Effects of a Summarizing Strategy on Written Summaries of Children With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Abstract

In this single-subject study, we examined the effects of a summarizing strategy on the written summaries of children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs). Six students with EBDs in fifth and sixth grades learned a mnemonic-based strategy for summarizing taught through the self-regulated strategy development (SRSD) approach. Visual analyses were conducted, along with estimated effect sizes using quantitative methods at both the individual level and across cases. Visual analyses revealed evidence for a functional relation between the treatment program and quality points. Quantitatively, very large effects were noted for all six students. Anecdotal evidence suggested the students understood the purpose of the strategy and could independently recall the steps of the mnemonic by the end of the intervention. Results suggest that the strategy has the potential to improve the summary writing skills of students with EBDs. Limitations and future directions are discussed.