Differential effects of oral reading to improve comprehension with severe learning disabled and educable mentally handicapped students
Chang, S.Q.; Williams, R.L.; McLaughlin, T.F.
Adolescence 18(71): 619-626
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-8449 PMID: 6650272 Document Number: 214071
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of oral reading as a teaching technique for improving reading comprehension of 11 Educable Mentally Handicapped or Severe Learning Disabled adolescents. Students were tested on their ability to answer comprehension questions from a short factual article. Comprehension improved following the oral reading for students with a reading grade equivalent of less than 5.5 (measured from the Wide Range Achievement Test) but not for those students having a grade equivalent of greater than 5.5. This association was statistically significant (p = less than .01). Oral reading appeared to improve comprehension among the poorer readers but not for readers with moderately high ability.