The influence of Strategic Teaching on reading in a second language

Basic skills instruction has failed to teach bilingual students the analytical reading required for academic success. Strategic Teaching (Jones, Palincsar, Ogle, & Carr, 1987) has been proposed as an alternative. However, research on strategic teaching models with students who speak English as a second language (ESL) has been limited, particularly in high schools.; This study investigated the effects of Strategic Teaching on the comprehension of history text with ESL high school students. During 18 classes, the regular teacher continued her traditional instruction with a control group (N = 14). Teaching analogous content, the researcher implemented Strategic Teaching with a treatment group (N = 12). The groups were compared for changes in reading comprehension measured through standardized tests, written summaries, and strategy use reported through a Reading Strategy Questionnaire (RSQ). Changes in the treatment group's reading concept and self-efficacy along with students' and teacher's perceptions were documented with qualitative data.; Results were mixed. Analysis of standardized test scores did not demonstrate significant differences between groups; written summaries revealed positive trends for the treatment group; qualitative data documented positive changes in the treatment group's reading concept and self-efficacy.; Comparison of standardized reading test scores adjusted for pretest differences provided no significant posttest differences between groups. Analysis of the RSQ found similar patterns of strategy use for both groups without significant posttest changes. These results were suspect, as students were uncooperative in completing the posttest measures. Comparison of posttest summaries demonstrated that the treatment group surpassed the initially higher achieving control group, although the difference did not reach significance at the 0.05 level.; Treatment-group interviews and field notes documented a conceptual shift from reading as pronunciation and fact finding to understanding and relating main ideas. Students revealed improved self-efficacy in descriptions of their new abilities to read whole chapters, and/or increased comprehension. All of the students interviewed considered themselves better readers than before the study.; Students reported that Strategic Teaching improved reading comprehension. They considered summarization and graphic organizers most effective. The teacher reported improvement from both lower and higher levels treatment-group students on reports, grades, and academic tasks through the school year.