The Validity of Using a Content-Specific Reading Comprehension Test for College Placement

What is so special about mathematical texts? Analyses of common claims in research literature and of properties of textbooks

“…McKenna and Robinson (1990) present a framework where they define content literacy as consisting of three components: general literacy skills, content-specific literacy skills, and prior knowledge of content. Similar divisions are made by, for example, Behrman and Street (2005). In many research publications it is stated that reading mathematics demands a specific type of reading ability (e.g., Burton & Morgan, 2000;Fuentes, 1998;Shanahan & Shanahan, 2008), that is, that students need to develop content-specific literacy skills in mathematics.…”

“…In many research publications it is stated that reading mathematics demands a specific type of reading ability (e.g., Burton & Morgan, 2000;Fuentes, 1998;Shanahan & Shanahan, 2008), that is, that students need to develop content-specific literacy skills in mathematics. Existing empirical studies of students' reading comprehension mainly produce evidence of general literacy skills, in particular through strong or moderate correlations between different tests of reading comprehension: between social studies and general reading comprehension (r=0.79) (Artley, 1943); between reading comprehension in an anatomy course and general reading ability (r=0.72) (Behrman & Street, 2005); and between reading comprehension for a mathematics text and a history text (r=0.47) (Österholm, 2006).…”

Extending research on the validity of brief reading comprehension rate and level measures to college course success.

“…Several measures predict success in college courses, including measures of critical thinking, generic vocabulary, background knowledge, and reading comprehension (Behrman & Street, 2005; Jackson, 2005; Williams & Eggert, 2002; Williams, Oliver, Allin, Winn, & Booher, 2003a; Williams, Oliver, Allin, Winn, & Booher, 2003b; Williams, Oliver, & Stockdale, 2004; Williams & Worth, 2002). Not all course activities require high-level critical thinking, an advanced vocabulary, or background knowledge, but virtually all course activities require student reading of course material (Behrman & Street, 2005). Thus, the current study focused on reading comprehension measures as predictors of success in a large undergraduate course.…”