Gifted/Average Readers

The purpose of this research was to compare the reading processing strategies of gifted readers with those of average readers. A random sampling, stratified by sex and grade level, was taken from a population of 300 eighth-, tenth-, and twelfth-grade students. Subjects included 30 females and 30 males. Fourteen reading processing strategies were identified using think-aloud protocols as a measuring instrument. The strategies used significantly more by gifted than by average readers were rereading, inferring, anatyzing structure, watching or predicting, evaluating, and relating to content area. The strategies used significantly more by average than by gifted readers were word pronouncing concern and summarizing inaccurately.