A Synthesis of Reading Interventions and Effects on Reading Comprehension Outcomes for Older Struggling Readers

Abstract

This article reports a synthesis of intervention studies conducted between 1994 and 2004 with older students (Grades 6–12) with reading difficulties. Interventions addressing decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension were included if they measured the effects on reading comprehension. Twenty-nine studies were located and synthesized. Thirteen studies met criteria for a meta-analysis, yielding an effect size (ES) of 0.89 for the weighted average of the difference in comprehension outcomes between treatment and comparison students. Word-level interventions were associated with ES = 0.34 in comprehension outcomes between treatment and comparison students. Implications for comprehension instruction for older struggling readers are described.

Improving students’ narrative comprehension through a multiple strategy approach. Effects of Dialogic Strategy Instruction in secondary school.

“…The fact that the intervention turns out to be more effective for low achievers may not be surprising in itself. The result is consistent with some of the findings in previous research (Brown et al, 1996;Dole, Nokes, & Drits, 2009;Edmonds et al, 2009;Reninger, 2007). With regard to the theoretical foundation on which these interventions were developed in the first place, it should rather be expected that low achievers respond particularly well both to explicit strategy instruction and to structured text discussions.…”

“…By displaying their particular understanding, learners bring forth perspectives that their peers may use as temporary standpoints in their own gradually shifting reading experience. Evidence from research also verify that less capable readers are able to use the discourse of discussion as scaffolds for their own thinking (Reninger, 2007) and that strategy interventions in general are effective both for younger and older struggling readers (Edmonds, Vaughn, Wexler, Reutebuch, Cable, Klingler Tackett, & Wick, 2009;Kamil, 2004;Snow, 2002). …”

Effect of Inclusion Versus Segregation on Reading Comprehension of EFL Learners with Dyslexia: Case of Lebanon

“…Comprehension remains difficult for learners with dyslexia and reading impairments although educators agree that comprehending written material may be the main objective of reading (Edmonds et al, 2009). Strategy instruction in comprehension is essential for enabling students to understand the purpose of reading and for providing them with the real-world skills that are required for comprehending text (Honig et al, 2008).…”

Reading Comprehension Instruction for Adolescents with Learning Disabilities: A Reality Check

“…Data analysis occurred throughout the process of data collection and a coding system was developed to most effectively describe the reading comprehension instruction that emerged; regardless if the instruction aligned with best practices. Although these codes emerged from the data, many of the descriptions were modified from previous work [40,52,60,61].…”

“…Explicit comprehension instruction includes a direct explanation of the strategy, teacher modeling, guided practice, and independent application [39]. Explicit comprehension strategy instruction teaches students how to actively monitor their understanding of text during and after reading through questioning and reflecting [40].…”