I. Compelling Question How can I creatively and effectively use explicit strategy instruction and technology based interventions to grow and motivate readers who struggle? II. Rational In 2009, researchers found a lack of documentation of comprehension instruction, especially in the primary grades, which contributed to a student population of 69% of fourth graders that read below the National Assessment of Educational Progress proficient reading level (Pilonieta and Medina, 2009). The focus of reading instruction needs to change in order for students to be successful in the twenty-first century, because although every student may know how to read, many students never learn good reading skills. The purpose of this project is to evaluate the effects of specific, overt instruction in questioning, clarifying, predicting, and summarizing of student reading comprehension in a regular classroom setting. Over a four month period reciprocal teaching of metacognitive strategies of questioning, clarifying, predicting, and summarizing were used to teach procedural, conditional and declarative knowledge of reading comprehension strategies.
Why reciprocal teaching
Research suggests when a teacher actively uses reciprocal teaching:
reading levels increase one to two grade levels in three to six months
in 15 days students are more confident,
low-performing students do well with reciprocal teaching,
struggling readers grow 1-2 years in 3-6 months
in 16 studies reciprocal teaching proved consistent and effective
III. Findings Between phase comparisons show significant improvements in reading comprehension based on qualitative and quantitative data. Within the two month study, there were observed gains in reading comprehension and metacognitive thinking based on assessment probes and progress monitoring. The preliminary findings indicate that reciprocal teaching increased students’ awareness and use of metacognitive strategies which had a positive effect on student reading comprehension.
“The learner of the 21st century : read to identify questions, read to locate information, read to evaluate critically usefulness of information, read to synthesize information, read to communicate.” Don Leu and Julie Coiro