Effectiveness of Question Exploration to Enhance Students' Written Expression of Content Knowledge and Comprehension

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of a Question Exploration Routine and associated graphic organizer for enhancing the performance of students of diverse abilities when assessed on knowledge and comprehension of content and quality of written responses. Participants were 36 students with and without learning disabilities (LD) in Grades 9 through 12 in an inner city school district. Students were randomly assigned to experimental or control conditions. Results showed significant differences and moderately large to very large effect sizes for students in the experimental condition compared to students in the control condition with regard to knowledge and comprehension of content and written responses to a question. More variation in performance was found for the group of students with LD than for those without LD.

The research reported in this manuscript was supported in part by U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs Grant H324S990001.

Notes

Note. WISC–III FS = Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Third Edition, Full Scale.

^a IQ scores were unavailable for one student with learning disabilities in each condition.

^b IQ scores were unavailable for students without learning disabilities

Note. LD = learning disabilities.

Note. LD = learning disabilities.

Note. LD = learning disabilities.