THE POOR READER: AN ANALYSIS OF READING STRATEGIES EMPLOYING THE NEWELL AND SIMON HUMAN INFORMATION PROBLEM-SOLVING PARADIGM

LOUIS JOSEPH GUINTA, Fordham University

Abstract

It was the intent of this study to identify the reading strategies employed by poor college readers when reading expository textbook material. To study this phenomenon the Newell and Simon (1972) model of information processing was used. The study was guided by the following questions: (1) What are the strategies poor readers utilize to read? (2) Do poor readers employ different reading strategies to comprehend similar reading tasks? (3) Do the different kinds of reading strategies employed by the poor reader to foster comprehension affect this process? The population used for this study consisted of 5 college freshmen attending an urban college who had attained an eighth grade equivalent score on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test, Form C, and a raw score of 20 on the reading section of the Distributive Tests of Language Skills. The procedures included an interview session followed by a session at which verbal protocols were gathered. The results of this study indicated: (1) Each student used similar kinds of strategies when reading. (2) Although the subjects used similar strategies, the pattern of usage for each subject was diverse and unique in content. (3) The pattern of strategy usage for each subject was similar for both passages. (4) Students are not good recallers of their reading strategies. Recommendations for teaching and research are included.

Subject Area

School administration

Recommended Citation

GUINTA, LOUIS JOSEPH, "THE POOR READER: AN ANALYSIS OF READING STRATEGIES EMPLOYING THE NEWELL AND SIMON HUMAN INFORMATION PROBLEM-SOLVING PARADIGM" (1985). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI8600085.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI8600085

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