This study investigated the effect of extended-time limits in terms of performance levels and score comparability for reading comprehension scores on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS). The first part of the study compared the average reading comprehension scores on the ITBS of 61 sixth-graders with learning disabilities and 397 non learning…

This study investigated the need to include explicit attributional retraining in a program designed to teach self-regulation reading comprehension strategies to 60 Spanish children (grades 5-6) with learning disabilities. Regardless of attributional retraining, children improved on measures of cognitive strategies, but their gains were very low on…

This article discusses interactive information book read-aloud, an instructional approach that supports both non-readers and non-fluent readers prior to the introduction of instruction in cognitive and comprehension strategies. Key components of the approach are presented, including interaction, information books, teacher awareness of text…

Among 68 rural learning-disabled students in grades 5-7 having moderate decoding fluency and high decoding accuracy, a paraphrasing cognitive strategy increased reading comprehension of main ideas more effectively than repeated readings or control training. Paraphrasing plus repeated readings was no more effective than paraphrasing alone. Contains…

Compared to 92 low-achieving and high-achieving students, 46 intermediate grade learning-disabled students wrote compositions, wrote summaries, and produced comprehension recalls that were less organized and contained fewer ideas. Interviews indicated that learning-disabled students possessed less knowledge about processes related to…

Discusses the use of mapping to help learning disabled students unlock the historical narrative in their history textbooks. Presents one way to map the narrative structure or grammar of a history text, including suggestions on how to effectively model and motivate students. (GEA)

This study reviews research indicating that specific instruction in reading comprehension strategies is effective in improving comprehension for students, including those with learning disabilities. The reading strategies of highly competent readers are identified, and effective application of transactional strategies instruction with weak…

This article describes the Reading Strategies Program, which teaches decoding skills to primary-level students with learning disabilities with a methodology intended to teach children to apply the skills to literature. Cognitive strategies also are used to apply comprehension skills to the material and to write about the material read. (JDD)

This evaluation study (with 45 middle school students with learning disabilities) found that students trained in summarization procedures performed significantly higher on all dependent measures of reading comprehension than those receiving traditional instruction. Also, on some measures, students also trained in self-monitoring outperformed those…

Examines differences in language ability between normally achieving students and learning-disabled students with reading comprehension problems. Poor comprehending students differed from normal achievers for all language measures and in the manner that reader- and text-related variables predicted comprehension. Results supported the positive role…

Fifth- and sixth-grade students without disabilities and with mild learning disabilities and seventh- and eighth-grade students with more severe disabilities participated in an instructional program about the concept of themes in stories. The program improved comprehension of theme and identification of a specific theme that had been used in…

This article addresses the planning of metacognitive instruction in reading, including such elements of metacognitive theory as metacognitive knowledge, self-regulation, comprehension monitoring, and regulation. Metacognitive goals for instruction, selected research in improving reading comprehension, and specific instructional implications for…

Investigates the effectiveness of a computer program that pronounces words for Scandinavian students with word decoding problems. Finds that second-grade children did not perform better on a reading comprehension test when using computer-aided reading and that older students benefited more than younger students. Discusses reasons for letting the…

This study compared using explicit rule-based instruction and a basal-reader activity-based approach for teaching 40 fourth-grade students with learning disabilities to determine character motive in three types of narrative texts. Rule-based instruction was superior to the activity-based approach when teaching character motives irrespective of…

This study examined the effectiveness of two approaches to enhancing the reading comprehension of learning disabled students in the social studies content area. An approach using the graphic organizer in the form of visual displays was compared to the traditional method in which students were presented content through lecture, text, and linear…