The Role of Graphic Organizers and Social Structure in Content Area Instruction

This study investigated the effectiveness of three techniques for informing sixth-grade students of content area information. Students were taught content area information through either a graphic organizer strategy, a directed reading strategy, or an SQ3R strategy. Students were also taught content area information in either a group social structure or an individual, independent work structure. The results of the study suggest that the use of a graphic organizer strategy in a group social structure is more effective in facilitating comprehension of content area information than a graphic organizer strategy used in an independent structure or a directed reading strategy used in a group structure. Results of a transfer test revealed that the graphic organizer and the SQ3R strategies were more effective than the directed reading approach.