The Effects of Thinking Aloud on the Comprehension and Monitoring of Sixth Graders
This dissertation consisted of two studies intended to (a) describe the monitoring behavior of readers with poor comprehension, and (b) determine whether an intervention featuring thinking aloud would positively impact their monitoring, strategy use, and comprehension. In Study 1, 116 sixth graders completed researcher-developed measures of comprehension and monitoring, and a self-report inventory of frequency of strategy use. Results indicated a significant correlation between error detection, used as a measure of monitoring behavior, and reading comprehension scores. Self-reports of strategy use were not correlated with any other measures. In Study 2, 63 sixth graders participated in one of three groups: control, question-response (QR), or thinking aloud (TA). They completed 15 lessons during which students in the experimental conditions read science passages with embedded errors intended to trigger monitoring and strategy use. Instructors used participant verbalizations to focus instruction on areas of concern using contingent support. Pre- and post-test measures included the Gates-MacGinitie, and all Study 1 measures. Whereas quantitative results indicated that the QR intervention had more positive impact on reading comprehension, thinking aloud did allow instructors to observe the existing strategy use and background knowledge of participants. Sixth graders failed to notice their comprehension breakdowns, a step that must precede repair activities. Thinking aloud instruction did allow an opportunity for instructors to promote monitoring; however, its impact did not transfer to post-test measures.
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign