Efficacy of Collaborative Strategic Reading With Middle School Students

Abstract

The authors conducted an experimental study to examine the effects of collaborative strategic reading and metacognitive strategic learning on the reading comprehension of students in seventh-and eighth-grade English/ language arts classes in two sites (Texas, Colorado) and in three school districts. Students were randomly assigned to classes and then classes were randomly assigned to treatment or business-as-usual comparison groups. If a teacher had an uneven number of classes, we assigned extra classes to treatment. The total number of classes randomized was 61, with 34 treatment and 27 comparison. Treatment students received a multicomponent reading comprehension instruction (collaborative strategic reading) from their English/language arts/reading teachers that included teaching students to apply comprehension strategies in collaborative groups for 18 weeks, with approximately two sessions per week. Findings indicated significant differences in favor of the treatment students on the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Comprehension Test but not on reading fluency.

A systematic review of reading interventions for secondary school students

“…With regards the other three studies reported in Table 2 ( Cantrell et al, 2010;Vaughn et al, 2011;Vaughn et al, 2013) it is noteworthy that all produced similar (low) effect sizes on reading comprehension outcomes. The intervention reported by Cantrell et al was intensive and delivered for 50 -60 minutes per day over the course of a year.…”

“…The remaining two studies by Vaughn et al (2011) and Vaughn et al (2013) were broadly equivalent in terms of the intensity of the interventions delivered. Both studies demonstrated gains on reading comprehension using a standardised measure.…”

“…Both studies demonstrated gains on reading comprehension using a standardised measure. Acknowledging that the effect sizes were small, Vaughn et al (2011), suggested that we need to question whether multi-component-based approaches are the most beneficial, and instead consider the impact of specific training focussed on vocabulary-building and/or background knowledge. This is a dilemma for those designing intervention approaches intended for use with a heterogeneous sample of students who are struggling with reading.…”

Using Collaborative Strategic Reading with Refugee English Language Learners in an Academic Bridging Program

“…Later on, the students adopt expert roles on each of the strategies and work in small groups to comprehend a given text. Studies on CSR that included language-minority learners have demonstrated performance improvements on standardized reading exams (Boardman, Klingner, Buckley, Annamma, & Lasser, 2015;Klingner, Vaughn, Arguelles, Hughes, & Ahwee Leftwich, 2004;Klingner, Vaughn, & Schumm, 1998;Vaughn et al, 2011). As well, research on CSR outside of the language arts classroom showed promise: not only does consistent integration of CSR into science and social studies classes lead to improved reading comprehension as measured by a standardized reading test (the widely used Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test), but teachers in these content classes also provided students with substantially more reading activities (compared with traditional social and science classes) along with increased attention "to the quality of student work and providing feedback to students when using CSR" (Boardman et al, 2015(Boardman et al, , p. 1278.…”

Reading Specialists’ Perceptions and Pedagogical Practices towards Struggling Readers

“…Struggling readers also need instruction in thinking/comprehension strategies (Vaughn, Klinger, Swanson, Boardman, Roberts, Mohammed, & Stillman-Spisak, 2011). The comprehension strategies associated with improved results in reading achievement include: using strategies to figure out the meaning of unknown words; activating prior knowledge; self-monitoring comprehension during reading; creating graphic organizers to structure notes on texts; questioning what is being read; understanding narrative and expository text structures; and using cooperative learning to increase engagement (NICHD, 2000;Tovani, 2000).…”