Third graders' strategy use and accuracy on an expository text: an exploratory study using eye movements. (5th July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tremblay, Kathryn A.; Binder, Katherine S.; Ardoin, Scott P.; Talwar, Amani; Tighe, Elizabeth L.
• Is Part Of: Journal of research in reading. Volume 44:Number 4(2021)
• Page Start: 737
• Page End: 756
• Publication Date: 2021-07-05
• Subjects: compensatory reading strategies -- eye movements -- multiple‐choice questions -- reading comprehension -- response accuracy; Reading -- Research -- Periodicals; Reading -- Periodicals; 418.4
• DOI: 10.1111/1467-9817.12369
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0141-0423

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Of the myriad of reading comprehension (RC) assessments used in schools, multiple‐choice (MC) questions continue to be one of the most prevalent formats used by educators and researchers. Outcomes from RC assessments dictate many critical factors encountered during a student's academic career, and it is crucial that we gain a deeper understanding of the nuances of these assessments and the types of skills needed for their successful completion. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine how different component skills (i.e., decoding, word recognition, reading fluency, RC and working memory) were related to students' response accuracy as they read a text and responded to MC questions. Methods: We monitored the eye movements of 73 third graders as they read an expository text and answered MC questions. We investigated whether the component skills differentially predicted accuracy across different question types and difficulty levels. Results: Results indicated that readers who answered MC questions correctly were able to identify when they needed to reread the text to find the answer and were better able to find the relevant area in the text compared with incorrect responders. Incorrect responders were less likely to reread the text to find the answer and generally had poorer precision when attempting to locate the answer in the text. Finally, the component skills relied upon by readers to answer RC questions were related to the type and difficulty of the questions. Conclusions: Results of the present study suggest that comprehension difficulties can arise from a myriad of sources and that reading abilities together with test‐taking strategies impact RC test outcomes. Highlights: What is already known about this topic Reading comprehension is a multifaceted concept containing lower‐level and higher‐level component skills. Reading comprehension assessments, and particularly those in the multiple‐choice format, have a long history of debate throughout the literature as to their accuracy, reliability and what they are truly measuring. The majority of existing research related to test‐taking relies on self‐report or other unnatural methods of observation (e.g., 'point to where you are reading'). Despite the increase in popularity in eye‐tracking methodology, we are unaware of any published studies examining online reading behaviour and accuracy on multiple‐choice questions. What this paper adds The data presented were collected as part of a larger project in which eye movement data were collected from third, fifth and eighth graders as they read passages of varying genre and length and responded to multiple‐choice questions. An initial review of the data from the larger study showed a uniquely low accuracy rate of only about 50% for one specific third‐grade expository text, thus providing us with an opportunity to examine the behaviours of readers when they answered a question correctly versus when they answered the question incorrectly. Although exploratory, we found these data compelling, and through examination of eye movements, we were able to more deeply explore differences between correct and incorrect responders on this expository text. We found that many factors influence success on multiple‐choice reading comprehension assessments. Specifically, lower‐level components, such as word recognition, higher‐level components, such as working memory, and the type and difficulty level of the questions all affect student performance and interact in different ways. Readers who answered multiple‐choice questions correctly were better able to identify when they needed to reread the text to find the answer, as well as being more efficient and precise in locating the question‐relevant area, as compared with incorrect responders. Implications for theory, policy or practice It is likely the case that others encounter item‐specific or passage‐specific nuances during reading comprehension assessments in which eye movement behaviours can provide more detail. These results will help inform future avenues of research, as well as the designing and validating of reading comprehension assessments. Explicit instruction and opportunities for practice in the classroom are critical to teach students how to effectively utilise compensatory reading strategies (e.g., rereading the text) and develop the comprehension skills necessary to succeed on reading comprehension assessments.