The Effects of Activating Background Knowledge Using Concept Mastery Routine on Inference Performance of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
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2016-05-05
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Masters of Education
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of activating background knowledge using a Concept Mastery Routine (CMR) graphic organizer in order to improve inference performance in students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when reading narrative texts. The measurement tool for this study was implicit comprehension questions from the 4th and 5th editions of the Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI). The two students in the study received alternating baseline and treatment conditions in an ABABAB design. Baseline conditions, A, involved answering background knowledge questions, reading a narrative text from the QRI, and answering a set of implicit and explicit comprehension questions. Treatment conditions, B, involved the same sequence; however, the CMR template was also used prior to reading. The CMR topics focused on building background knowledge on a social concept based on the text. Inference performance was measured by obtaining the percentage of implicit questions correct for each passage. While results indicated that there were no significant trends in the data across both participants, smaller indicative trends were evident within each participant. Results were suggestive that CMR may have a positive impact on building background and making inferences on texts where background knowledge is limited initially. Additionally, results were indicative that CMR may have more of an influence on texts that are at more challenging levels for readers. Further research should continue to be implemented on reading strategies that incorporate background knowledge in order to assist students with ASD in obtaining the necessary reading skills to be successful throughout their education.