Comprehension Strategy Instruction in Core Reading Programs

Core reading programs provide the curriculum and guide the instruction for many classroom teachers. The purpose of this study was to conduct a curriculum analysis of comprehension instruction in the five most widely used core reading programs. The recommended comprehension instruction in grades 3, 4, and 5 was examined to answer four questions: (1) What skills and strategies are recommended to be taught? (2) How are these skills and strategies recommended to be taught? (3) What instructional designs do the programs employ? and (4) How do the spacing and timing of comprehension skills and strategy instruction in core programs compare with how these skills were taught in original research studies? The results of the authors' analysis revealed that core reading programs recommend teaching many more skills and strategies than the researchers recommend and may dilute the emphasis on critical skills and strategies. In addition, comprehension strategy instruction does not meet the guidelines of explicit instruction as recommended in a number of research studies. Rarely do the five core programs follow the gradual release-of-responsibility model nor do the programs provide the amount of practice for skills and strategies that were employed in original research studies.