Teaching Reading

Comprehension

Strategiesby B. J. Zagorac, M.A., M.Ed.

Workshop Outline

• Anticipation Guide

• Introductions & Workshop Goals

• Presentation on Teaching Comprehension Strategies

• Discussion– Teacher Application of Strategies

• Concluding Remarks & Review Anticipation Guide

• End-of-Workshop Survey

Anticipation Guide• Please take a minute or so to fill out

the Anticipation Guide. We will review

your responses together at the end of

the workshop to see how your

thinking has changed.

Major Goals of Workshop• Learn and apply the 3 different types of

knowledge needed to teach reading

comprehension strategies.

• Learn specific information about 2 reading

strategies from Ellen Oliver Keene’s 7

Essential Reading Strategies.

• Learn and apply present research on teaching

reading comprehension strategies to the

classroom setting.

The Need for Strategy Instruction

• Comprehension is at the heart of the entire

reading process.

• Many children are unaware of how to use

strategies and apply them consistently during

reading.

• NAEP Data indicates that about 1/3 of fourth

graders read below even the basic level,

which is defined as the ability to read and

understand directions on homework( National Center for Education Statistics, 2012)

The 7 Key Comprehension Strategies

• Keene (2010) and McLaughlin (2012)

recommend teaching these key strategies:

– Monitoring for meaning

– Using schema (background

knowledge/experiences)

– Making inferences

– Asking questions

– Creating images in the mind

– Determining importance

– Synthesizing information

2 Strategies of Focus• Asking Questions

– Good readers continuously ask themselves

questions about what they are reading.

– Self-questioning sets a focus for certain concepts

within the text and can even help readers monitor

their understanding.

• Creating Mental Images

- Good readers create pictures in their minds based

on what their reading.

- Images could include sense of sight, smell, taste,

touch, and sound.

The 3 Types of Knowledge• To effectively use a reading strategy, the reader

must possess 3 distinct forms of knowledge

(Almasi & Fullerton, 2012):1. Declarative Knowledge: Reader knows of the strategy

and is able to describe it in the context of the reading

task.

2. Procedural Knowledge: Reader knows how to perform

or use the reading strategy. This might involve certain

steps for using the strategy.

3. Conditional Knowledge: Reader knows when and why

to use the strategy.

• This type of knowledge is very important as this is when

the reader knows the strategy would be useful.

• Teacher modeling should be extensive in this area.

Strategies in Action

• Example from story book (Demonstration)

– I love You the Purplest by Barbara Joosse

• Creating Mental Images - use of sensory images to

create a picture in the reader’s mind (pp. 3-4)

• Asking Questions – using information in story to help

the reader formulate a good question (pp. 13-14)

• Each reading strategy will be demonstrated with the

types of knowledge a reader must have: declarative,

procedural, and conditional.

Important Note: Students may not be able to apply reading

strategies independently after only modeling for them a few

times. Multiple lessons modeling strategies are necessary

with most younger students. A gradual release of

responsibility model is appropriate.

Think & Share• Everyone will receive a children’s book with a

specific place marked with a recommended

reading strategy to use.

• Think about how you would teach that strategy to

your students using the 3 types of knowledge we

discussed.

• Feel free to jot down some notes for each type of

knowledge.

• Share your responses with the colleagues at your

table.

Final Thoughts• Review Anticipation Guide

– How has your thinking changed today?

– What new information will you take back to

your classroom?

• Questions from you?

• End-of-Workshop Survey

• Be sure to pick up the following items

before you leave:

Reading Comp Info Sheet

Recommended Resources Sheet

Thank You for

Coming!

References• Almasi, J. F., & Fullerton, S. K. (2012). Teaching

strategic processes in reading. New York, NY: The

Guilford Press.

• Keene, E. O. (2010). New horizons in comprehension.

Educational Leadership, 67(6), 69-73.

• McLaughlin, M. (2012). Reading comprehension: What

every teacher needs to know. The Reading Teacher, 65, 432-440. doi: 10.1002/TRTR.01064

• Miller, D. (2013). Reading with meaning: Teaching comprehension in the primary grades. Portland, ME:

Stenhouse Publishers.

• National Center for Education Statistics. (2012). NAEP Date Explorer. Retrieved at

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/