Classroom Practices Promoting Engagement and Achievement in Comprehension John T. Guthrie University of Maryland CORI©Copyright by John T. Guthrie. All

Classroom Practices Promoting Engagement and Achievement

in Comprehension

John T. Guthrie

University of Maryland

CORI©Copyright by John T. Guthrie. All rights reserved, May 1, 2004

Maps of Reading

• Phonology• Phonics• Vocabulary• Fluency • Comprehension

• Vocabulary• Fluency• Comprehension• Knowledge &

Experience• Self - determining

literacy(independence)


• Who believes engagement and motivation are integral to reading comprehension?

• Who believes engagement and motivation are integral to instruction for reading comprehension?

• Who believes teachers need guidance in supporting engagement and motivation for reading comprehension?

• Who believes we have a research base for instruction to support engagement and motivation in reading comprehension?

POLL


Points for Today1. Engagement has a shared meaning.2. Engagement and comprehension are

synergistic.3. Research base in comprehension is

incomplete.4. Classroom practices can promote (or

prevent) reading engagement.5. Experimental (and other) evidence verifies

classroom effects.6. Implications for research and teaching.


Engagement—What is it?Leslie Morrow—use of literature (reading

time), influenced by literature in instruction

Mike Pressley—focused, observable text interaction, influenced by outstanding teachers

Barbara Taylor & David Pearson—active reading, influenced by teacher’s challenging, high level questions


Engagement—What is it?Ellen Skinner—enthusiasm, participation,

influenced by perceived involvement, contingency

Phyllis Blumenfeld—strategic thinking,

influenced by conceptual goals in classroom

Isabel Beck—conceptual analysis of text

influenced by micro-analysis via questions


Engagement—What is it?Diane Schallert—writing-reading involvement,

influenced by depth and features of textMartin Nystrand—student discussion of text,

influenced by social scaffoldingDeborah Stipek—secondary students’ school

participation, commitment, motivation,influenced by classroom/school goal structure

Ivey, Gambrell, Oldfather, Worthy—interests portrayed for individuals


Engagement—What is it?

• Guthrie, Wigfield, students

• Joint functioning of:– motivation

– strategies

– knowledge

– social interaction,

During text interaction


Engagement Model of Reading Development

ComprehensionAchievement

Practices

Real-WorldInteraction

Learning andKnowledge Goals

Autonom

y

Support

Interesting

Text

Strategy

InstructionCollaborationSupport

RewardsAnd Praise

Eval

uatio

nTeacher

Involvement

Social

Interactio

ns Motivations

Conceptual

KnowledgeStra

tegy

Use


Points for Today

1. Engagement has a shared meaning.2. Engagement and achievement in

comprehension are synergistic.3. Research base in comprehension is


prevent) reading engagement.5. Experimental (and other) evidence

verifies classroom effects.6. Implications for research and teaching.


Engagement and Achievement• Does amount of engaged reading influence

achievement?

• Engaged= active book reading, personal purposes, beyond assignments, talking to family and friends, seeking books.

• Questionnaire in NAEP, related to:

• Achievement = NAEP grade 4, 1994

(Guthrie, Schafer, Huang, J. Ed. Res. 2001)


Construct from NAEP Questionnaire

How often:

• do you read for fun on your own time?

• does your teacher give you time to read books you have chosen yourself?

• does your teacher ask you to read silently?

• do you take books out of the school library or public library for your own enjoyment?





Conclusions

• Reading engagement is more highly associated with NAEP reading achievement than demographic variables that represent traditional barriers to achievement.

• Reading engagement is more highly associated with NAEP than 3 years of secondary education.


Comprehension and Amount of Reading

• NRP pronounced no benefit of amount of reading for comprehension because “no experimental studies”.

• But many scientific, multiple regression studies support relationship.

• Amount of reading (print exposure) predicts reading comprehension, statistically controlling for SES, prior achievement, vocabulary, word recognition.


Points for Today

1. Engagement has a shared meaning.2. Engagement and achievement in

comprehension are synergistic.3. Research base in comprehension is


prevent) reading engagement.5. Experimental (and other) evidence verifies



Knowledge Base in Reading Comprehension

Instruction

What is the most secure, firmly based knowledge we (you) have about reading

comprehension instruction?

What do we (you) know for sure?


Knowledge Base in Reading Comprehension

• What do we know, and how do we know it?

