Reading Strategies

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Recommended: Using expository text in the classroom

Topic and Problem
Topic
Many students in middle school have difficulty comprehending material they read from the science textbook. The students are unfamiliar with the text features in the science textbook and do not know how to use them appropriately. The students also lack expository reading strategies to comprehend expository text. It is vital for students to be able to read and comprehend the science textbook independently to be successful throughout their academic career.
Topic choice. I teach sixth grade science. The topic was chosen because students enter the sixth grade without the necessary expository reading strategies to be successful in the classroom. The elementary teachers, in the county I teach in, are encouraged to teach science and social studies through the reading class and not to use the science and social studies textbook. It is essential for the students to be able to read and comprehend science and social studies textbooks on their own.
Topic importance. The importance of the study is to find ways to help students become successful expository readers. Comprehension of expository text is important for the academic success and independent learning of students. Students need essential expository reading strategies to comprehend the science text book. Students will need strategies to be successful throughout school. This research will investigate the effectiveness of text feature walks, using QAT strategy, and completing KWL charts in the comprehension of the science textbook.

Problem Statement
Sixth grade students in middle school have difficulty comprehending expository text. This results in students not understanding the assignments they read from the science textbook. Students lac...

... middle of paper ...

...ed over a three week instructional unit?
2. What is the perspective of the students in regards to instructional strategies using text walk features, the Questioning as Thinking (QAT) strategy, and KWL charts is applied over a three week instructional unit?

Topic and Problem Conclusion
Students enter sixth grade without the necessary skills to comprehend the science textbook. They have struggle comprehending expository text. It is vital for students to be able to read and comprehend the textbook independently. College study is made up largely of independent expository reading assignments, K-12 classroom reading which is heavy on narrative, provides less experience for learners on how to grapple with difficult vocabulary and complexity (Huson, 2014). Students need to learn and apply comprehension strategies to help improve the comprehension of expository text.

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