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IES Research Conference 2009
Reducing the Complexities of Reading Comprehension: A Simplifying Framework
Charles Perfetti
IES Research Conference 2009
Overview Critical Preliminaries
The comprehension problem What is comprehension? Building mental models word by word
Comprehensive Comprehension Processes, knowledge, and strategies A medium-grain cognitive framework
Simplifying Frameworks Pressure points A simplified framework
Implications
IES Research Conference 2009
The comprehension problem National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP): 1 of 3 fourth-graders and 1 of 4 eighth-graders cannot read at the basic level. That is, when reading grade appropriate material, these students do not understand what they read ---IES Reading for Understanding
IES Research Conference 2009
Even adults can have trouble understanding written texts
"By God, for a minute there it suddenly all made sense."
IES Research Conference 2009
What do we mean by “comprehension”? Comprehension is defined as “intentional
thinking during which meaning is constructed through interactions between text and reader” (Harris &Hodges, 1995). Thus, readers derive meaning from text when they engage in intentional, problem solving thinking processes.
---National Reading Panel 2000
IES Research Conference 2009
A simpler idea: learning to read with comprehension is learning to understand writing as well as one understands spoken language
“We can expect the comprehension of written language to approximate the comprehension of spoken language. When that happens, then reading comprehension has developed, for practical purposes, to its limiting or asymptotic level. …All other limitations are imposed by linguistic abilities, relevant knowledge, and general intelligence. If we make things more complex than this, we push onto the concept of reading comprehension all these other important aspects of cognition, with the muddle that results from conceptual conflation.”
----Perfetti, C. A., Landi, N., & Oakhill, J. (2005). The acquisition of reading comprehension skill. In M. J. Snowling & C. Hulme (Eds.), The science of reading: A handbook (pp. 227-247). Oxford: Blackwell.
IES Research Conference 2009
Too simple? We accept, approximately and in an idealized form,
the assumption that reading comprehension is the joint product of printed word identification and listening comprehension, an idea famously asserted by Gough and Tunmer (1986) as a simple view of reading. However, we also must assume that learning to read with comprehension brings … additional complexities…
----Perfetti, C. A., Landi, N., & Oakhill, J. (2005). The acquisition of reading comprehension skill. In M. J. Snowling & C. Hulme (Eds.), The science of reading: A handbook (pp. 227-247). Oxford: Blackwell.
IES Research Conference 2009
The text and the mind “…researchers working in the area of
reading comprehension have shown repeatedly that meaning does not exist in text.”
--Alvermann & Eakle, p. 14 (in Sweet & Snow, Rethinking reading comprehension 2003)
IES Research Conference 2009
Well, yes but The application of the symbolic principle (a
language form is a symbol for meaning) is constrained by the language that implements it.
1. The dog bit the man2. The man bit the dog3. Likud members will not react favorably to the
President’s speech.4. Likud members will react favorably to the
President’s speech
IES Research Conference 2009
A definition that includes the text Reading comprehension “the process
of simultaneously extracting and constructing meaning through inter- action and involvement with written language. It consists of three elements: the reader, the text, and the activity or purpose for reading.” ---p.viii, Report of Rand Reading Study Group, 2002.
IES Research Conference 2009
Building a mental model from a text
“Comprehension occurs as the reader builds a mental representation of a text message.”
----Perfetti, C. A., Landi, N., & Oakhill, J. (2005).
Mental model
Word 1
Each word is fit into mental models (multiple structures) to the extent possible
Text messages are understood (and mental models are built) word by word
Mental model
Word 2
Each word is fit into mental models (multiple structures) to the extent possible
Text messages are understood (and mental models are built) word by word
Mental model
Word 3
Each word is fit into mental models (multiple structures) to the extent possible
Text messages are understood (and mental models are built) word by word
Mental model
Word 4
Each word is fit into mental models (multiple structures) to the extent possible
Text messages are understood (and mental models are built) word by word
IES Research Conference 2009
2. Comprehensive Comprehension: More than we need for some purposes?
The complex processes of comprehension: Three non-independent aspects Processes Knowledge Strategies
IES Research Conference 2009
What are reading comprehension strategies? Reading Comprehension Strategies: Theories,
Interventions, and technologies (Danielle McNamara, Ed.) Erlbaum/ Taylor & Francis, 2007)
Many interesting chapters on comprehension strategies
Definition of reading comprehension strategy: A cognitive or behavioral action that is enacted under particular contextual conditions with the goal of improving some aspect of comprehension. Art Graesser, page 6.
IES Research Conference 2009
Comprehension Processes:Strategies
1. Making connections
2. Questioning
3. Visualizing
4. Inferring
5. Determining importance
6. Synthesizing
7. Monitoring
8. Metacognition
9. Answering questions
10. Recognizing story structure
11. Summarizing
IES Research Conference 2009
Strategies that can be taught effectively (according the NRP) NRP report (2000) identified 16
categories of text comprehension instruction; 7 concluded to have a solid scientific basis
1. Comprehension monitoring2. Cooperative learning (where children
learn reading strategies together)3. Graphic and semantic organizers4. Question answering5. Question generation6. Story structure7. Summarization
IES Research Conference 2009
A possible advantage of strategies that focus attention on what the text says?
