Improving Comprehension of Expository Text in Students With LD: A Research Synthesis
Journal of Learning Disabilities
Gajria, M., Jitendra, A. K., et al. (2007).
Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40(3), 210-225.
This systematic review investigates the effects of reading comprehension interventions on expository text comprehension in children and adolescents with learning disabilities.
Not stated
1978-July 2005
Controlled experimental or quasi-experimental group studies
29
Eleven of the 29 studies examined the use of instructional graphic devices to improve comprehension and retention of written materials for students with learning disabilities. Overall, the findings indicate strong support for the use of instructional devices to improve content area comprehension (mean ES = 1.06, SD = 0.63). Treatment effects for specific instructional devices were as follows:<ul> <li>graphic organizers, semantic/visual mapping or other visual representation of key text strategies (mean ES = 1.12, SD =.66),</li> <li>mnemonic illustration (mean ES = 1.19, SD .53), and</li> <li>multimedia-based instruction (ES = .21).</li></ul>
Ten of the 29 studies examined the use of a single cognitive strategy in isolation to improve reading comprehension for students with learning disabilities. Overall, the findings provided positive support for the use of cognitive instructional strategies to enhance comprehension of expository text (mean ES = 1.83, SD = 1.05). Treatment effects for specific cognitive strategies were as follows:<ul> <li>identifying the main idea in reading passages (mean ES = 2.56, SD = 1.09),</li> <li>text instruction training (mean ES = 2.33. SD .02),</li> <li>cognitive mapping (mean ES = .96, SD = .07), and</li> <li>questioning strategy (mean ES = .81, SD = .62).</li></ul><p>Eight studies also examined the use of multiple cognitive strategies for this population. Larger effect sizes (ES = 2.11, SD 1.74) were found for students that used combined cognitive instructional strategies compared to those that used a single cognitive strategy approach.</p>
