Taylor Webb & Laura Capps

1. The Comparative Effects of a ModifiedSelf-Questioning Strategy and Story Mappingon the Reading Comprehension of ElementaryStudents with Learning Disabilities Taylor Webb & Laura Capps

2. Purpose • The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of story mapping, a modified self-questioning strategy, and no intervention on reading comprehension in elementary students with learning disabilities

3. Design • Alternating Treatments Design • Random assignment of story mapping, modified self-questioning and no intervention • Drew slips of paper out of a hat • Control • The period of “no intervention” served as a baseline measure against which to measure change.

6. Participants • Five third through sixth graders with learning disabilities (4 boys, 1 girl, ages 9–12) • Michele, Leroy, and Michael were receiving special education services in a resource room one period per day for reading and spent the rest of the day in general education classrooms • Justin and Joseph attended general education classes for all subjects, and received assistance from the special education teacher for one period per day in the regular classroom.

7. Variables • Independent • Story Mapping • “Creating a visual representation of the story by writing the important elements on a graphic organizer” (Taylor, Alber & Walker, 2002) • Self-Questioning • “Procedure in which students stop periodically while reading to ask and answer questions related to the text” (Taylor, Alber & Walker, 2002) • Given list of generic questions, prompts for when to self-question and tape recorders to record answers

9. Variables (cont.) • Dependent • Story Map Response Accuracy • How accurate was student-created map • Self-Questioning Response Accuracy • How accurate were answers given for 10 comprehension questions answered during reading • Reading Comprehension • How accurate were answers for 10 open-ended questions (5 literal, 5 inferential) • Accuracy of responses was determined by answer keys made before interventions were given

10. Data Collection Method • Permanent Product Recording • Collected story maps, responses to self-questions and responses to comprehension tests • Interobserver Agreement • General educator with 20 years of experience scored 25% of story maps, self-questioning responses and comprehension tests • The rest was scored by researchers • Story Mapping and Comprehension=100% • Self-Questioning=98%

11. Results • Accuracy of Story Maps and Self-Questioning Responses • High for all students • Slightly higher in self-questioning • Accuracy of Reading Comprehension • Mann Whitney U statistical test • No significant differences between self-questioning and story mapping • Significant differences between self-questioning and no intervention • Significant differences between story mapping and no intervention

12. Discussion • Both strategies are effective for increasing reading comprehension. • No statistical significance but most students scored slightly higher on comprehension when in self-questioning condition

13. Citation • Taylor, L., Alber, S., & Walker, D. (2002). The Comparative Effects of a Modified Self-Questioning and Story Mapping on the Reading Comprehension of Elementary Students with Learning Disabilities. Journal of Behavioral Education, (11)2, 69-87.