ComprehensionComprehension

Think~ Pair~ ShareThink~ Pair~ Share

Think for one minute what good readers Think for one minute what good readers do.do.

Turn to the person on your left and shareTurn to the person on your left and share

Things Good Readers DoThings Good Readers Do Ask questionsAsk questions Make inferencesMake inferences Make connections and activate prior knowledgeMake connections and activate prior knowledge Determine most important ideasDetermine most important ideas Create visual images (Have a movie in their heads)Create visual images (Have a movie in their heads) Synthesize and summarizeSynthesize and summarize Use fix up strategiesUse fix up strategies Monitor their comprehensionMonitor their comprehension

Mosaic of Thought: Teaching Comprehension in a ReaderMosaic of Thought: Teaching Comprehension in a Reader’s ’s Workshop by E. Keene and S. ZimmermanWorkshop by E. Keene and S. Zimmerman

““Teachers love to spend time assessing Teachers love to spend time assessing their students’ comprehension of a text. their students’ comprehension of a text. However, very few teachers actually However, very few teachers actually spend time spend time teachingteaching their students their students HOWHOW to comprehend that text.:to comprehend that text.:When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can

Do Do by Kylene Beersby Kylene Beers

National Reading Panel’s National Reading Panel’s Set of Research-Validated Set of Research-Validated

Strategies 2002Strategies 2002 Mental ImageryMental Imagery Comprehension MonitoringComprehension Monitoring Cooperative LearningCooperative Learning Graphic OrganizersGraphic Organizers Story StructureStory Structure Question Generation and AnsweringQuestion Generation and Answering SummarizationSummarization

Marzano, Pickering and Marzano, Pickering and Pollock 2001Pollock 2001

Identifying similarities and differencesIdentifying similarities and differences Constructing nonlinguistic Constructing nonlinguistic

representationsrepresentations Generating and testing hypothesesGenerating and testing hypotheses

ComprehensionComprehensionGrades K-5Grades K-5

Reading comprehension is best facilitated by Reading comprehension is best facilitated by systematically teaching students a variety of techniques systematically teaching students a variety of techniques and systematic strategies to assist in the following:and systematic strategies to assist in the following: Recall informationRecall information Question generationQuestion generation Answer questionsAnswer questions Summarize informationSummarize information Sequence eventsSequence events Learn new vocabularyLearn new vocabulary Monitor their comprehensionMonitor their comprehension Recognize story structureRecognize story structure Organize information using graphic organizersOrganize information using graphic organizers

Research Says…Research Says… Monitor as they are readingMonitor as they are reading Create mental imagesCreate mental images Determine what is importantDetermine what is important Infer while readingInfer while reading SynthesizeSynthesize Make connectionsMake connections

Text to selfText to self Text to textText to text Text to worldText to world

Pressley and Wharton-Pressley and Wharton-McDonald 2002McDonald 2002

Transactional strategiesTransactional strategies Responding to text based on prior Responding to text based on prior

knowledgeknowledge Interpreting textInterpreting text

ImageryImagery

Read aloud-easiest strategyRead aloud-easiest strategy When reading to students ask them to make When reading to students ask them to make

a movie in their heads while listening. a movie in their heads while listening. Pictures, smells, sounds and feelings. From Pictures, smells, sounds and feelings. From time to time stop and share your images. time to time stop and share your images. If reading a picture book don’t show the If reading a picture book don’t show the

illustrations. Then talk about it.illustrations. Then talk about it.

Sketch to Stretch- HoytSketch to Stretch- Hoyt Share with small group, asks students to Share with small group, asks students to

interpret, question and comment on their picture.interpret, question and comment on their picture.

Compare and ContrastCompare and Contrast Good readers compare and contrast all the Good readers compare and contrast all the

time. We use it often without thinking about time. We use it often without thinking about it. We use analogy or metaphorical it. We use analogy or metaphorical relationships with something we want others relationships with something we want others to learn and then through comparing and to learn and then through comparing and contrasting what is new and what they contrasting what is new and what they already know. It leads to deeper already know. It leads to deeper understanding.understanding.

