The Impact of Strategy Training on Reading Comprehension in Fourth-Grade Students
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Abstract
Reading comprehension is a critical skill that lays the foundation for academic success and lifelong learning. Despite its importance, many students, particularly in the fourth grade, struggle with understanding and interpreting texts effectively. This study examines the impact of strategy training on improving reading comprehension among fourth-grade students. The goal is to determine whether targeted training in specific reading strategies can enhance students' ability to comprehend and retain information from written texts.
The study involved a sample of fourth-grade students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, who were divided into two groups: an experimental group that received strategy training and a control group that continued with standard reading instruction. The strategy training focused on several key reading strategies, including summarization, prediction, questioning, and visualization. These strategies were selected based on their proven effectiveness in helping students engage more deeply with the text, improve their understanding, and recall information.
Over the course of twelve weeks, the experimental group participated in structured training sessions designed to integrate these strategies into their regular reading practices. The training sessions were interactive, incorporating various activities such as guided reading, group discussions, and individual exercises aimed at reinforcing the use of the strategies in different reading contexts. Teachers were trained to facilitate the strategy sessions, ensuring that the techniques were consistently applied and reinforced throughout the study period.
The impact of the strategy training was assessed through a combination of quantitative and qualitative measures. Pre- and post-tests were administered to evaluate changes in reading comprehension levels.
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