Metacognitive Instruction on Asking Questions to Improve Reading Comprehension

Background: This study analyzes the use of a text-related question strategy aimed at improving the reading comprehension and reading awareness abilities of a metacognitively trained group of students with reading comprehension difficulties. In an initial Grade 3 primary school students' assessment in the same classroom, some students were incidentally found to have more difficulties with reading comprehension than other typical peers. All of the students had been classmates since the beginning of primary school. The educational center decided to support those students (N=8) with a metacognitive reading intervention while the other students continued with the usual teaching methods. The total number of students in the classroom was 30.

Methods: The training program consisted of learning the questions-about-the-text strategy by means of the Planning Facilitation method. The measuring instruments used were reading comprehension evaluation scale (ACL for its acronym in Spanish) for reading comprehension and Reading Awareness Scale (ESCOLA for its acronym in Spanish) for reading awareness. A pre-test, post-test and follow-up approach was used for carrying out the study.

Results: After the program’s application, the intervention group improved the comprehension and awareness abilities and became equal to their classmates or comparison group.

Conclusions: The Planning Facilitation fosters this improvement by promoting discussion between classmates and ensuring a reflective verbalization on questions about a text.

Keywords: Reading comprehension; reading awareness; cognitive processes; metacognitive instruction; planning facilitation

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