An investigation of questioning and comprehension skills as they pertain to the teaching of corrective reading

Vey, Lloyd R. (1987) An investigation of questioning and comprehension skills as they pertain to the teaching of corrective reading. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The primary focus of this study is on the student with reading comprehension difficulties and the classroom teacher whose responsibility it is to help that student "read to learn". While special reading teachers could provide valuable supplementary reading instruction, they are no substitute for competent classroom teachers whose sensitivity to the total reading effort across the curriculum has been reinforced by a working knowledge of corrective reading procedures. The advantage lies in the unlimited opportunity which the classroom teacher has to observe day-by-day learning, spot incipient problems, administer the proverbial ounce of prevention, or distribute the needed pound of cure with regularity and consistency. -- The concept of "reading to learn" is a fundamental component of the reading development process but is contingent upon the acquisition of basic reading comprehension skills. This writer suggests it may well be that the inherent comprehension difficulties of many disabled readers are caused not by the gradual increase in the degree of difficulty of comprehension materials as they progress beyond the elementary grades, but instead are caused in part by a difference in the kind of comprehension required by content area materials. This understanding sets the perspective for the teaching of reading comprehension in the content areas. A corrective reading program which utilizes appropriate questioning strategies and techniques can assist students in "learning to read" proficiently, and hence ensures that their "reading to learn" endeavours will meet with greater success. To teach well, educators must teach the learner how to do what is required of him and do so in such a way that he develops an understanding of the processes involved. -- The application of the various aspects discussed in this paper will be contingent upon the learner and the specific learning situation. The corrective reading program described in this thesis, with accompanying techniques and strategies for implementation, is viewed as a framework whereby students may become proficient readers and, ultimately, independent learners. That there will continue to be students who have problems in reading comprehension seems inevitable, so long as multiple differences in students continue to exist. However, developing the abilities of the classroom teacher in corrective reading procedures could become a major force in reducing the quantity and scope of the disabled reader problem in our educational system.

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