FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

What instructional strategy aims to improve reading comprehension through summarizing and questioning?

1. Simulations

2. Reciprocal teaching

3. Project-based learning

4. Discovery learning

The correct answer is: Reciprocal teaching

Reciprocal teaching is an instructional strategy designed to enhance reading comprehension by encouraging students to engage actively with the text through specific practices such as summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting. This method allows students to take turns leading group discussions about a text, which fosters a deeper understanding of the material. Summarizing helps students identify the main ideas and key concepts, while questioning encourages them to think critically about what they read. When students practice these skills in a cooperative setting, they not only solidify their own understanding but also learn from their peers. This strategy is particularly effective in developing higher-order thinking skills and making students more aware of their reading processes. In contrast, other instructional strategies listed, such as simulations, project-based learning, and discovery learning, focus on different aspects of learning. They may involve collaborative projects or hands-on activities, but they do not specifically target the improvement of reading comprehension through summarization and questioning in the same structured manner as reciprocal teaching.