condition (n = 45) or the business-as-usual comparison condition (n = 33). Students in the treatment condition scored statistically higher than students in the comparison condition on measures of knowledge acquisition (effect size [ES] = 0.35), content reading comprehension (ES = 0.59), and vocabulary recall (ES = 0.65). The small ES on standardized reading comprehension (ES = 0.10) favoring the treatment condition was not statistically significant.

Protocol for a Systematic Review: Targeted School‐Based Interventions for Improving Reading and Mathematics for Students With or At‐Risk of Academic Difficulties in Grade 7 to 12: A Systematic Review

Protocol for a Systematic Review: Targeted School‐Based Interventions for Improving Reading and Mathematics for Students With or At‐Risk of Academic Difficulties in Grade 7 to 12: A Systematic Review