Main Idea Prequestions as Adjunct Aids with Good and Low-Average Middle Grade Readers

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Abstract
A technique for helping sixth-grade readers understand the main ideas of cause-effect passages was assessed. During each of three practice sessions, 48 low-average and good readers in the experimental group read a passage accompanied by written directions to read carefully and by a why prequestion and then answered main idea and literal follow-up questions. During the same sessions, 48 students in the control group were given identical directions to read carefully but did not receive prequestions. During the first of two testing sessions, each group read two passages following these same procedures. During the second testing session, the students read two additional passages, but the experimental group received only general directions like the control group. Results from the two testing sessions indicated that the why prequestions helped the low-average readers, but not the good readers, to understand main ideas and did not interfere with learning of other significant passage information.