Explicit Text Structure Instruction Supports Expository Text Comprehension for Adolescents With Learning Disabilities: A Systematic Review

This systematic review article summarizes the effects of explicit text structure instruction on expository text comprehension for adolescents with learning disabilities or at risk for reading failure. A thorough literature search with four databases and backward citation search identified nine studies published in the past 22 years for inclusion in the review. The findings revealed medium to large effect sizes on expository reading comprehension outcome measures, providing moderately strong evidence in support of text structure intervention for adolescents with a diagnosis or risk of reading disabilities. Text structure instruction was more effective than standard instruction or business as usual conditions on students’ comprehension of a variety of expository text types and content area texts. Directions for further research, limitations, and educational implications are discussed.

Effects of Written, Auditory, and Combined Modalities on Comprehension by People With Aphasia

Background People with aphasia experience reading challenges affecting participation in daily activities. Researchers have found combined auditory and written presentation modalities help people with aphasia comprehend contrived sentences and narratives, but less is known about the effects of combined modalities on functional, expository text comprehension. Aims This study's purpose was to examine comprehension accuracy, reviewing time, and modality preference of people with aphasia when presented with edited newspaper articles in written only, auditory only, and combined written and auditory modalities. Method and Procedure Twenty-eight adults with chronic aphasia read and/or listened to 36 passages. Following each passage, participants answered comprehension questions. Then, they ranked the modalities in accordance with preference and provided a rationale for their ranking. Outcomes and Results Comprehension accuracy was significantly better in the combined than auditory-only condition and in the written-only than auditory-only condition; the difference between combined and written-only conditions was not significant. Reviewing time differed significantly among conditions with the written-only condition taking longest and the auditory-only condition taking shortest. Most participants preferred the combined condition. Conclusions Access to combined modalities helps people with aphasia comprehend expository passages such as those found in newspapers better than auditory-only presentation. Furthermore, combined presentation decreases reviewing time from that needed for unsupported reading without compromising comprehension accuracy. Given that most participants preferred combined modality presentation, providing simultaneous auditory and written access to content through text-to-speech technology is a viable strategy when aphasia results in persistent reading challenges.

The decorative images’ seductive effect in e-learning depends on attentional inhibition

Two studies sought to replicate and extend the seductive effect of decorative pictures in expository text comprehension to an e-learning environment. In the first study, undergraduate students read and answered questions about two texts, with and without decorative, irrelevant images, in an e-learning course. The presence of decorative images had a small detrimental effect on comprehension. In the second study, participants read more difficult texts (low prior knowledge texts in multiple screens) and completed working memory and inhibitory ability tests. A significant interaction between comprehension and perceptual/attentional inhibitory ability was found: Participants with lower inhibitory capacity were affected by irrelevant pictures. In conclusion, evidence supported the hypothesis of a detrimental effect of irrelevant, decorative images on comprehension in e-learning, particularly for students with low attentional inhibition.

Eighth graders’ expository text comprehension

The present study examined whether ten motivations to read expository texts moderated the effects of cognitive skills on eighth graders’ expository text comprehension, while accounting for the main effects of cognitive skills. Furthermore, it was examined whether the effect of motivational dimensions on expository text comprehension differed between monolingual and bilingual Dutch students, and between poor and good readers. Hundred fifty-two eighth graders took tests measuring their expository text comprehension, sentence reading fluency, linguistic knowledge, metacognitive knowledge and motivations to read expository texts. None of ten motivational aspects did moderate the effect of cognitive skills on expository text comprehension. Furthermore, there were no differences between monolingual and bilingual Dutch students, or between poor and good readers, in terms of the relationship between motivational dimensions and expository text comprehension. Differences between our findings and results from other studies are interpreted in the context of measurement specificity and the school system.