Date Approved

Winter 1999

Graduate Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Education (M.Ed.)

Degree Program

College of Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of reading comprehension scores in a second-grade classroom where reading instruction was provided using the traditional Directed Reading Approach (DRA), to the reading comprehension scores in a second-grade classroom where reading instruction was provided using the Directed Reading Thinking Activity approach.

Much of the reading instruction being provided in elementary schools across the country is textbook-centered. Teachers typically use the textbook questions suggested in the teacher’s edition of the book to check for students’ understanding of the text. Rarely, however, are students actually being instructed in the strategies and skills necessary to comprehend what they have read.

Since reading text with comprehension is the main goal of reading instruction, teachers must instruct students in how to build comprehension through the direct instruction of comprehension strategies. Research has shown that effective reading comprehension instruction involves both the teachers and the students in an active, on-going pursuit of meaning construction. Unfortunately, traditional, text-centered classrooms do not provide direct instruction in the very skills and strategies necessary for students to leam how to comprehend text. Reading experts agree that a systematic and research-based instructional approach that directly and explicitly teaches students the skills/strategies necessary to comprehend text is necessary if students are to comprehend what they read. The DRTA strategy is one such approach, built around the core components of direct, explicit reading comprehension instruction.

Comments

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