Related Experiment Videos
Using graphic organizers to attain relational knowledge from expository text.
Vonnie M DiCecco1, Mary M Gleason
1California Department of Education, Diagnostic Center-South, USA.
Journal of Learning Disabilities
|October 21, 2004
Summary
Graphic organizers (GOs) significantly improve relational knowledge for middle school students with learning disabilities (LD) when reading expository texts. While factual recall showed no difference, GOs enhanced the application of complex relationships.
Area of Science:
- Education
- Cognitive Psychology
- Special Education
Background:
- Students with learning disabilities (LD) often struggle with implicit relationships in expository texts.
- Previous research on graphic organizers (GOs) for K-12 students with LD has yielded inconclusive results.
- Existing studies often use short interventions and may not adequately assess relational knowledge acquisition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of graphic organizers (GOs) in improving relational knowledge extraction in middle school students with LD.
- To address limitations in prior GO research by employing a longer intervention period and assessing relational knowledge through written essays.
- To determine if GOs enhance the ability of students with LD to understand and apply relationships within expository texts.
Main Methods:
- A study involving middle school students with LD was conducted, comparing the use of GOs to a control group without GOs.
- The intervention period was extended to allow for more in-depth engagement with the material.
- Student attainment of relational knowledge was assessed using written essays requiring application of concepts, distinguishing it from factual recall assessments.
Main Results:
- No significant differences were found between the GO and control groups in factual knowledge acquisition, as measured by multiple-choice tests and quizzes.
- Both groups demonstrated comparable understanding of facts and concepts presented in the text.
- When assessed on relational knowledge through application-based essays, the GO group produced significantly more relational knowledge statements than the control group.
Conclusions:
- Graphic organizers (GOs) are a valuable tool for enhancing the acquisition of relational knowledge in middle school students with learning disabilities (LD) from expository texts.
- GOs appear to specifically support the understanding and application of complex relationships, rather than general factual recall.
- The findings support the targeted use of GOs to improve deeper comprehension and analytical skills in students with LD.