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A comparative analysis of comprehension questions in three California state-adopted Spanish and English basal readers

Author

Ana Maria Bonilla, University of the Pacific

Date of Award

1988

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Education

First Advisor

R. Ann Finck

First Committee Member

Durlynn Anema

Second Committee Member

David Baral

Third Committee Member

Gayle Woolley

Fourth Committee Member

Stephen Weisgerber

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if there was a variation in the number of questions within a given taxonomy level between parallel Spanish and English basal readers at primary grade levels. A secondary purpose was to determine if questions in parallel Spanish and English series, that extended to fourth grade, facilitated the transition from the Spanish to the English reader. Specifically, the tasks to be accomplished in the study were: (1) to classify reading questions contained in California state-adopted parallel Spanish and English basal readers utilizing Barrett's Taxonomy, (2) to determine the number of questions each level of the taxonomy contained, (3) to determine if the number of questions within each level of the taxonomy differed by reading series among grade levels and between languages, and (4) to ascertain the readability level of each reader utilized in this study. Three California state-adopted parallel Spanish and English basal series were selected. A total of 114 lesson plans: fifty-four from the Spanish series and sixty from the English series, were selected. A total of 5,797 reading comprehension questions were classified according to the four major divisions of the Barrett Taxonomy. Chi Square values revealed that differences do exist on the number of questions assigned to each taxonomy level among the three basal series in both languages. Chi Square values also revealed that differences do exist on the number of questions assigned to each taxonomy level between the basal series at the first, second, and third grade level. At all grade levels, and in both languages, literal level questions were highest in frequency and percentage, followed by inference, evaluation, and appreciation level questions respectively. These findings seem to indicate that there is a tendency among basal readers, to emphasize questions which require literal comprehension more than critical interpretation. Differences were also found in the readability level between the Spanish and English text at each grade level. All readers, with the exception of the first grade English readers, were above the stated reading level and in most cases the readability level of the Spanish readers was higher than that of the English readers.

Pages

153

Recommended Citation

Bonilla, Ana Maria. (1988). A comparative analysis of comprehension questions in three California state-adopted Spanish and English basal readers. University of the Pacific, Dissertation. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/3205