Content Coverage and Contextual Reading in Reading Groups

Abstract

Teacher logs for 600 reading group sessions from grades 1, 3, and 5 were analyzed in an effort to identify whether the amount and mode of assigned contextual reading differed systematically between reading groups. Analyses indicated that groups designated as good readers read more total words and more words silently than groups designated as poor readers (p < .01). There were, however, no significant differences in the number of words read orally by the two groups, which indicated that the greater amounts of silent reading done by good reader groups account primarily for differences in amount of contextual reading noted. These data reinforce and extend the findings of other research on differences in content coverage and the pacing of students through reading materials.Fifteen years ago, Bond and Dykstra (1967) recommended that "future research might well center on teacher and learning situation characteristics rather than methods and materials" (p. 123). In the intervening period, we have seen reading research shift away from comparing the efficacy of various reading programs, but this shift has only recently been in the direction of investigating the complexities of classroom processes. Duffy (1981) has noted that most researchers in reading have focused on the nature of the reading process but have, by and large, neglected investigation of classroom instruction. In particular, he notes, "to date, descriptive research has been little utilized by reading researchers" (p. 131). Descriptive research attempts to delineate the status quo and seems a necessary undertaking prior to recommendations concerning pedagogical change. 85

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