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Discussion-Based Approaches to Developing Understanding: Classroom Instruction and Student Performance in Middle and High School English
Arthur N. Applebee & Judith A. Langer
University at Albany
Martin Nystrand & Adam Gamoran
University of Wisconsin, Madison
American Educational Research Journal Fall 2003, Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 685-730
Abstract: This study examines the relationships between student literacy performance and discussion-based approaches to the development of understanding in 64 middle and high school English classrooms. A series of hierarchical linear models indicated that discussion-based approaches were significantly related to spring performance, controlling for fall performance and other background variables. These approaches were effective across a range of situations and for low-achieving as well as high-achieving students, although interpretations are complicated because instruction is unequally distributed across tracks. Overall, the results suggest that students whose classroom literacy experiences emphasize discussion-based approaches in the context of high academic demands internalize the knowledge and skills necessary to engage in challenging literacy tasks on their own.
American Educational Research Journalis a publication of the American Educational Research Association and is available in print only. Consult with a local librarian for help in obtaining the article.
For an additional summary of the paper, see “ Discussion in Class Found To Boost Students' Literacy” (Education Week, November 26, 2003).
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