TRAINING TO REASON OR TRAINING TO READ - ON THE EFFECTS OF A TRAININGTO REASON INDUCTIVELY AND A READING TRAINING ON READING-COMPREHENSIONAND INDUCTIVE REASONING

60 children of fifth and sixth grades of a high school were randomly a llotted to four groups. Using a 2x2 design, one group received a train ing in reading comprehension adapted from Friedrich, Fischer, Mandl, & Weis (1987), a second group was administered a training in inductive reasoning (Klauer, 1991), the third group received both training progr ams and the fourth group no training at all. Dependent variables were two tests of reading comprehension and Raven's SPM, the latter as indi cator variable of inductive reasoning. Both programs were effective in fostering reading comprehension: The inductive training resulted in a medium effect, the reading training in a high, and the combination of both in a very high effect. Inductive reasoning was fostered only by the inductive training. The effects could even be found half a year la ter, in fact some of them more markedly. Moreover, trainer effects cou ld be demonstrated. Based on the results it is concluded that inductiv e reasoning supports reading comprehension.