Adapt age-appropriate texts by shortening and simplifying them, and enrich them with pictures, objects, and vocabulary definitions during shared reading¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 4 claims (1 for, 3 mixed) · 1 study (1 quant-synthesis), q3 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The review identifies adapting age-appropriate narrative and expository texts as a first axis of intervention: researchers shortened and simplified texts in most studies, keeping key elements and rewriting at a lower reading level. Texts were also enriched with pictures, objects, repeated storylines, and definitions of important vocabulary words. The authors argue this adaptation is an important instructional component for success with students with ID.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Age-appropriate texts must be available to adapt; the review describes summarizing the original text by keeping only key elements and rewriting at a lower reading level.

Constraints¶

• In five studies researchers did not adapt the texts' content; the review presents adaptation as common practice rather than a tested isolated component.

Target Learners¶

• Students with intellectual disability, including those with moderate or severe ID

Target Learning Goals¶

• Listening comprehension of texts read aloud

Claims¶

• No single instructional strategy is a significant moderator of shared text reading effects on listening comprehension [~W]
• Shared text reading benefits students with intellectual disability whether or not they need augmentative and alternative communication systems [+W]
• Effect sizes across shared text reading studies show substantial true heterogeneity (I2 = 80.09) [~W]
• Technology use (read-aloud, response mode, or interactive instruction) does not significantly moderate shared text reading effects [~W]

Related Strategies¶

• Enable students with complex communication needs to respond nonverbally by pointing to multiple-choice answer options during shared text reading

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Rachel Sermier Dessemontet, Megan Geyer, Anne-Laure Linder, Myrto Atzemian, Catherine Martinet, Natalina Meuli, Catherine Audrin, Anne-Françoise de Chambrier. (2024). Effects of shared text reading for students with intellectual disability: A meta-analytical review of instructional strategies. Educational Research Review, 44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2024.100615