Abstract
This study integrated technology tools into a reading comprehension intervention that used explicit instruction to teach strategies (i.e., asking questions, making connections, and coding the text to monitor for meaning) to mixed-ability small groups, which included four English Learners with learning disabilities in a fourth-grade general education classroom. We used a multiple baseline design across participants to evaluate the effects of instruction on strategy application as measured through comprehension rubrics (Keene, 2006) and on comprehension-question answering as measured through researcher-developed literal and inferential comprehension questions. Results showed that participants applied comprehension strategies and improved their percentage accuracy with answering comprehension questions after being introduced to explicit strategy instruction, a mnemonic to facilitate strategy application, web-based tools, and peer collaboration to co-construct meaning from text. Participants perceived the instructional technology tools (i.e., mind-mapping applications, web-linked text, weblogs, and an interactive whiteboard recording application) and reading comprehension strategy instruction as helpful. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Topics
Research
Research
English Learners with Special Needs
English Learners
English Learners
Case Studies