• NRP and

• RER Gersten et al., meta analysis


Reading Instruction Knowledge Base

How do we know: Type of Investigation

What do we know:

Instruction scope

Controlled

experimentation

Quasi experimentation/

Systematic observation

Case studies/

Qualitative

A. Low 4 3 3

B. Low/

Moderate2 3 2

C. Moderate

1 2 2

D. High 0 1 2*Number of studies: 4 – Very many; 3 – Many; 2 – Some; 1 - Few



1. Low – 1 strategy; 1 week; 1-6 ratio; recall

2. Low-moderate– 2-4 strategies; 3-5 weeks; 1-6 ratio; recall

3. Moderate—6-8 strategies; 12 weeks; 1-25 ratio; recall and transfer

4. High—6-8 strategies; 36 weeks; 1-25 ratio; comprehension, fluency, writing

Instructional Scope



Instruction scope

Controlled

experimentation

Quasi experimentation/

Systematic observation

Case studies/

Qualitative

A. Low 4 3 3

B. Low/

Moderate2 3 2

C. Moderate

1 * 2 * 2

D. High 0 1 2*Number of studies: 4 – Very many; 3 – Many; 2 – Some; 1 - Few

Type of Investigation


Beyond NRP• Management of strategy instruction over year;

(e.g., sequencing; explicitness)

• Content connections

• Engagement and motivation for reading

• Scaffolding for diversity in classroom

• Research in NRP and RER was designed to solve low scope intervention problem

• Not a field-based classroom instruction problem - Latter not solved


Methods Across Publications--- 1. Ethnography2. Case studies3. Verbal protocol analysis4. Systematic classroom observations5. Multiple linear regression6. Hierarchical linear modeling7. Structural equation modeling8. Analysis by synthesis9. Quasi experiments 10. True experiments


Continuum

• Inductive

• Field

• Qualitative

• External validity

• Grounded theory

• Deductive

• Laboratory

• Quantitative

• Internal validity

• Cause and effect

(1)Discovery…….. (10)Confirmation

Convergence is ConfirmingCORI©Copyright by John T. Guthrie. All rights reserved, May 1, 2004

Convergence is Confirming

• Public knowledge depends on grounding from discovery methods, and verification from confirmation methods.

• Validity relies on body of inquiry possessing external realism, and internal warrant.

• NICHD—March, 2004• J. Literacy Research, forthcoming, 2004








Classroom Practices

CORI Video

What are all the features and actions in this environment that support students’

reading engagement?


Engagement Practices in CORI

• Knowledge goals in a conceptual theme

• Real world interactions

• Choices and self direction

• Interesting texts

• Collaborating in literacy


Promoting Concept Knowledge Goals

• Teaching understanding through conceptual themes about enduring and important concepts vs. pursuing trivial, isolated facts.

• Promoting in-depth learning in an integrated framework.

• Helping students embrace challenge and risk-taking in reading to learn.


Interacting with the Real World

• It establishes a purpose for reading that is personally significant and meaningful.

• It piques students’ curiosities for reading and sense of wonder about their obesrvations.

• It fosters students’ creating of personal goals for reading and learning concepts via question asking.

Why is this important for student motivation?


Supporting Student Choice (Autonomy) in CORI

• Providing students with meaningful and academically significant choices

• Encouraging student ownership and control over their learning

• Promoting self-expression via communicating to others

• Encouraging unique approaches in learning concepts


Interesting Texts


Collaborating in CORI

What?• Nurturing a positive social structure in the

classroom• Helping students establish common goals and

sense of belonging in the classroom• Helping students develop long-term

collaborations via research projects• Helping students learn to collaborate on

complex tasks of reading, writing, and science learning



Literature on Engagement-supporting Practices in Reading

• Meta analysis• 22 studies; 131 effect sizes• 75% true experiments• Conservative computations

• Guthrie & Humenick (2004). P. McCardle & V. Chhabra (Eds). The Voice of Evidence in Reading Research, Brookes Publishing


0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

Effect Size

KN GL Choices Texts Collab.

Benefits of Motivational Classroom Practices for Students' Motivation


0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

1.6

Effect Size

KN GL Choice Texts Collab.

Benefits of Motivational Classroom Practices for Students’ Reading Comprehension and

Achievement


Scaffolding for Engagement

Engaged readers select:

1. Topics appropriate to knowledge goals

2. Tasks matched to accountabilities or task

3. Time for interacting with text/task

4. Strategies to comprehend or fix-up

5. Collaboration for learning

6. Related activity multi-media; hands-on

7. Self-expressions of knowledge or interpret


Scaffolding for Motivational Growth—Teacher-directed

Teacher selects:• Text (basal—octopus )

• Topic (octopus description)

• Task (answer 3 fact questions)

• Time (20 minutes)

• Strategy (read-answer; read-answer; read-answer)

• Social arrangement, (solo)

• Related activity (rare)

• Evaluation of readingCORI©Copyright by John T. Guthrie. All rights reserved, May 1, 2004

Scaffolding for Motivational Growth Self-selected Reading

Teacher selects• time, (20 minutes)• task (book talk maybe)• strategy (silent reading)• social arrangement

(solo)• related activity (none)• task evaluation (none)

Student selects:•text, (within fiction)•topic, (chapter book)


Scaffolding for Engagement Growth--#1

• Teacher selects:• topic (solar system)• task (explain one

planet aloud)• time (20 min.)

