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Durkin's eight-category scheme for classifying teachers' comprehension-related behavior

Research Method · All research methods
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description

The article develops a coding scheme distinguishing comprehension instruction—"Teacher does/says something to help children understand or work out the meaning of more than a single, isolated word"—from seven related categories: application, assignment, help with assignment, review of instruction, preparation for reading, assessment, and prediction. The definition was built after a literature search found no usable definition, and it deliberately excludes single-word work such as phonics. It was applied identically to reading and social studies periods so time use could be compared.

Accounts

  • Durkin's eight-category scheme for classifying teachers' comprehension-related behavior: The article develops a coding scheme distinguishing comprehension instruction—"Teacher does/says something to help children understand or work out the meaning of more than a single, isolated word"—from seven related categories: application, assignment, help with assignment, review of instruction, preparation for reading, assessment, and prediction. The definition was built after a literature search found no usable definition, and it deliberately excludes single-word work such as phonics. It was applied identically to reading and social studies periods so time use could be compared. (Dolores Durkin (1978))
  • Improving comprehension instruction requires first observing and timing what classrooms currently do: The article argues that reform must begin with descriptive data: "it is impossible to improve instruction until what goes on now, and with what frequency, is known." The study therefore observed middle- and upper-grade classrooms specifically to find, describe, and time comprehension instruction, and published its category definitions and directions so other researchers could replicate the observations. (Dolores Durkin (1978))

Claims

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Key Sources

  • Dolores Durkin. (1978). What Classroom Observations Reveal About Reading Comprehension Instruction. Technical Report No. 106, Center for the Study of Reading, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Page metadata
Field Value
type research-method
id durkins-eight-category-scheme-for-classifying-teachers-comprehension-related-behavior
title Durkin's eight-category scheme for classifying teachers' comprehension-related behavior
description The article develops a coding scheme distinguishing comprehension instruction—"Teacher does/says something to help children understand or work out the meaning of more than a single, isolated word"—from seven related categories: application, assignment, help with assignment, review of instruction, pr
status review
generated by process:settle-candidates on 2026-10-17
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