McKeown & Beck IES study (J Ed Psych, in press)
Strategies: Predicting Summarizing Making inferences Generating questions Comprehension monitoring
Content focus: Questioning the Author Content focus produced better comprehension
IES Research Conference 2009
Frameworks for reading comprehension Caveat: frameworks vs models Grain size issues
Useful frameworks range between 3 and 20 components
Trade-offs of completeness with simplicity
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One with 4 Components: Rand Ready Study Group Report (2002):
A heuristic for thinking about reading comprehension
IES Research Conference 2009
A cognitive framework An (almost) consensual framework of
medium grain size• Perfetti, C. A. (1999). Comprehending written language: A blueprint of the
reader. In C. Brown & P. Hagoort (Eds.), The neurocognition of language (pp. 167-208). Oxford University Press.
• Perfetti, C. A., Landi, N., & Oakhill, J. (2005). The acquisition of reading comprehension skill. In M. J. Snowling & C. Hulme (Eds.), The science of reading: A handbook (pp. 227-247). Oxford: Blackwell.
Vis
ual I
nput
Linguistic and Writing System Knowledge
Linguistic SystemPhonology, Syntax, Morphology
Orthographic SystemMapping to phonology
Orthographic
Units
PhonologicalUnits
Wor
dId
enti
fica
tion
Lexicon
MeaningMorphologySyntax - argument structure - thematic roles M
ean
ing
and
For
m S
elec
tion Parser
ComprehensionProcesses
Situationmodel
Text Representation In
fere
nces
NonLinguistic (conceptual) knowledge
Perfetti (1999); Perfetti, Landi & Oakhill, 2005
Vis
ual I
nput
Linguistic and Writing System Knowledge
Linguistic SystemPhonology, Syntax, Morphology
Orthographic SystemMapping to phonology
Orthographic
Units
PhonologicalUnits
Wor
dId
enti
fica
tion
Lexicon
MeaningMorphologySyntax - argument structure - thematic roles M
ean
ing
and
For
m S
elec
tion Parser
ComprehensionProcesses
Situationmodel
Text Representation In
fere
nces
NonLinguistic (conceptual) knowledge
Perfetti (1999); Perfetti, Landi & Oakhill, 2005
Vis
ual I
nput
Linguistic and Writing System Knowledge
Linguistic SystemPhonology, Syntax, Morphology
Orthographic SystemMapping to phonology
Orthographic
Units
PhonologicalUnits
Wor
dId
enti
fica
tion
Lexicon
MeaningMorphologySyntax - argument structure - thematic roles M
ean
ing
and
For
m S
elec
tion Parser
ComprehensionProcesses
Situationmodel
Text Representation In
fere
nces
NonLinguistic (conceptual) knowledge
Control ProcessesAttention
StrategiesMonitoring
Perfetti (1999); Perfetti, Landi & Oakhill, 2005
IES Research Conference 2009
3. Simplifying frameworks
To highlight broad components that are pressure points for comprehension problems
IES Research Conference 2009
Pressure Points Processes
Word Identification Word Meaning
Selection
Sentence meaning
Text integration Successive sentences
Global Text Meaning Gist; (summaries)
Knowledge sources Word form Word meaning + local
text meaning
Word meaning + syntax
Sentence meaning +
referential word meaning All relevant knowledge
from text
IES Research Conference 2009
A focus on word meanings
Lexicon
MeaningMorphologySyntax - argument structure - thematic roles M
ean
ing
and
For
m S
elec
tion Parser
ComprehensionProcesses
Situationmodel
Text Representation
Infe
renc
es
23% below median on comprehension component but above median on lexical component
9% had the reverse pattern: Above median on Comp, below on Lexical
Lexical Component
N= 799
Scatter Plot of subjects’ normalized component scores following factor analysis and rotation
Comprehension Component
N. Landi dissertation (University. of Pittsburgh adult sample)
Word knowledge and Comprehension
Word knowledge Lexical Quality and Comprehension (Perfetti &
Hart, 2001; 2002; Perfetti 2007) General relationships between comprehension and
knowledge of both Word meaning Word form
Meaning: Word learning Skilled comprehenders (ERPs) show stronger
recognition of a word learning episode (Perfetti, Wlotko, & hart, 2005)
Meaning: Word to text integration Skilled comprehenders (ERPs) show stronger
integration of word meanings across sentences in text (Perfetti, Yang, Schmalhofer (2008)
Form: Stability of orthographic word representations
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
IES Research Conference 2009
Spelling instability in adult readers
Is this a correct spelling, yes or no?