Student selects:• text, (which nonfiction

book)• strategy, (read; discuss;

write; question)• social arrangement,

(pair; trio) • task evaluation,

(draw&label; write paragraph)

• related activity (Hubble photos—online ; or not)


Scaffolding for Motivational Growth—Scaffold #2

Teacher selects:• text, (which nonfiction

book: solar system)• strategy, (read; discuss;

write)• social arrangement,

(pair)• task evaluation, (write

paragraph)• related activity (Hubble

photos—online)

Student selects:•topic, (which planet, meteor, dust, etc.)•time, (40 min. this task; then read novel)•task (learn facts; explain movements)


Scaffolding for Motivational Growth—Advantages

• Students learn multiple dimensions of self-directed, engaged reading.

• Students invest in mainstream curriculum.

• Students’ choices/investment increase meaningfulness, and personal value of reading.

• Students increase cognitive engagement in instructional activities.


Scaffolding for Motivational Growth—Problems

• Too high scaffold—Ss bored; detached

• Too low scaffold---Ss lost; disabled

• Timing scaffolds—too long; too brief

• Insufficient number of scaffolds in diverse classroom

• Inadequate adaptation of scaffold to Ss

• Failure to fade scaffolds for self-direction

• Challenges to research and innovation.CORI©Copyright by John T. Guthrie. All rights reserved, May 1, 2004







Ultimate Goal in CORI

Enable students to be

ENGAGED READERS wherein they are:• reading avidly• pursuing important concepts• socializing about their reading• using reading strategies


Research Method

Motivational Practices

Strategy Instruction


Text Interaction

Text Interaction

Text Interaction

CORI STRATEGY INSTRUCT.

TRAD. INSTRUCT.

Analysis by Synthesis: Hierarchical Instructional Design


Concept-Oriented Reading InstructionConcept-Oriented Reading Instruction

• Direct Strategy Instruction

• Activate, Question, Search, Summarize, Monitor, Organize, Write

• Via Explaining, Modeling, Guided practice

• Motivate with Inquiry context:

• Knowledge goals

• Hands-on science

• Realistic choices

• Interesting texts

• Collaboration


Prerequisite for Strategy Instruction

• FLUENCY on the text for strategy instruction

• Generalized fluency not required

• Read and reread for expressiveness; make it interesting, fascinating

• Then, question, summary, graphic organizer


Does CORI Work?

• 4 Experiments

• Year long CORI

• Grades 3 + 5

• 3 Schools; 12 teachers

• Multicultural, Chapter I schools

CORI vs. Traditional Instruction


Does CORI Work?

• CORI Advantages over Traditional in:

• Reading Comprehension

• Reading Strategies

• Reading Motivation

• Guthrie, et.al. RRQ, 1996; ESJ, 1999 J.Ed.Psych, 1998, 2000.

CORI vs. Traditional Instruction


Questions for Study I-2004

To what extent does CORI, in comparison to SI, increase:

• Reading comprehension

• Reading motivation

• Reading strategy competence

• Guthrie, Wigfield, others. J.Educ.Psy., 2004


Research Method




Text Interaction

Text Interaction

Text Interaction


TRAD. INSTRUCT.



Instructional Frameworks

Engagement support:• Content goals for

instruction• Hands on experiences• Autonomy support• Interesting text• Collaboration in

instruction

Strategy instruction:• Activating background• Questioning• Searching• Summarizing• Organizing graphically• Structuring stories

Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI)


Instructional Frameworks

Strategy instruction:• Activating background• Questioning• Searching• Summarizing• Organizing graphically• Structuring stories

Strategy Instruction (SI)


