Acts of Comprehension

Read for Meaning

Carol Cottingham
Franklin High School

Engaging Prior Knowledge

•     Good readers make predictions

•     While reading, good readers go back and forth between old and new information

•     Teachers need to “create” prior knowledge for many students

Explicit Teaching:
Prior Knowledge

•     Create background information on topic through presentation/questioning

•     Use paired brainstorming (chart ideas)

•     Use visuals, other resources, found items

•     Introduce key terms

•     Create anticipation guides

Knowing Vocabulary

•     Knowing words in a text is an issue in word recognition and comprehension

•     Inferencing word meaning ties up concentration used for compre-hension

•     Available vocabulary should match text encounters

Explicit Teaching:
Vocabulary

•     For unknown words, remind students to read sentences before and after the word

•     Have students define words and keep word list available during reading

•     Chart difficult words and leave visible

Visualizing Details
and Events

•     Fiction writers create impressions

•     Readers need to “get into the moment”

•     Readers need awareness of the way in which setting/characterization impacts plot/outcomes

Explicit Teaching:
Visualizing

•     Model questions pertaining to important aspects of settings; engage prior knowledge

•     Model questions regarding characterization (facial expressions, tone of voice in dialogue, analyzing actions, etc.)

•     Assign reader’s logs for specific concepts (plot log, characterization log, conflict log)

Following the
Patterns of Text

•     Texts are written in genres (combination of purpose and function)

•     Examples:  story grammar, cause/

   effect, description, comparison, etc.

   *concatenated structure (links)

Explicit Teaching:
Patterns of Text

•     Instill awareness of “story grammar”

•     For non-fiction, analyze structure (cause/effect, problem/solution, persuasion: claim, effect, action)

•     For concatenated structure (Internet), review the way in which information may be linked

Predicting

•     Readers do not attend to reading with minds blank; they are predicting  in a likely range of alternatives

•     Predictions are either confirmed or negated; authors rely on reader’s ability to evoke responses while actively predicting

•     Good readers continually monitor their predictions and experience surprise or satisfaction

Explicit Teaching:
Predicting

•     Use analogous models to create prior knowledge experiences

•     Use anticipation guides to raise reader expectation previous to reading

•     Teach students to question material to be read (prereading exercise)

Making Inferences

•     Refers to ability to “fill in gaps”

•     Reader’s ability to fill gaps equals engagement with text

•     Poor readers are unable to bridge gap between stated and unstated information

•     Poor readers often focus on what is author-stated only

Explicit Teaching:
Making Inferences

•     Model inferencing while reading a passage out loud to students (example)

•     Introduce QARs (handouts) to remind students about prior knowledge and unstated information

Monitoring Comprehension

•     Good readers are alert to their understanding of the text

•     Good readers try to “repair” under-

   standing when text doesn’t make sense

•     Poor readers are at a loss for strategies when something does not make sense

Explicit Teaching:
Monitoring Comprehension

   Remind students that rereading or varying rate of reading will help with comprehension

•     Reinforce methods to repair comprehension (model with passage)

•     Reader-response writing aids with reading comprehension

Noting Main Ideas and Supporting Details

•     Good readers are aware of the complete focus of the text and can distinguish main idea from small details

•     Good readers grasp the problem presented in the text and can sort insignificant from significant information

•     Good readers slow down when encountering passages relevant to main ideas

•     Good readers will reflect on main idea

Explicit Teaching:
Main Idea/Details

•     Remind students to search for the situation/problem/conflict within the text

•     Show the difference between details and concepts as a whole (example)

•     Remind students to ACTIVELY QUESTION the situation/problem

…And the number one suggestion…

•     Offer more opportunities for silent, sustained reading

•     Offer more opportunities for self-selected reading