IES Research Conference 2009
Simplification Options Processes or Knowledge
Process1. Decoding
2. Meaning selection
3. Proposition extraction
4. Mental model building
Knowledge1. Orthography2. Linguistic
Knowledge3. Word knowledge4. Nonlinguistic
(Conceptual) knowledge
Vis
ual I
nput
Linguistic and Writing System Knowledge
Linguistic SystemPhonology, Syntax, Morphology
Orthographic SystemMapping to phonology
Orthographic
Units
PhonologicalUnits
Wor
dId
enti
fica
tion
Lexicon
MeaningMorphologySyntax - argument structure - thematic roles M
ean
ing
and
For
m S
elec
tion Parser
ComprehensionProcesses
Situationmodel
Text Representation In
fere
nces
1
4
3
2
NonLinguistic (conceptual) knowledge
Vis
ual I
nput
Linguistic and Writing System Knowledge
Linguistic SystemPhonology, Syntax, Morphology
Orthographic SystemMapping to phonology
Orthographic
Units
PhonologicalUnits
Wor
dId
enti
fica
tion
Lexicon
MeaningMorphologySyntax - argument structure - thematic roles M
ean
ing
and
For
m S
elec
tion
Parser
ComprehensionProcesses
Situationmodel
Text Representation
Infe
renc
es
NonLinguistic (conceptual) knowledge
3
4
21
IES Research Conference 2009
Word Identification
Meaning Selection
Situation
ModelBuilding
Proposition Extraction
A simplified process framework of reading comprehension
Word knowledge
Conceptual knowledge
Linguistic Knowledge
A Simplified Knowledge Framework of Reading Comprehension
Word knowledge
Conceptual knowledge
Linguistic Knowledge
Attention
The Simplified Knowledge Framework of Reading Comprehension
Word knowledge
Conceptual knowledge
Linguistic Knowledge
Attention
The Simplified Knowledge Framework of Reading Comprehension
text
Word knowledge
Conceptual knowledge
Linguistic Knowledge
Text knowledge
Attention
The Simplified Knowledge Framework of Reading Comprehension
text
IES Research Conference 2009
What about spoken language?
1. Correlations of spoken and written language increase with educational levels approaching .9 in adult sample
2. Spoken language is the source of much of the relevant knowledge
IES Research Conference 2009
What about Comprehension Strategies?
They are implicit in the framework: Attention and control processes are about strategies.
The central strategy is active engagement with a text with the intention of understanding.
1. This can include comprehension monitoring, question asking, question answering, summarization, and others
IES Research Conference 2009
Engagement vs Mindless reading Engagement: The reader is motivated to
understand the text and seeks to do so. High Standard for Coherence (van den
Broek et al, 1995)
IES Research Conference 2009
Mindless reading: evidence that cognition is altered Cognitive processes partially control eye-
movements Reichle & Schooler research
Adult readers; Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. 50 chapters, 7-17 pages per chapter up to 25 lines per page. Self Paced reading. Trained to hit the Z key when they caught themselves thinking about something else
In 12-15 hours of reading, readers caught zone outs 8-36 times (ave 23)
Highly accurate in self-catching: Experimenter controlled Probes produced average of 9% additional zone out reports
IES Research Conference 2009
Mindless reading results Normal Self-caught ZO
No. of fixations 37.7 28.1
Off text fixations
0.2 2.6
Length effect + 0
Frequency effect
+ 0
IES Research Conference 2009
Attention So the framework needs attention and
control; otherwise the cognitive part doesn’t work
Comprehension monitoring is the central strategy for controlling attention
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Limitations: What complexities are needed? Knowledge must not be inert.
Support for using knowledge Complex text environments
Multiple texts Using texts for arguments and problem
solving
IES Research Conference 2009
4. Implications of Simplification:
1. The basics of comprehension1. Word knowledge
Form and meaning
2. Language knowledge 3. Conceptual knowledge4. Text knowledge5. A “habits of mind”
High standards for coherence and engagement
IES Research Conference 2009
Implications of Simplification Focus on fewer problems
But must understand the underlying complexities Hypothesize privileged pressure points
Word meaning and conceptual knowledge Engagement Others
May encourage research that leads to educational improvement
IES Research Conference 2009
Variability in word episodes: Evidence for a
pressure point Hart, B., & Risley, R. T. (1995). Meaningful differences in
the everyday experience of young American children. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
Words heard per hour
Words heard per week
Words heard per year
4 years
Welfare 616 62,000 3 million 13 million
Working Class
1,251 125,000 6 million 26 million
Professional 2,153 215,000 11 million 45 million
IES Research Conference 2009
IES Reading Initiative The Reading for Understanding Research Initiative
(Reading Initiative) is intended to support applied basic research to (a) identify underlying processes that are malleable and potential targets for intervention, (b) develop and evaluate interventions (e.g., instructional approaches, curricula, technology, teacher professional development programs) to improve reading comprehension for students in prekindergarten through Grade 12, and (c) develop and validate
assessments of reading comprehension.
IES Research Conference 2009
Simplicity is a mixed virtue
“For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.”
--H.L.Mencken
IES Research Conference 2009
An engaged reader