Introduction to
    Comprehension
Teaching Reading Sourcebook
                  2nd edition
Reader Competencies
 Each reader brings unique competencies
 that affect comprehension.
 Comprehension builds upon the reader’s
  speed and accuracy of decoding;
  reading fluency;
  vocabulary size;
  general world knowledge;
  specific comprehension strategies.
Dimensions of Text
 Content: subject matter
 Genre: category of literature
 Structure: narrative story structure or informational
 Language: author’s expression of ideas: tone, voice
 Adept diction: skillful and precise use of words
 Writing quality: text clarity and coherence
 Complexity: readability: words, sentences, concepts
 Graphic design features: physical features of text
 Media: means of communication: print, web-based
Elements of Comprehension
 Text
   Narrative
   Informational
 Activity
   Purpose for reading: identifying reading task
   Processes for reading: determining approach for
   reading
   Consequences of reading: increased knowledge,
   engagement
 Context
   Social and cultural factors: school, family, community
What Good Readers Do
 Before
   Set goal or purpose
   Preview text; make predictions
 During Reading
   Connect to world knowledge, make inferences
   Adjust reading by skimming, focusing, rereading,
   notes
   Check and adapt predictions, summarize passages
   Ask questions, respond and evaluate text
   Monitor comprehension, check and repair
 After Reading
   Reread, summarize, reflect
   Determine how information can be used and recalled
Comprehension Strategies
 Recognizing text structure
   guides reader in identifying and recalling key information.
 Predicting
   involves world knowledge and cues in text and helps the
   reader set purpose and recall text.
 Monitoring (metacognition)
   involves the reader’s knowledge and control of cognitive
   processes.
 Connecting to world knowledge
   involves activating schema and applying known to new in
   text.
Comprehension Strategies
 Asking questions
   about the text fosters comprehension and provides self-
   assessment.
 Answering questions
   helps, as answers may be found in the text itself and in the
   students’ own knowledge.
 Summarizing
   helps students’ awareness of text structure and
   relationship between ideas in text.
 Constructing Mental Images
   promotes active processing of text and provides structure
   for organizing and remembering text.
Comprehension Instruction
 Explicit Strategy Instruction
   Direct explanation
   Modeling
   Guided practice
   Independent practice
 Scaffolding
   Process: shifting responsibility for learning from
   teacher to student
   Tools: graphic organizers, prompts, cooperative
   learning, read-aloud methods
 Contextualized Instruction
   Occurs in the context of reading conceptually
   challenging, relevant, high-interest texts.
Reader Response
 Meaning is constructed through interaction
 between the reader and the text.
 Different readers respond in different ways.
 Readers in collaboration often produce
 meanings no single reader could.
 Discussion and writing are effective ways to
 foster reader response.
   Discussion Oriented Instruction: teacher guided/
   student-led discussions, book clubs, literacy circles
   Writing into (before), writing through (during), writing
   out (after)
Instruction for ELLs
 Reading comprehension is closely tied to oral
 language proficiency .
   Promote language production and vocabulary
   acquisition while working on comprehension skills.
   Explicit and direct instruction actively engages
   students in monitoring their use of strategies in
   comprehension process.
   For novice readers in their primary language: provide
   explicit word-level skills instruction to help them attain
   the level of performance of native English speakers.
   For able readers in their primary language: emphasize
   transferring strategies from their native language to
   English .

Intro To Comprehension

  • 1.
    Introduction to Comprehension Teaching Reading Sourcebook 2nd edition
  • 2.
    Reader Competencies Eachreader brings unique competencies that affect comprehension. Comprehension builds upon the reader’s speed and accuracy of decoding; reading fluency; vocabulary size; general world knowledge; specific comprehension strategies.
  • 3.
    Dimensions of Text Content: subject matter Genre: category of literature Structure: narrative story structure or informational Language: author’s expression of ideas: tone, voice Adept diction: skillful and precise use of words Writing quality: text clarity and coherence Complexity: readability: words, sentences, concepts Graphic design features: physical features of text Media: means of communication: print, web-based
  • 4.
    Elements of Comprehension Text Narrative Informational Activity Purpose for reading: identifying reading task Processes for reading: determining approach for reading Consequences of reading: increased knowledge, engagement Context Social and cultural factors: school, family, community
  • 5.
    What Good ReadersDo Before Set goal or purpose Preview text; make predictions During Reading Connect to world knowledge, make inferences Adjust reading by skimming, focusing, rereading, notes Check and adapt predictions, summarize passages Ask questions, respond and evaluate text Monitor comprehension, check and repair After Reading Reread, summarize, reflect Determine how information can be used and recalled
  • 6.
    Comprehension Strategies Recognizingtext structure guides reader in identifying and recalling key information. Predicting involves world knowledge and cues in text and helps the reader set purpose and recall text. Monitoring (metacognition) involves the reader’s knowledge and control of cognitive processes. Connecting to world knowledge involves activating schema and applying known to new in text.
  • 7.
    Comprehension Strategies Askingquestions about the text fosters comprehension and provides self- assessment. Answering questions helps, as answers may be found in the text itself and in the students’ own knowledge. Summarizing helps students’ awareness of text structure and relationship between ideas in text. Constructing Mental Images promotes active processing of text and provides structure for organizing and remembering text.
  • 8.
    Comprehension Instruction ExplicitStrategy Instruction Direct explanation Modeling Guided practice Independent practice Scaffolding Process: shifting responsibility for learning from teacher to student Tools: graphic organizers, prompts, cooperative learning, read-aloud methods Contextualized Instruction Occurs in the context of reading conceptually challenging, relevant, high-interest texts.
  • 9.
    Reader Response Meaningis constructed through interaction between the reader and the text. Different readers respond in different ways. Readers in collaboration often produce meanings no single reader could. Discussion and writing are effective ways to foster reader response. Discussion Oriented Instruction: teacher guided/ student-led discussions, book clubs, literacy circles Writing into (before), writing through (during), writing out (after)
  • 10.
    Instruction for ELLs Reading comprehension is closely tied to oral language proficiency . Promote language production and vocabulary acquisition while working on comprehension skills. Explicit and direct instruction actively engages students in monitoring their use of strategies in comprehension process. For novice readers in their primary language: provide explicit word-level skills instruction to help them attain the level of performance of native English speakers. For able readers in their primary language: emphasize transferring strategies from their native language to English .