The Effects of Self-Questioning on the Reading Comprehension of English Language Learners in Elementary School Classes

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the self-questioning with visual prompt fading on the reading comprehension of fifth graders who struggle with reading comprehension. A multiple-probe experimental design across four English Language Learners (ELLs) was used to evaluate the effects of self-questioning on the ability of participants to answer comprehension questions. The study took place in an urban charter school located in the Midwest. The participants were trained to generate and answer questions while reading an expository passage, followed by a multiple-choice comprehension quiz. The results indicate that the participants successfully maintained the self-questioning skills two weeks following intervention. The study findings are consistent with previous findings demonstrating the effects of the self-questioning intervention on struggling readers.