Using self-monitoring strategy instruction to improve reading comprehension in high school students with learning disabilities

The purpose of this study is to examine and expand current research on the effects of teaching self-monitoring strategies for high school students with specific learning disabilities in order to improve comprehension within a variety of texts. The study was a group design consisting of two groups of high school students with five students in each group. The students ranged in ages from 17.4-19.1 years of age. All students were identified as having a significant reading disability. The dependent variable for this study was immediate recall of comprehension questions from a given passage. Students were given fictional, informational, and everyday text to read then were asked to complete 10 comprehension questions based on the reading. The independent variables were before, during, and after reading strategies, self-monitoring worksheets, and reading material. The mean scores showed an improvement in correct reading comprehension questions from the baseline to the post-assessment. The results suggest implementing instruction in specific reading strategies for older high school students with identified reading disabilities has a positive effect on comprehension