1. Promoting Comprehension Multimodal Methods
through
Multimodal Methods
Promoting Comprehension through Multimodal Methods
How do different teaching methods affect comprehension?
Is it possible to use more than one method simultaneously?
Would using more than one method aid in comprehension or hinder it?
By Cheryl J. Myers

2. Students are being bombarded with a variety of media vying for their attention.
They have no trouble remembering every word to a favorite song.
They have no trouble retelling the storyline from a favorite film.
How can we use this to our advantage?
Is there some strategy we can use to mirror these effects?

3. Lack of Understanding Unable To Make Connections
Issues arising from problems with comprehension:
Lack of understanding
Unable to make connections

4. Reading Strategies Literacy Importance
When discussing reading strategies and the importance of literacy in our students, one of the most used words in a teacher’s vocabulary is “Comprehension”.

5. All aspects of literacy seem to revolve around reading comprehension: from vocabulary to prior knowledge, from phonological awareness to fluency.
All of these and more lead to reading comprehension, the ultimate goal for our students.

6. What happens when methods of teaching comprehension are combined?

7. Montali and Lewandowski (1996) Walsh (2008) Weaver and Rosner (1975)
Wittermann and Segers (2010)
Montali and Lewandowski (1996)

8. John Gregg Elementary School
Location of my study: John Gregg Elementary School

9. Literature: “My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother” by Patricia Polacco

10. Five Reading Classes Two Fifth Grade Classes Three Sixth Grade Classes
I tested five Reading Classes: two fifth grade classes and three sixth grade classes.

11. Comparatively Equal – Boys & Girls
Five Reading Classes
103 Students
Ages 10 to 13
Comparatively Equal – Boys & Girls
There were a total of 103 students who participated in the study. They ranged in age from 10 to 13, and there was a comparatively equal number of boys and girls. (No large difference in numbers were observed.)

12. Multimodal – audio & visual
Five Reading Classes
Text read aloud
Silent reading of text
Multimodal – audio & visual
Methodology:
Text would be read aloud
Students would read silently
Multimodal method, using both audio and visual

13. The Participants Two Fifth Grade Classes
Majority are reading at grade level
No distinguishable differences
The majority of students in both fifth grade classes were reading at grade level. The teacher expressed no distinguishable differences between the classes.

14. The Participants Three Sixth Grade Classes Grade Six – A
Reading at higher grade level
Grade Six – B
Reading at grade level
Grade Six – C
Reading at lower grade level
The three sixth grade classes were grouped according to reading level.
“Class A” – reading above grade level
“Class B” – reading at grade level
“Class C” – reading below grade level

16. In what ways are Tricia and Richie alike? (List at least three.)
In what ways are Tricia and Richie different? (List at least three.)
Using details from the story, explain why Tricia cannot stand her older brother.
Explain why Richie smiles when Tricia is offered her favorite rhubarb pie for dessert.
What do you think happens after the story?
Let’s Pretend! I am your very best friend, and I have never read this book before. Retell the story to me in your own words. Please use as many details from the story as you can.
There’s a big chunk missing from the story right after Tricia got off the carousel and before she woke up in her bed. Write out the story as you think it happened.
Here are the list of comprehension questions presented to all classes.
In what ways are Tricia and Richie alike? (List at least three.)
In what ways are Tricia and Richie different? (List at least three.)
Using details from the story, explain why Tricia cannot stand her older brother.
Explain why Richie smiles when Tricia is offered her favorite rhubarb pie for dessert.
What do you think happens after the story?
Let’s Pretend! I am your very best friend, and I have never read this book before. Retell the story to me in your own words. Please use as many details from the story as you can.
There’s a big chunk missing from the story right after Tricia got off the carousel and before she woke up in her bed. Write out the story as you think it happened.

17. Total Possible Score is 5.0
Two Fifth Grade Classes
41 students
Mean: 3.3
Median: 3.5
Mode: 4.0

18. Total Possible Score is 5.0
Sixth Grade “Class C”
21 students
Mean: 3.0
Median: 3.0
Mode: 3.0 and 3.5

19. Total Possible Score is 5.0
Sixth Grade “Class C”
22 students
Mean: 3.9
Median: 4.0
Mode: 4.0

20. Total Possible Score is 5.0
Sixth Grade “Class C”
19 students
Mean: 4.0
Median: 4.0
Mode: 4.0

21. I chose questions that would help me to check for student understanding and to see if they could connect to the story.

22. Literacies
New
My research indicates a connection between the method used to present the material and the amount of comprehension gained by students. This may not have been as drastic a difference as I had originally thought, but there were interesting correlations. For example, the two fifth-grade classes reading at grade level were able to make progress in closing the gap between the classes.
In the future, I would like to divide single classes into sections. In my opinion, using students from the same reading levels for the different methods would show more realistic results.