Unlocking Understanding: Comprehension Monitoring Strategies for 12-13-Year-Olds
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| Title: | Unlocking Understanding: Comprehension Monitoring Strategies for 12-13-Year-Olds |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Jennifer Trevis Kidd |
| Source: | Online Submission. 2025Ed.D. Applied Improvement Project, Capella University. |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 253 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education Grade 7 Junior High Schools Middle Schools Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Reading Instruction, Grade 7, Reading Comprehension, Reader Text Relationship, Reading Motivation, Time Factors (Learning), Time Management, Hispanic American Students, Teacher Attitudes, Learner Engagement, Silent Reading, Program Implementation, Measures (Individuals), Faculty Development, Reading Strategies, Educational Strategies, Program Effectiveness, Program Evaluation |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Motivation to Read Profile |
| Abstract: | The present study investigated the effect of providing one hour of professional learning and resources to three reading teachers in monitoring for comprehension instruction to improve seventh-grade reading proficiency scores. The intervention addressed the problem of teachers not receiving coaching or feedback to assist students who had not mastered reading comprehension skills. Three major causes of the problem were students' inability to engage with the text, a lack of reading motivation, and insufficient time for reading. Reading support teachers from two school sites volunteered to participate in professional learning and implement monitoring for comprehension strategies, silent independent reading time, and student-teacher conferencing over a four-week period. These sites are Title 1-funded schools located near the Mexican border. Minority enrollment for these schools exceeds the state average, with the majority being Hispanic. Several questions guided this research. For example, how do teachers feel about implementing this type of instructional strategy, and how will they describe the changes they observe in students' use of reading strategies and comprehension levels? How will teachers describe students' reactions to and engagement in silent independent reading, such as allowing students to choose their own reading materials? In what ways are teachers implementing monitoring for comprehension strategy instruction and the provided resources? In what ways do teachers see students connecting what they read to themselves, the world, and other texts/media? The applied researcher's implementation journal and participant interviews served as sources of qualitative data and were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings showed that teachers were better equipped and prepared to assist apprehensive readers who were not engaging with the text, lacked reading motivation, and lacked time for reading. Providing teachers with meaningful professional learning in the research-based literacy strategy of monitoring for comprehension improved teacher confidence and effectively addressed three root causes of low comprehension rates. It is recommended that strategy-based instruction, including monitoring for comprehension, silent independent reading of self-selected reading material, and student-teacher conferencing, be implemented in reading classes schoolwide. These changes could sustain the project's gains and serve as a model for other schools and courses. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED680883 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The present study investigated the effect of providing one hour of professional learning and resources to three reading teachers in monitoring for comprehension instruction to improve seventh-grade reading proficiency scores. The intervention addressed the problem of teachers not receiving coaching or feedback to assist students who had not mastered reading comprehension skills. Three major causes of the problem were students' inability to engage with the text, a lack of reading motivation, and insufficient time for reading. Reading support teachers from two school sites volunteered to participate in professional learning and implement monitoring for comprehension strategies, silent independent reading time, and student-teacher conferencing over a four-week period. These sites are Title 1-funded schools located near the Mexican border. Minority enrollment for these schools exceeds the state average, with the majority being Hispanic. Several questions guided this research. For example, how do teachers feel about implementing this type of instructional strategy, and how will they describe the changes they observe in students' use of reading strategies and comprehension levels? How will teachers describe students' reactions to and engagement in silent independent reading, such as allowing students to choose their own reading materials? In what ways are teachers implementing monitoring for comprehension strategy instruction and the provided resources? In what ways do teachers see students connecting what they read to themselves, the world, and other texts/media? The applied researcher's implementation journal and participant interviews served as sources of qualitative data and were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings showed that teachers were better equipped and prepared to assist apprehensive readers who were not engaging with the text, lacked reading motivation, and lacked time for reading. Providing teachers with meaningful professional learning in the research-based literacy strategy of monitoring for comprehension improved teacher confidence and effectively addressed three root causes of low comprehension rates. It is recommended that strategy-based instruction, including monitoring for comprehension, silent independent reading of self-selected reading material, and student-teacher conferencing, be implemented in reading classes schoolwide. These changes could sustain the project's gains and serve as a model for other schools and courses. |
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