Fostering reading comprehension in fifth grade by explicit instruction in reading strategies and peer tutoring

Background. Research reveals that explicit reading strategies instruction and engaging students in interaction about texts promote students' reading comprehension ability. The present intervention study combines both aspects. Aims. The study examines the educational benefits of explicit reading strategies instruction, followed by practice in (a) teacher-led whole-class activities (STRAT), (b) reciprocal same-age (STRAT + SA), or (c) cross-age peer tutoring activities (STRAT + CA) on fifth graders' reading comprehension achievement. Sample. Twenty-two fifth-grade teachers and their 454 students from 19 different schools throughout Flanders (Belgium) participated. Method. A quasi-experimental pretest post-test retention test design was used with three experimental (STRAT, STRAT + SA, and STRAT + CA) and a matched control group. The experimental interventions were implemented during an entire school year. Results. Multilevel analysis revealed that the STRAT and STRAT + CA condition made a significantly larger pretest to retention test progress than the control group. The significant major progress was especially situated from pretest to post-test, during which the intervention took place. Concerning the STRAT + SA condition no significant differences with regard to the control group were detected. Pairwise comparisons of the experimental conditions indicated that the STRAT + CA condition's progress from pretest to retention test also exceeded the STRAT + SA condition's advancement significantly. Conclusion. The study corroborated the efficacy of the STRAT and STRAT + CA conditions' interventions as feasible tools to enhance fifth graders' reading comprehension achievement.