Reading Comprehension and the Use of Text Structure Across the Adult Life Span

The interplay of reader goals, working memory, and text structure during reading

“…The chronological texts listed a sequence of events in chronological order; however, no causal markers linked the events (a listing of the events that led to the civil war, nuclear power, the personal computer, and racial integration in schools). This is consistent with Meyer, Young, and Bartlett’s (1989) sequence texts. The average grade level was 13.0, and the average word count was 207.8.…”

“…Previous work also suggests that teaching students to modify their reading behaviors as a function of text structure can improve their comprehension (Meyer, Brandt, & Bluth, 1980; Meyer & Poon, 2001; Meyer, Young, & Bartlett, 1989). Because environments oriented towards study are linked to utilizing strategies that improve comprehension, we hypothesized that adaptations of processing based on text structure would be most likely to occur when reading for study (as opposed to reading to be entertained).…”

Determinants of literacy proficiency: a lifelong-lifewide learning perspective

“…This corroborates some of the research on reading comprehension and aging (Meyer, Young, & Bartlett, 1993). There may be a cohort effect, since higher proportions of younger populations have received extended formal schooling compared to older populations.…”

Logical Inference Skills in Adult Reading Comprehension: Effects of Age and Formal Education

“…Many studies (see Meyer &Rice, 1983, andMeyer, Young, &Bartlett, 1993 for reviews) found no age declines among adults of high verbal ability but significant age declines among adults of average verbal ability. No independent measure of verbal ability was available for the present sample, so it is not known precisely how education level affected performance for these individuals.…”