Palumbo, A., & Loiacono, V. (2009). Understanding the Causes of Intermediate and Middle School Comprehension Problems. International Journal of Special Education, 24(1), 75-81. Retrieved from ERIC database.
This article examined the issue of reading comprehension with intermediate and middle school students, and in both general and special education. The authors begin by citing some rather startling statistics: from 1992 to 2005, only 30% of fourth-grade students read at or above proficient level, while around 36% were reading below the basic level (75). Additionally, a 2002 Carnegie report found that almost half of all 17-year olds read at or below ninth-grade reading level (75). The authors identify many factors that affect student reading comprehension, including vocabulary knowledge, decoding ability (e.g., using contextual “clues”), and knowledge of the subject. The authors contend that problems with reading comprehension become especially pointed after the fourth grade, when curriculum involves material related to specific subject matter (social studies, math, science, etc.). They argue that reading comprehension problems are exacerbated by a lack of subject-specific reading material in the intermediate curriculum, which carries over into middle school and beyond. Moreover, students with learning disabilities, which often take the form of reading problems, are impacted more so than other children. As they struggle to develop proficiency with basic narrative and informational texts, they also fall behind and wrestle with subject-specific reading because they have not worked enough with subject-matter vocabulary and concepts. In short, the authors claim, deficiency in subject matter knowledge translates into poorer comprehension. As a solution, the authors advocate for a program called Instructional Cloze, which is available as a free Internet download or as in software version. They write, “Instructional Cloze…can engage students in subject matter knowledge, help with word recognition problems, teach subject vocabulary, and improve reading skills” (77). It allows a teacher to design exercises based on reading material, with students filling in blanks where words have been deleted. Cloze exercises also include a “word bank” that the teacher can create for students to use, and which the teacher can go over to check for understanding of content before they attempt the exercise. The idea is to have students practice both literacy skills and subject learning at the same time. Here’s a sample passage from the article (78):
After the Battle
While the article felt sort of like a plug for a product, the authors’ advocacy for connecting literacy learning with subject matter learning made sense to me. Once students start studying specific subject areas, they are encountering terms and concepts that are foreign to them; even with proficient readers, there is much new learning to be done simply because each discipline is rich with its own vocabulary, meanings and ways of thinking. Technology like Cloze seeks to address this problem. I think I will look into it to see what it is like; if anything, Cloze worksheets seem like an easy way to make review worksheets for lower-level recall and comprehension knowledge. For students with learning disabilities, having to learn and master subject-specific knowledge must make their reading difficulties all the more frustrating. At my middle school practicum, I observed a class that contained a rather high number of IEP students, most of whom faced challenges with reading proficiently. Similarly, a friend of mine grew up with a condition called sensory integration disorder, which was a major challenge in his early schooling. Overall, this article reminded me of how important it is for a teacher to empathize with students and work actively to address their individual needs. Moreover, technology can function as a tool that can aid struggling students when other methods do not work.
No comments:
Post a Comment