Evaluating Alternative Instructional Strategies to Improve Sixth Graders\u27 Reading Comprehension.

Although little empirical evidence supporting various instructional strategies for teaching reading comprehension exists, many educators utilize particular strategies assuming their effectiveness. Because difficulties with comprehension are intensified as students reach the intermediate grades, it is necessary that middle school educators instruct using strategies empirically supported through research. This mixed-method study examined the effectiveness of the Directed Reading-Thinking Activity (Stauffer, 1969), the PreP technique (Langer, 1981), and graphic organizers (Barron, 1969), three popular strategies among middle school teachers. Six teachers participated in the two-group design, pretest/posttest study; over a seven-week period, three of the teachers instructed their sixth-grade students using lessons constructed with the strategies (n = 103). Results indicate a significant difference (p \u3c .05) between the groups according to an informal procedure; a formal test indicated no significant difference between the groups. Qualitative observational data in the form of fieldnotes and interview data indicate motivational differences between the groups and suggest areas for revision and extension of the lessons