Automatically Predict Question Difficulty for Reading Comprehension Exercises

Purpose Vocabulary intervention can improve comprehension of texts containing taught words, but it is unclear if all middle school readers get this benefit. This study tests 2 hypotheses about variables that predict response to vocabulary treatment on text comprehension: gains in vocabulary knowledge due to treatment and pretreatment reading comprehension scores. Method Students in Grade 6 ( N = 23) completed a 5-session intervention based on robust vocabulary instruction (RVI). Knowledge of the semantics of taught words was measured pre- and posttreatment. Participants then read 2 matched texts, 1 containing taught words (treated) and 1 not (untreated). Treated texts and taught word lists were counterbalanced across participants. The difference between text comprehension scores in treated and untreated conditions was taken as a measure of the effect of RVI on text comprehension. Results RVI resulted in significant gains in knowledge of taught words ( d RM = 2.26) and text comprehension ( d RM = 0.31). The extent of gains in vocabulary knowledge after vocabulary treatment did not predict the effect of RVI on comprehension of texts. However, untreated reading comprehension scores moderated the effect of the vocabulary treatment on text comprehension: Lower reading comprehension was associated with greater gains in text comprehension. Readers with comprehension scores below the mean experienced large gains in comprehension, but those with average/above average reading comprehension scores did not. Conclusion Vocabulary instruction had a larger effect on text comprehension for readers in Grade 6 who had lower untreated reading comprehension scores. In contrast, the amount that children learned about taught vocabulary did not predict the effect of vocabulary instruction on text comprehension. This has implications for the identification of 6th-grade students who would benefit from classroom instruction or clinical intervention targeting vocabulary knowledge.

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Text Comprehension: Graphic Organizers to the Rescue

Perspectives on School-Based Issues ◽

10.1044/sbi10.3.82 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 82-89

Author(s):

Janet L. Proly ◽

Jessica Rivers ◽

Jamie Schwartz

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Text Comprehension ◽

Graphic Organizers ◽

Expository Text ◽

Supporting Evidence

Abstract Graphic organizers are a research based strategy used for facilitating the reading comprehension of expository text. This strategy will be defined and the evolution and supporting evidence for the use of graphic organizers will be discussed. Various types of graphic organizers and resources for SLPs and other educators will also be discussed.

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The Relation Between Teachers' Diagnostic Sensitivity, their Instructional Activities, and their Students' Achievement Gains in Reading*

Zeitschrift für Pädagogische Psychologie ◽

10.1024/1010-0652/a000112 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 27 (4) ◽

pp. 283-293 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Lars Behrmann ◽

Elmar Souvignier

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Classroom Management ◽

Reading Program ◽

Multilevel Analyses ◽

Moderating Effects ◽

Management Skills ◽

Judgment Accuracy ◽

Achievement Gains ◽

Instructional Activities ◽

Main Effects

Single studies suggest that the effectiveness of certain instructional activities depends on teachers' judgment accuracy. However, sufficient empirical data is still lacking. In this longitudinal study (N = 75 teachers and 1,865 students), we assessed if the effectiveness of teacher feedback was moderated by judgment accuracy in a standardized reading program. For the purpose of a discriminant validation, moderating effects of teachers' judgment accuracy on their classroom management skills were examined. As expected, multilevel analyses revealed larger reading comprehension gains when teachers provided students with a high number of feedbacks and simultaneously demonstrated high judgment accuracy. Neither interactions nor main effects were found for classroom management skills on reading comprehension. Moreover, no significant interactions with judgment accuracy but main effects were found for both feedback and classroom management skills concerning reading strategy knowledge gains. The implications of the results are discussed.

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