The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of reading
comprehension scores in a second-grade classroom where reading instruction was
provided using the traditional Directed Reading Approach (DRA), to the reading
comprehension scores in a second-grade classroom where reading instruction was
provided using the Directed Reading Thinking Activity approach.
Much of the reading instruction being provided in elementary schools across
the country is textbook-centered. Teachers typically use the textbook questions
suggested in the teacher’s edition of the book to check for students’ understanding of
the text. Rarely, however, are students actually being instructed in the strategies and
skills necessary to comprehend what they have read.
Since reading text with comprehension is the main goal of reading instruction,
teachers must instruct students in how to build comprehension through the direct
instruction of comprehension strategies. Research has shown that effective reading
comprehension instruction involves both the teachers and the students in an active,
on-going pursuit of meaning construction. Unfortunately, traditional, text-centered
classrooms do not provide direct instruction in the very skills and strategies necessary
for students to leam how to comprehend text. Reading experts agree that a systematic
and research-based instructional approach that directly and explicitly teaches students
the skills/strategies necessary to comprehend text is necessary if students are to
comprehend what they read. The DRTA strategy is one such approach, built around
the core components of direct, explicit reading comprehension instruction.