Study I: Method

• Design—pretest, posttest equivalent groups

• Students—260 third graders, in 4 schools, mixed

• Instruction—12 weeks, 100 min. daily

• Professional development—10 + 5 days


Professional Development• Days -- 10 summer; 5 fall• Teachers do mini CORI (2.5 hours)• Teachers do children’s strategies• View videos of motivation support• View videos of excellent strategy

instruction • Adapt Teacher’s Guide to children,

books, goals in classrooms


Study I: Method

• Multiple text comprehension—70 pages, 22 sections, writing task

• Passage comprehension—500 word passages; relatedness of key words

• Strategies—activating background, questioning, searching for information

• Motivation—self-report—curiosity, involvement, challenge, self-efficacy

Pretest and Posttest Measures:


Reading Motivation Development (gr. 3-5)

• Interests in topics or authors• Involvement in extended reading• Knowing through reading• Choice and ownership of

topics/texts/authors• Social goals and interactions• Efficacy for reading in domain• Identity as a reader


Interest

“I think I read about all the books on my bookshelf about four times. I like

reading about animals…Really I usually won’t put no animal book

down unless it’s really, really boring…I love animal books a lot.”


Involvement

“I take bottles of water to my room, because when I start to read I don’t come out of my room for about three hours…Sometimes I even take books to the dinner table and read.”


Knowledge & Information

“I just like to learn a lot. It’s really fun for me and it’s just really cool that you can learn something that your parents don’t even know…I like to teach teachers things that

they don’t know yet.”


Choice

“When I pick out a book, usually it’s about something I like…I like picking them out myself because I

always pick out a book that inspires me and that I like.”


Social

“Sometimes I’ll walk up to the teacher at the end of the day and when everyone’s left, I’ll sit there and talk to her about it, and I’ll

ask her questions about the book.”


Efficacy

“Usually the books in the library are a little too easy and I don’t

like easy books. I like challenging books.”


CORI and SI on Passage Comprehension

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

Pre Post

SICORI


CORI and SI on Multiple Text Comprehension (I)

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

Pre Post

SICORI


CORI and SI on Strategy Composite

(activating background, organizing, searching)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Pre Post

SICORI


CORI and SI on Reading Motivation Composite

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Pretest Posttest

SICORI


Conclusions-Study I

CORI surpassed SI in:• Passage comprehension

• Reading strategy composite

• Reading motivation composite (self-report)


Study II: Method

Identical to Study I, except:• Standardized reading comp.—

(Gates MacGinitie)

• Motivation measure—teachers ratings

• Traditional instruction group

(4 classrooms)

• Added classrooms (3) within schools


CORI, SI and TI on Passage Comprehension

0

0.050.1

0.15

0.2

0.250.3

0.35

0.4

0.450.5

Pre Post

SI

TICORI


CORI, SI + TI on Gates MacGinitie

(grade equivalent)(II)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Post

SI

TICORI


CORI and SI on Reading Motivations

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.5

Intrinsic Extrinsic Efficacy

SICORI


Study II: Conclusions

• CORI surpassed SI and TI on passage comprehension (replication)

• CORI exceeded SI and TI on Gates MacGinitie reading comprehension

• CORI was higher than SI on reading motivations (teacher ratings)


Research Method




Text Interaction

Text Interaction

Text Interaction


TRAD. INSTRUCT.



Discussion: Inferences from Findings

• Hierarchical instructional design• When motivational support is combined

with strategy instruction and text interaction, CORI is “value added” for reading outcomes, compared to SI or TI.

• This “value added” may be due to all or some, or the interaction among motivational practices within CORI. We believe they are synergistic.


Points for Today

1. Engagement has a shared meaning.2. Engagement and comprehension are


incomplete.4. Classroom practices can promote (or prevent)

reading engagement.5. Experimental (and other) evidence verifies



• NCLB mandates grade 3-8 assessment;

• SBRR addresses K-2 word recognition.

• Comprehension research in grades 3-8 is limited.

• Education decisions most impacted by NCLB have least research base.

Two Gaps in Knowledge--- #1Implications

So, we need research on comprehension instruction, using multiple methods,

including investigations of engagement.CORI©Copyright by John T. Guthrie. All rights reserved, May 1, 2004

Two Gaps in Knowledge--#2• Comprehension instruction from

experimental literature is low scope strategy instruction.

• Little extended application.


Implications

So, we need innovative teaching practices that provide pervasive, designed engagement

support, as well as strategy instruction.

Implications

• Optimistic about current trajectory

• Body of knowledge in engagement is born and growing

• Evidence is positive for model of:– instruction impacts engagement;

– engagement impacts achievement

– both benefit children


“not the filling of a pail,

but the lighting

of a fire.”

–W. B. Yeats

Education isEducation is


Documents

Classroom Practices Promoting Engagement and Achievement in Comprehension John T. Guthrie University of Maryland CORI©Copyright by John T. Guthrie. All