An Interactive View of Reading Comprehension: Implications for Assessment

Purpose

This clinical focus article explores further the multidimensional view of reading comprehension put forward by Catts and Kamhi (2017) in this clinical forum and its implications for reading assessment.

Method

It is argued that a multidimensional or interactive view of reading predicts variability in student performance on reading assessments as a function of the interaction among reader, text, and task factors.

Result

Student performance on any given reading assessment should be interpreted in relation to the specific reading demands of the assessment, rather than as a fixed ability that generalizes to any given reading situation.

Conclusion

This view implies a different approach to the use of both summative and classroom assessment than is currently common practice.

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Epilogue: Reading Comprehension Is Not a Single Ability—Implications for Assessment and Instruction

Purpose

In this epilogue, we review the 4 response articles and highlight the implications of a multidimensional view of reading for the assessment and instruction of reading comprehension.

Method

We reiterate the problems with standardized tests of reading comprehension and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of recently developed authentic tests of reading comprehension. In the “Instruction” section, we review the benefits and limitations of strategy instruction and highlight suggestions from the response articles to improve content and language knowledge.

Conclusions

We argue that the only compelling reason to administer a standardized test of reading comprehension is when these tests are necessary to qualify students for special education services. Instruction should be focused on content knowledge, language knowledge, and specific task and learning requirements. This instruction may entail the use of comprehension strategies, particularly those that are specific to the task and focus on integrating new knowledge with prior knowledge.

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Commentary on “Reading Comprehension Is Not a Single Ability”: Implications for Child Language Intervention

Purpose

This commentary responds to the implications for child language intervention of Catts and Kamhi's (2017) call to move from viewing reading comprehension as a single ability to recognizing it as a complex constellation of reader, text, and activity.

Method

Reading comprehension, as Catts and Kamhi explain, is very complicated. In this commentary, I consider how comprehension has been taught and the directions in which it is moving. I consider how speech-language pathologists (SLPs), with their distinctive expertise and resources, can contribute to effective reading comprehension instruction. I build from Catts and Kamhi's emphasis on the importance of context and knowledge, using the approaches of staying on topic, close reading, and incorporating quality features of intervention. I consider whether and how SLPs should treat language skills and comprehension strategies to achieve noticeable changes in their students' reading comprehension.

Conclusion

Within this multidimensional view of reading comprehension, SLPs can make strategic, meaningful contributions to improving the reading comprehension of students with language impairments.

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Reading Comprehension Deficits in Adolescents: Addressing Underlying Language Abilities

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to discuss reading comprehension deficits in adolescents in relation to their word reading skills and lexical and syntactic development. Although reading comprehension strategies (e.g., “Find the main idea”) are often recommended, it is argued that before these can be effective, students' underlying language deficits should be addressed.

Method

Data from a longitudinal study are analyzed to determine the relationship between reading comprehension, word reading, and lexical and syntactic development in adolescents.

Results

The findings indicate that poor reading comprehension in adolescents is predicted by concurrent deficits in word reading ability, lexical development, and syntactic development.

Conclusion

When poor comprehension is accompanied by deficits in word reading ability and/or lexical and syntactic development, intervention should target the underlying areas of deficiency. Studies designed to improve reading comprehension in adolescents are needed.

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Prologue: Reading Comprehension Is Not a Single Ability

Purpose

In this initial article of the clinical forum on reading comprehension, we argue that reading comprehension is not a single ability that can be assessed by one or more general reading measures or taught by a small set of strategies or approaches.

Method

We present evidence for a multidimensional view of reading comprehension that demonstrates how it varies as a function of reader ability, text, and task. The implications of this view for instruction of reading comprehension are considered.

Conclusion

Reading comprehension is best conceptualized with a multidimensional model. The multidimensionality of reading comprehension means that instruction will be more effective when tailored to student performance with specific texts and tasks.

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Masthead

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Beyond Comprehension Strategy Instruction: What's Next?

Purpose

In this article, we respond to Catts and Kamhi's (2017) argument that reading comprehension is not a single ability.

Method

We provide a brief review of the impact of strategy instruction, the importance of knowledge in reading comprehension, and possible avenues for future research and practice.

Results

We agree with Catts and Kamhi's argument that reading comprehension is a complex endeavor and that current recommended practices do not reflect the complexity of the construct. Knowledge building, despite its important role in comprehension, has been relegated to a back seat in reading comprehension instruction. In the final section of the article, we outline possible avenues for research and practice (e.g., generative language instruction, dialogic approaches to knowledge building, analogical reasoning and disciplinary literacy, the use of graphics and media, inference instruction) for improving reading-comprehension outcomes.

Conclusions

Reading comprehension is a complex ability, and comprehension instruction should reflect this complexity. If we want to have an impact on long-term growth in reading comprehension, we will need to expand our current repertoire of instructional methods to include approaches that support the acquisition and integration of knowledge across a variety of texts and topics.

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