Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text

Overview

MCPER has partnered with the University of Houston, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Texas A&M University, and Florida State University to improve the reading comprehension of students in grades 7 through 12.

The focused program of research of the project, Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text (PACT), is designed to answer key questions about the role of cognitive processes, motivation, engagement, and components of interventions to improve reading comprehension. During 5 years, the project will conduct a series of integrated research studies with the following overarching aims:

• Improve the knowledge of cognitive processes associated with reading comprehension to identify malleable processes that may be targets for intervention
• Provide knowledge about the role of engagement and motivation in enhancing reading comprehension outcomes
• Integrate and apply the findings from these studies and the empirical bases to develop and test the efficacy of interventions for students with reading comprehension difficulties in grades 7 through 12

Scope of Work

• PACT Overview Handout
• PACT Information Slides
• PACT Database of Measures RFU

Lessons and Support Materials

Social Studies Lessons, 11th Grade

• Teacher Lessons (16.4 MB pdf)
• Teacher Materials (11.7 MB pdf)
• CD Contents (9.4 MB zip)
• Student Materials (7.9 MB pdf)

Social Studies Videos

• Essential Words
• Comprehension Canopy
• Critical Reading
• Team-Based Learning (TBL) Comprehension Check
• TBL Knowledge Application

Social Studies Podcasts

• Establishing Expectations for Open Dialogue (3.5 MB mp3)
• Scaffolding Student Discussion for Students With Diverse Needs (3.6 MB mp3)

English Language Arts Intervention

• Student Workbook
• Student Text Level 1
• Student Text Level 2
• Teacher Materials Level 1
• Teacher Materials Level 2

Inference Instruction to Support Reading Comprehension

• Sample Lessons

Striving for Oral Language Achievement in Reading

• Sample Lessons
• Student Texts

Outcomes

In a Single Study Review of Improving Reading Comprehension and Social Studies Knowledge in Middle School (linked below), the WWC found that the study “meets WWC evidence standards without reservation,” adding that it is a “well-implemented randomized controlled trial.”

Participants

​Students with and without reading comprehension difficulties in grades 7 through 12