Improving students’ reading comprehension: traditional reading instruction versus guided reading instruction

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine two reading instruction methods taught by one classroom teacher in an inner-city school located in a low-income area. The objective of this research study was to investigate whether guided reading instruction increased students’ reading comprehension levels more than traditional reading instruction. Data included three reading comprehension assessments (pre-intervention, mid-intervention and post intervention) in a 12 week study. The student participants were comprised of 14 grade 2 students (six girls and eight boys) from diverse ethnic and language backgrounds. The instrument used to collect data pertaining to the participants’ reading comprehension levels was the PM Benchmark Kit 2 (Randell & Smith, 2003). After six weeks of traditional reading instruction, students’ reading comprehension scores showed little improvement and two students did not improve at all. After six weeks of guided reading instruction every student had increased their reading comprehension levels and the data indicated a much greater increase in the students’ over-all reading comprehension scores. Quantitative results indicated there was a significant improvement in students’ reading comprehension skills when examined over this six week period. Other positive outcomes from the study were that students’ self-confidence increased as they now saw themselves as readers and they became much more excited and motivated to read books. The students gained many benefits when the teacher incorporated guiding reading instruction into their regular literacy program.