Theses and Dissertations
Date of Award
2019
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (EdD)
Department
Abraham S. Fischler College of Education
Advisor
Barbara Christina
Committee Member
Aarika Camp
Keywords
background knowledge, comprehension, metacognition, reading, reciprocal teaching
Abstract
The purpose of the qualitative study was to determine if and how the strategy instruction model Reciprocal Teaching helped low-level readers comprehend what they read. The study also was conducted to measure if and how the Reciprocal Teaching strategies motivated the participants to read and if and how they used the strategies after their exposure to them. Lastly, the study measured the instructional strategies that were currently being used to help third-grade participants. The subjects involved in this study were 10 third-grade students who displayed a need for comprehension development. The sample size was determined by the reading benchmark test that takes place in the beginning of the year.
All participants were taught the four strategies of Reciprocal Teaching (Predicting, Questioning, Clarifying, and Summarizing) by a reading specialist. The reading specialist explicitly taught the participants the Reciprocal Teaching strategies by modeling the strategies and utilizing think alouds. After modeling, the participants worked together as a group to practice using the strategies. The researcher observed and served as a facilitator with the reading specialist.
During and after the study, the researcher observed how the participants used the strategies and their reading behaviors as they relate to comprehension development. Observation forms, interviews, and surveys were utilized as a means to track the progress and development of comprehension with the participants. During the study, the researcher was able to use that which was observed by the participant to make theoretical connections to reading literature. The findings were described and discussed in terms of how Reciprocal Teaching can be used by teachers to help develop comprehension as well as motivate readers to read and become lifelong learners. Finally, the researcher used the findings to explore and determine future research and recommendations that can possibly take place to further research and findings on the topic of Reciprocal Teaching and how it can be used to foster comprehension.
NSUWorks Citation
Kamaria Dalila McNair. 2019. Implementing a Research-Based Reading Intervention Focused Upon Increasing Reading Comprehension Amongst Third-Grade Students. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. (278)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_etd/278.