An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Graphic Organizers in a Social Studies Classroom

In recent years, schools have felt increased pressure to comply with standards imposed in the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) laws. In Pennsylvania, one aspect that is measured on state assessment tests is reading comprehension. In addition, current research and literature state that schools could do more to help their students comprehend what they read in class. In an attempt to find ways to improve reading comprehension, this study focuses on using "story web" graphic organizers in a ninth grade social studies classroom in rural Pennsylvania. This study examines how well students use the graphic organizers on in-class assignments and analyzes student assessment data to determine if graphic organizers improve student achievement.

Some research has shown that students cannot comprehend what they read
because they do not know how to read effectively. “Readers need to understand
the context and the structure of the text to understand the content, yet many
students ...