Intensive Informative Reading Comprehension and Writing Instruction for Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Students With Disabilities

• In Event: Park Central Roundtable Session 12
  In Roundtable Session: Roundtable Session: Interventions in Special Education

Abstract

Quasi-experimental study was used to examine special education teacher implemented self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) instruction for informative reading comprehension and writing in middle school learning support classrooms. Performance of 40 students with disabilities (students decoding 6 months to 2 years below grade level) receiving intervention was compared to 20 students with disabilities (students decoding at current grade level to 6 months below grade level) receiving business-as-usual instruction in general education English. Students’ performance was evaluated using both standardized and researcher-developed measures. Findings, written retelling for example, indicated significant improvement and a reduced performance gap for students in treatment when compared with their peers. Results of interviews indicate that teachers and students felt the intervention improved reading comprehension and writing.

Authors

• Linda H. Mason, George Mason University

• Shuting Zheng