The effects of a Cognitive Mapping Strategy on the Literal and Inferential Comprehension of Students with Mild Disabilities

Abstract

This study examined the effects of a cognitive mapping strategy on the literal and inferential reading comprehension of students with mild disabilities — learning disabilities (LD) and educable mental retardation (EMR). Thirty students with mild disabilities who exhibited poor reading comprehension, as evidenced by low reading comprehension scores on standardized tests, were matched on three variables (disability, grade, and reading achievement) and assigned to either an experimental or a control group. Through a strategy format, students in the experimental group were taught to independently create cognitive maps from reading passages. Students who were taught the cognitive mapping strategy demonstrated substantial gains in both literal and inferential comprehension measures with below-grade level reading passages as well as on-grade level reading passages. The limitations of the research and implications of this strategy for classroom application are discussed.