Developing reading comprehension: Combining visual and verbal processes

Abstract

When most children read narrative texts they actively utilise cognitive resources to comprehend by constructing appropriate mental models of story events. However, many children with poor comprehension experience difficulties due to an inability to appropriately direct attention and to effectively use the resources of working memory. As a result, their ability to construct integrated mental models of story content may be impaired. However, their reading comprehension performance can be improved when they are taught inferential reading comprehension strategies involving both verbal and visual processes to facilitate more elaborated mental modeling of narrative texts. This article discusses how such strategies can be implemented and consolidated using a metacognitive focus within a flexible multiple-strategy framework.