CALI (Content-Area Literacy Instruction)

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Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 causal), q3 · 1 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description

CALI is an individualized K–4 content-area literacy curriculum developed by Dombek et al. that integrates science and social studies learning into the literacy block through leveled texts, graphic organizers, notebooks, research, discussion, and application activities.

Components

• CALI logic model adapted from DIME and lattice models: improving science and social studies knowledge should improve reading comprehension directly and indirectly through vocabulary and oral comprehension.: The article's logic model (Figure 1) adapts the DIME model (Cromley & Azevedo, 2007) and the lattice model of reading for understanding. It proposes that "proficient reading comprehension is supported by decoding and word reading, semantic skills, and background/academic knowledge," and that academic knowledge theoretically improves strategy use, inferencing, and connections. The authors conjectured that improving science and social studies knowledge through CALI should improve reading comprehension directly as well as indirectly through stronger vocabulary and oral comprehension, in a reciprocal loop supporting proficient reading for understanding. (Dombek et al. (2017))

Claims

• CALI significantly improves social studies knowledge (g = 2.27) and science knowledge (g = 2.10) in K-4 students compared to business-as-usual control. [+M]
• CALI shows some evidence of improving oral and reading comprehension skills (d = .125) without opportunity cost to reading gains. [+M]

Related Products and Programmes

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Key Sources

• Dombek, J., Crowe, E. C., Spencer, M., Tighe, E. L., Coffinger, S., Zargar, E., Wood, T., Petscher, Y., & Connor, C. M. (2017). Acquiring Science and Social Studies Knowledge in Kindergarten Through Fourth Grade: Conceptualization, Design, Implementation, and Efficacy Testing of Content-Area Literacy Instruction (CALI). Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(3), 301-320. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000128

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	product
id	cali-content-area-literacy-instruction
aliases	content-area-literacy-instruction-cali
title	CALI (Content-Area Literacy Instruction)
description	CALI is an individualized K–4 content-area literacy curriculum developed by Dombek et al.
status	review
product_kind	curriculum
generated	by process:settle-candidates on 2026-10-24
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content

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