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Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text | The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk

Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text

Overview

MCPER has partnered with the University of Houston, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Texas A&M University, and Florida State University to improve the reading comprehension of students in grades 7 through 12.

The focused program of research of the project, Promoting Adolescents’ Comprehension of Text (PACT), is designed to answer key questions about the role of cognitive processes, motivation, engagement, and components of interventions to improve reading comprehension. During 5 years, the project will conduct a series of integrated research studies with the following overarching aims:

  • Improve the knowledge of cognitive processes associated with reading comprehension to identify malleable processes that may be targets for intervention
  • Provide knowledge about the role of engagement and motivation in enhancing reading comprehension outcomes
  • Integrate and apply the findings from these studies and the empirical bases to develop and test the efficacy of interventions for students with reading comprehension difficulties in grades 7 through 12

 

 

Scope of Work

Lessons and Support Materials

Social Studies Lessons, 11th Grade

Social Studies Videos

Social Studies Podcasts

English Language Arts Intervention

Inference Instruction to Support Reading Comprehension

Striving for Oral Language Achievement in Reading

Outcomes

In a Single Study Review of Improving Reading Comprehension and Social Studies Knowledge in Middle School (linked below), the WWC found that the study "meets WWC evidence standards without reservation," adding that it is a "well-implemented randomized controlled trial."

Findings (Publications and Presentations)

Project Design

Participants

​Students with and without reading comprehension difficulties in grades 7 through 12

Additional PACT materials

PACT Downloads Login

Contact Information

Letty Martinez
Project Director
lettyrmartinez@austin.utexas.edu

Principal Investigators

  • Sharon Vaughn
  • Elizabeth Swanson

Funding Agency

Timeline

  • 2010 to 2015

Sites

  • Middle schools and high schools in Texas and Florida

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Site last updated on October 30, 2023.