Research on Think-Aloud Strategies

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Research on the use of think-alouds is rich and varied. Think-alouds, also known as "protocols," have been widely used to study expertise and problem-solving in physics, medicine, chess, math, reading, and many other domains.

A nice review of this kind of research, which also makes a case for the transactional and meaning-constructive nature of reading, is Pressley and Afflerbach's Verbal Protocols of Reading: The Nature of Constructively Responsive Reading ( Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum).

Though there is a wide research base on the effect of drama-in-education strategies (also known as action strategies) (see Wagner, 1998, Educational Drama and Language Arts, Heinemann for a nice review), there has been relatively little work on how action strategies can support students in mastering new strategies of reading comprehension and engagement. Readers interested in such research will find You Gotta BE the Book, Wilhelm, 1997, Teachers College Press and Imagining to Learn: Inquiry, Ethics, and Integration Through Drama, Wilhelm and Edmiston, Heinemann, 1998, to be two books of primary research on this topic that also describe how teachers can usefully use drama/action strategies to these ends. Both books provide good reviews of further research into the uses of classroom drama.

Resources for Think-Alouds
Use these resources to get started with think-aloud reading with your class.

Guidelines and Student Handouts for Implementing Read-Aloud Strategies in Your Class
A collection of guidelines, checklists, and assessment tools to start think-aloud strategies with your students.

Understanding Reading Comprehension
What you need to know about reading comprehension.

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