COLLABORATIVE STRATEGIC READING DURING SOCIAL-STUDIES IN HETEROGENEOUS 4TH-GRADE CLASSROOMS

In this study we investigated the effectiveness of a cooperative learn ing approach designed to foster strategic reading in 3 heterogeneous, culturally and linguistically diverse, general education classrooms in 1 school. Fourth graders in an 11-day experimental condition (N = 85) were taught by the researchers to apply reading comprehension strateg ies (''preview,'' ''click and clunk,'' ''get the gist,'' and ''wrap up '') while reading social studies text in small student-led groups. Con trol condition students (N = 56) in 2 classes did not learn comprehens ion strategies but received researcher-led instruction in the same con tent. Outcome measures (a standardized reading test, social studies un it test, audiotapes of group work) indicated that students in the expe rimental condition made greater gains in reading comprehension, F(1,13 8) = 10.68, p =.001, and equal gains in content knowledge. Discourse a nalyses of peer talk during cooperative group sessions indicated that 65% of discourse was academic in nature and content related, 25% was p rocedural, 8% was feedback, and 2% was unrelated to the task. Students implemented the clarification (click and clunk) and main idea (get th e gist) strategies the most consistently and effectively.