Reading Comprehension for Students from the Third and Fourth Cycles of Basic Education

Abstract This study aimed at identifying reading comprehension of elementary school students and explore age, school year and gender related differences among the participants. The sample was composed of 240 students of both genders, with ages range between 10 and 17 years (M = 12.85; SD = 1.60), from the sixth to the ninth school year of a public school in an inner city in the state of São Paulo. An identification questionnaire and a text based activity using Cloze technique were applied collectively to students whose parents signed the informed consent. Results showed basic level of reading comprehension, among participants, far behind the expectation for their school grade level. Girls scored significantly higher when compared to boys. There was a significant increase in mean values due to the school year and the participants' ages.