Abstract

iSTART-E is a web-based intelligent tutor developed for Spanish-speaking students to improve their reading comprehension through self-explanation strategy training. This study examined the effects of a blended comprehension strategy intervention on students’ reading comprehension skill. Chilean high school students (n = 22) completed nine iSTART-E sessions and a face-toface classroom lesson that included integrative video and additional examples of selfexplanation. Survey data indicated that students thought that iSTART-E was useful and that they had improved their reading skills. Critically, this was supported by objective assessment— students’ standardized reading comprehension test (Lectum) performance improved from pretraining to post-training. These findings demonstrate promise for the use of iSTART-E as a computer-supported learning environment for Spanish readers.