Unfolding Effort in Read-Aloud Contexts: Timing Analysis Across Thinking Aloud and Non-Verbalized Reading

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Saturday 1:45 pm
  In Poster Session: Learning in Context: Cognitive, Motivational, and Technological Pathways Across Diverse Educational Landscapes

Abstract

This exploratory study examines how time and effort are allocated during a narrative across think-aloud and non-think-aloud conditions. Sentence-level response times from 19 college students were analyzed using principal components analysis to identify shifts in cognitive effort. In the non-think-aloud condition, readers with higher fluency scores demonstrated slower timing at inference points, suggesting strategic effort. In the think-aloud condition, readers with mid-range scores demonstrated variable pacing, possibly reflecting different self-regulatory approaches or greater cognitive demand. These findings suggest the utility of timing data during narrative contexts, though further analysis of verbal responses is needed to clarify strategy use. This work lays a foundation for future research with adults in literacy programs and for process-sensitive approaches to assessment.

Authors

• Gal Kaldes, Georgia State University

• Elizabeth Tighe, Georgia State University

• Joseph Magliano, Georgia State University