Effect of Reading Instruction on the Geography Achievement of Ninth Grade Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of reading instruction on the achievement of ninth grade geography students. Sixty students were randomly selected and randomly assigned to two groups of thirty each. The experimental group (n=30) was instructed using teaching methods emphasizing reading skills; the control, group (n=30) was instructed using traditional methods. The geography achievement was measured using a random selection of geography questions provided by the Harcourt & Brace Company. The findings revealed that students taught geography with an emphasis on the improvement of reading skills show greater geography achievement than those students taught using traditional methods. This study therefore implies that a variety of reading methods must be incorporated in the social studies classroom to improve achievement. It was recommended that content area teachers seek ways to improve reading ability to increase the probability that geography achievement will occur.