Reading Comprehension for Nonfiction Versus Fiction Books

The Accelerated Reader software, according to this study, offers computerized comprehension quizzes of real books individually chosen by children, giving children (and teachers, librarians, and parents) feedback on performance. Children can also express preferences for books they enjoy. Quizzes taken by 150,220 children in 967 schools are reported. Considering highly preferred books, children were reading very difficult books with a high degree of success. Non-fiction books were not read or understood as carefully as fiction books. Implications for future research and practice are outlined as well.

Topping, K. J. (2014). Fiction and non-fiction reading and comprehension in preferred books. Reading Psychology, 36(4), 350-387. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2013.865692

Research on Common Core standards impact on education

Teaching and learning has changed significantly under the Common Core State Standards, according to a study of five states. Math teachers, for example, are focusing more on real-world applications and conceptual understanding, and English teachers are exposing students to more nonfiction.
Kane, T. et al.  (2016). Teaching higher. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Center for Education Policy Research.
http://cepr.harvard.edu/files/cepr/files/teaching-higher-report.pdf

Research on the value of fictoin

Mar and Rain (2015) reported on four different studies in which university students were asked how much fiction and nonfiction they read and also took an author recognition test for fiction and nonfiction reading material.  Results were similar for both measures: The amount of fiction read was a consistent (but modest) predictor of various measures of verbal ability, including a test of synonyms (vocabulary) and reading comprehension.

The amount of nonfiction read was a consistently weaker predictor of verbal ability.

 

Mar, R. and Rain, M. 2015.  Narrative fiction and expository nonfiction differentially predict verbal ability. Scientific Studies of Reading 19: 419-433

 

Krashen, S. 2015. The great fiction/nonfiction Debate (with the title Fact or Fiction: The Plot Thickens). Language Magazine, November.

http://languagemagazine.com/?page_id=124655

Common Core impact study

Test scores vary little between states using Common Core State Standards and those not using the standards, according to a recent report Data show Common Core is changing instruction, with 45% of teachers emphasizing nonfiction in 2015, up from 38% in 2011. Principals are most likely to influence instruction by developing and setting educational goals for their schools.
Brown Center on Education Policy. (2016). Brown Center report on American education. Washington, DC: Brookings Institute.
http://www.brookings.edu/research/reports2/2016/03/24-brown-center-report-loveless

Student independent reading report

Students generally do not select challenging nonfiction for independent reading, according to a recent report. While students' selection of nonfiction has increased by 5%, the number still is below recommendations in the Common Core State Standards.  Findings also indicated that reading peaked at 6th grade, and that girls outread boys.
The study is based on Accelerated Reader data.
Renaissance Learning. (2014). What Kids Are Reading. Wisconsin Rapid, WI: Renaissance Learning.
http://doc.renlearn.com/KMNet/R004101202GH426A.pdf