The effects of text structure and signals on second graders' recall and comprehension of expository text

This study investigated the salience of three types of expository text structure (sequence, compare/contrast, and cause/effect) and the effects of signals (previews and clue words) on the comprehension of 2nd graders. The study had a mixed design with signal as a between-subjects factor and text structure as a within-subjects factor. Ninety-one 2nd graders from three urban schools were randomly assigned to one of two signal conditions (Signal, No Signal). Comprehension was measured on two levels of comprehension. The literal level consisted of free recall, cued recall, concept question, and detail question tasks, and the interpretive level consisted of a discrimination task.; The data from the literal level measures were analyzed in a 3 (text) x 2 (signal) multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with repeated measures on the first factor, and the data from the interpretive level measure were analyzed in a 3 (text) x 2 (signal) analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures on the first factor. Results indicated that a hierarchy of salience exists among the structures. Cause/effect was consistently the most salient for 2nd graders across measures. The order of salience between the sequence and compare/contrast structures differed for the two levels of comprehension. Positive effects for signals were found to be task dependent. There were no interaction effects between text structure and signals. Implications of the results of this study include a suggested order of instruction for text structures in the social studies content area at the 2nd grade level and the addition of signals to expository texts used in instruction. Further possibilities for extending this work are discussed.