Teacher Read-Alouds at 2nd Grade, with and without Student Companion Texts: Unexpected Findings

Using an experimental research design, this project investigated the effects of teacher read-alouds when students did, and did not, have access to companion texts. Based on Connectionist theory, the researchers hypothesized that students in the Companion Text group would outperform students in the Listen Only group on the three examined variables: reading achievement gains, vocabulary scores, and comprehension scores. Twenty, Caucasian second graders from a NJ suburban classroom were randomly assigned to one of the two conditions. The IRI (Burns & Roe, 2002) was used as a pre-and post-test to measure reading achievement gains during the intervention. Additionally, teacher-made comprehension tests and vocabulary were administered for all texts. Students listened to teacher read-alouds for fifteen minutes a day, three times a week, for 12 weeks. All students simultaneously heard the teacher read-aloud, although students in the Companion Text condition sat on one side of the classroom rug while students in the Listen Only condition sat on the other. Results of independent t-tests indicated that students in the Listen Only group had significantly greater reading achievement gains following the 12-week intervention than students in the Companion Text group. Analyses of the comprehension and vocabulary measures did not reveal significant differences between the conditions. Results did not support the hypothesis and suggest that, for young children, companion texts during read-alouds may interfere with, rather than facilitate, reading achievement. Further investigation of this phenomenon is warranted as contradicting results have been reported at upper grade levels.