Making ConnectionsMaking ConnectionsHarvey and Goudvis 2000 Harvey and Goudvis 2000 Strategies That Work Strategies That Work

Text-to-Self (TS)Text-to-Self (TS) Something that reminds you of some Something that reminds you of some

personal experience or memory. When a personal experience or memory. When a student reflects on how this experience student reflects on how this experience relates to something in their own lives they relates to something in their own lives they are then moving to a deeper level of are then moving to a deeper level of understanding.understanding. The best way to teach this is to model it in a read The best way to teach this is to model it in a read

aloud. Then after several modeling events ask aloud. Then after several modeling events ask students to share their connections until they can students to share their connections until they can do it on their own.do it on their own.

Text-to-Text (TT)Text-to-Text (TT) This is when reading and a character, This is when reading and a character,

setting, event or problem reminds you of setting, event or problem reminds you of another book you have read.another book you have read. Model and practice what makes a good Model and practice what makes a good

connection. Compare and Contrast using connection. Compare and Contrast using graphic organizers Venn Diagram works well graphic organizers Venn Diagram works well here. Any comparison chart works.here. Any comparison chart works.

Text-to-World (TW)Text-to-World (TW) Often this strategy is something students Often this strategy is something students

have not personally experienced or read have not personally experienced or read but something they know through and but something they know through and very dependent on background and prior very dependent on background and prior knowledge.knowledge. Sometimes more general in nature based on Sometimes more general in nature based on

other readings or other people sharing other readings or other people sharing experiences.experiences.

If students do not have many background If students do not have many background experiences this can be very difficult and this experiences this can be very difficult and this really limits students to compare and really limits students to compare and contrast.contrast.

Read Aloud TipsRead Aloud Tips Teach Listening SkillsTeach Listening Skills Practice, reading aloud it does not come Practice, reading aloud it does not come

naturally to everyone. Use inflections, naturally to everyone. Use inflections, expression and volume to create mood. expression and volume to create mood. Most common mistake is reading too fast Most common mistake is reading too fast and students do not have time to run that and students do not have time to run that movies in their heads.movies in their heads.

Select both fiction and nonfiction books Select both fiction and nonfiction books keeping students interests in mind. Keep it keeping students interests in mind. Keep it exciting.exciting.

Comprehension Comprehension FrameworkFramework

Before Reading:Before Reading: Set a purpose for reading.Set a purpose for reading. Preview the text to:Preview the text to:

Activate and build background knowledgeActivate and build background knowledge Introduce vocabularyIntroduce vocabulary Make predictionsMake predictions

Comprehension Comprehension Framework (continued)Framework (continued)

During Reading:During Reading: Stop for reactions, comments, and predictions.Stop for reactions, comments, and predictions.

After Reading:After Reading: Help your students:Help your students:

Determine important ideas and summarize.Determine important ideas and summarize. Draw conclusions and make inferences.Draw conclusions and make inferences. Focus on story structure and themes.Focus on story structure and themes.

Comprehension Comprehension StrategiesStrategies

Think AloudThink Aloud Begin reading a passage aloud while your Begin reading a passage aloud while your

children listen or follow along. When you children listen or follow along. When you come to a trouble spot, stop and think come to a trouble spot, stop and think through it aloud while they listen to what you through it aloud while they listen to what you have to offer.have to offer.

Comprehension Comprehension StrategiesStrategies

Listening Thinking ActivityListening Thinking Activity Preview the text and make predictions Preview the text and make predictions

based on the title. As you read aloud stop based on the title. As you read aloud stop and think out loud making connections or and think out loud making connections or changing predictions.changing predictions.

Just Right BooksJust Right Books

The availability of The availability of appropriateappropriate reading reading materials greatly impacts children’s materials greatly impacts children’s literacy development. The more books literacy development. The more books the better the reading achievement. the better the reading achievement. (Routman 2002)(Routman 2002)

Students need texts that they can read Students need texts that they can read accurately, fluently, and with good accurately, fluently, and with good comprehension (Allington 2005 & 2007)comprehension (Allington 2005 & 2007)

What Do I Want To What Do I Want To Learn?Learn?

Our last meeting - October- What Date?Our last meeting - October- What Date? What do you want to learn more about?What do you want to learn more about?

More from one of the “Big Five” PillarsMore from one of the “Big Five” Pillars Guided ReadingGuided Reading Independent ReadingIndependent Reading ??????????????