The Effects of Read-Alouds of Expository Text on First Graders' Listening Comprehension and Book Choice

The researchers investigated the effects of listening to expository text on the listening comprehension and book choice of 77 first-grade students. Two intact classes of experimental children heard expository read-alouds over four weeks while two intact classes of 40 controls received no intervention and followed their teacher's normal read-aloud schedule. Results indicated that both groups significantly preferred expository text compared to narrative before as well as after the intervention even though participants in the control groups heard narration almost exclusively during routine classroom read-alouds. Additionally, a MANOVA revealed a significant increase in expository listening comprehension of the experimental groups although they scored significantly higher on narration during pretesting. This suggests that exposure to expository texts in the early grades helps prepare young children for the informational, expository reading required in later grades.