Abstract
This article describes a randomized evaluation of The Reading
Edge, a reading program for middle school students. The Reading Edge
was designed to integrate findings of research on cooperative learning
and metacognitive reading strategies into a replicable reading
instructional package that could be implemented effectively in Title I
middle schools. In this study, 405 sixth graders in two high-poverty,
rural middle schools previously unfamiliar with the program were
randomly assigned to participate in The Reading Edge or to continue
with their existing reading programs. After one year of instruction,
observations of classroom use of metacognitive strategies, cooperative
learning, goal setting/feedback, and classroom management, showed
moderate levels of implementation in Reading Edge classes but little
use of metacognitive strategies, cooperative learning, or goal
setting/feedback in control classes. Statistically significant differences
in student scores on the Vocabulary subscale of the Gates-MacGinitie
Reading Test, and marginally significant scores on the Total
Achievement score, provide support for the basic reading model, but
larger and longer studies are needed to establish the full effects of this
approach.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-22 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | Middle Grades Research Journal |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2007 |