The effect of analogy instruction on first graders\u27 analogical reasoning and reading comprehension

This research examined the impact of analogy instruction on first grade students\u27 analogical reasoning and reading comprehension. The purpose of the study was two fold. First, growth in analogical reasoning ability among first graders over the course of one academic year was examined. Second, the study examined the relationship between instruction in analogical reasoning and its impact on reading comprehension. This was a quasi-experimental study utilizing both correlational and comparative statistics. Correlation and simple tests of significant difference were used to determine the extent and direction of the relationship between the experimental and control groups\u27 performances on reading achievement and analogy assessments. Participants were approximately 200 first grade students from a large low to middle income suburban elementary school in Middle Tennessee. Five intact classes of first graders received analogical reasoning instruction. A control group of five intact classes of first graders was employed for purposes of comparison. Results revealed that the experimental group of first grade students receiving analogical instruction did not significantly outperform the control group of first grade students on the state\u27s standardized test in reading. However, there was an indication that, within the sample, the experimental group of students almost doubled the gains in their ability to solve analogies as measured over the year compared to the control group. A significant, positive correlation was obtained for both groups between performance on the Daily Analogies post-test and reading comprehension