Reading Comprehension Strategies: An International Comparison of Teacher Preferences

Abstract

In response to international concern over poor reading skills among adolescent learners, teachers of these students are encouraged to integrate reading comprehension instruction into their classrooms. To increase the likelihood that reading comprehension strategies are effectively used in schools, teachers in all content areas need extensive practice using targeted strategies that are viewed as beneficial in regard to their particular area of expertise. To better understand what strategies are viewed as beneficial in different content areas, two teacher educators investigated the preferred reading comprehension strategies of teacher-candidates in Germany and the United States of America in regard to a variety of different contexts. Using a survey to collect both quantitative and qualitative data, the researchers were able to identify common preferences among participants from both countries. While supporting the reported benefits of teaching reading comprehension strategies, the results of the study also suggested that some of these strategies are better suited to specific content area instruction than others.