The Effects of Reciprocal Teaching of Self-Regulation of Reading Comprehension in a Postsecondary Technical School Program

In order to determine the effectiveness of a reciprocal teaching procedure, a study examined the effects of instruction in metacognitive techniques on the reading comprehension of technical students. Subjects were 150 male students in a post-secondary occupational training program in diesel mechanics. A 4-part metacognitive process was taught and practiced in six sessions over a 2-week period through reciprocal teaching with one experimental group (requiring students to assume the role of teacher in a round-robin activity), and through conventional teacher-centered whole class instruction with another. Control groups either read or engaged in non-reading activities during the experiment. Pre- and posttests were administered immediately and after 5 weeks, along with other posttest comprehension measures. Results obtained immediately after intervention supported the effectiveness of the 4-part comprehension strategy, but favored neither instructional method. After 5 weeks, no differences in reading comprehension were shown among all four groups on follow-up measures devised by the experimenters, while the posttest showed significant differences favoring the experimental group which received conventional instruction. (One table of data is included.) (SR)