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Increasing Reading Comprehension, Motivation, and Science Knowledge Through Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction in a District-wide Experiment.

This study investigates the effectiveness of alternative classroom contexts for increasing reading comprehension, reading motivation and science knowledge. The theoretical rationale is that a combination of cognitive and motivational support is optimal for reading development. Our model of Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI) combines the teaching of reading strategies and inquiry science. Strategy instruction is necessary for reading comprehension, and inquiry science provides a motivational and conceptual support system for learning reading strategies. In collaboration with Frederick County Public Schools, we will implement CORI in grades 3, 4, and 5 over time and follow students longitudinally. A total of 3600 students from 144 classrooms in 16 schools will participate during a 5-year period. We will compare students in CORI classrooms with students receiving Strategy Instruction (SI) and traditional reading and science instruction (TI) in different classrooms. Fidelity of the classroom instruction and maintenance over time will be examined. We will identify factors that determine the implementation quality of CORI, SI and TI. We will examine the growth curves of minority (African American and Hispanic) and majority (Caucasian) students in all classrooms, and will compare the effectiveness of different classroom contexts for these groups.

The project is supported by a grant of $3.4 million over 5 years from the IERI (Interagency Education Research Initiative), combining National Science Foundation, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the Office of Educational Research and Improvement to the Department of Human Development, University of Maryland.