Improving Middle-Grades Reading in Urban Schools: The Memphis Comprehension Framework

The authors describe a content-reading instruction scaffolding called The Memphis Comprehension Framework, which was found to be effective in significantly improving higher order comprehension skills for students in grades 4 through 6 in two major U.S. urban school districts. This model is especially potent in improving students' higher order comprehension of expository texts. But first, we focus on relevant conditions in urban centers, what we know from research about effective comprehension instruction, and how The Memphis Comprehension Framework addresses the evidence-based requirement teachers and administrators are seeking.