RECIPROCAL TEACHING OF READING-COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING-DISABILITIES WHO USE ENGLISH AS A 2ND LANGUAGE

In this study, we investigated the efficacy of 2 related interventions on the reading comprehension of seventh and eighth graders with learn ing disabilities who used English as a second language. All 26 student s participated in reciprocal teaching for 15 days and then were random ly assigned for 12 days to 1 of 2 groups: reciprocal teaching with coo perative grouping (n = 13) or reciprocal teaching with cross-age tutor ing (n = 13). Though there were no statistically significant differenc es between groups on 2 measures of comprehension, students in both gro ups made significant progress in reading comprehension. Analyses focus ed on understanding the performance of more and less successful studen ts within groups. Findings revealed that initial reading ability and o ral language proficiency seemed related to gains in comprehension, tha t a greater range of students benefited from strategy instruction than would have been predicted on the basis of previous research, and that students in both groups continued to show improvement in comprehensio n when provided minimal adult support.