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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.Statement of the Problem

2.Review of Related Literature

3.Statement of Hypothesis

4.Sources

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

During my time as a reading and grammar tutor, I have

come to notice a disparity between students’ grasp of

phonics skills and reading comprehension levels. Students

who regularly display a positive grasp of phonics skills are

not always able to comprehend and explain what they have

just read. Based on these observations I am interested in

investigating techniques which purport to increase student

comprehension levels.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Positive gains in reading comprehension:• Oral reading techniques (Hinchley & Levy, 1988)

• Make predictions when reading, generate questions about the text, summarize what was read (Lysynchuk, Pressley, & Vye, 1990)

• Emphasizing higher-order thinking (Taylor, Pearson, Peterson, & Rodriguez, 2003)

• Cooperative learning (Uttero, 1988)

• Exposure to reading strategies before being presented with instruction [5th graders] (Van Keer & Verhaeghe, 2005)

LITERATURE REVIEW (CONT.)

Negative gains in reading comprehension:• Enriched reading experiences by exposing students to books in their areas of

interest, daily supported independent reading of challenging self‐selected books using differentiated reading instruction, and interest‐based choice opportunities in reading (Reis, McCoach, Coyne, Schreiber, Eckert, & Gubbins, 2007)

• Exposure to reading strategies before being presented with instruction [2nd graders] (Van Keer & Verhaeghe, 2005)

STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESIS

Exposure to vocabulary as a pre-reading strategy will increase reading comprehension among 5th graders at PS x.

REFERENCE LIST

Amendum, S.J., Vernon-Feagans, L., & Ginsberg, M.C. (September 2011). The effectiveness of a technologically facilitated classroom-based early reading intervention. The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 112, (1), 107-131.

August, D., Francis, D.J., Hsu, H.A., & Snow, C.E. (November 2006). Assessing reading comprehension in bilinguals. The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 107, (2), 221-238.

Elish-Piper, L., & L’Allier, S.K. (September 2011). Examining the relationship between literacy coaching and student reading gains in grades K–3. The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 112, (1), 83-106.

Gersten, R., Fuchs, L.S., Williams, J.P. & Baker, S. (Summer 2001). Teaching reading comprehension strategies to students with learning disabilities: a review of research. Review of Educational Research, Vol. 71, (2), 279-320.

REFERENCE LIST (CONT.)

Hinchley, J., & Levy, B.A. (1988). Developmental and individual differences in reading comprehension. Cognition and Instruction, Vol. 5, (1), 3-47.

Lysynchuk, L.M., Pressley, M., & Vye, N.J. (May 1990). Reciprocal teaching improves standardized reading-comprehension performance in poor comprehenders. The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 90, (5), 469-484.

Reis, S.M., McCoach, D.B., Coyne, M., Schreiber, F.J., Eckert, R.D., & Gubbins, E.J. (September 2007). Using planned enrichment strategies with direct instruction to improve reading fluency, comprehension, and attitude toward reading: an evidence‐based study. The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 108, (1), 3-23.

REFERENCE LIST (CONT.)

Taylor, B.M., Pearson, P.D., Peterson, D.S., & Rodriguez, M.C. (September 2003). Reading growth in high-poverty classrooms: the influence of teacher practices that encourage cognitive engagement in literacy learning. The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 104, (1), 3-28.

Uttero, D.A. (January 1988). Activating comprehension through cooperative learning. The Reading Teacher, Vol. 41, (4), 390-395.

Van Keer, H., & Verhaeghe, J.P. (Summer 2005). Effects of explicit reading strategies instruction and peer tutoring on second and fifth graders' reading comprehension and self-efficacy perceptions. The Journal of Experimental Education, Vol. 73, (4), 291-329.