The ReadWorks question sets use structured, sequenced questions grounded in research to help students build knowledge scaffolds and derive deeper comprehension than surface-level questions. Questions start with basic facts but lead to deeper inquiry about the text's structure and finding support or making inferences, encouraging focus on central information. This emphasis on structure comes from research showing lack of structural understanding hinders comprehension and helps students identify meaningful passages.

2.  The newest question sets from ReadWorks
use a complex structure to derive extra
student comprehension from questions that
might, on the surface, not seem very deep.
The question sets, which are grounded in
research, use modeling and sequencing to
help students build knowledge scaffolds
that they can use to formulate open
responses.

3.  For instance, a question that asks who a key
person in a reading is does more than just test
the ability to memorize facts. Used as the
opening to a string of questions, it encourages
students to focus on information central to the
meaning of the text and leads to deeper
inquiry. The next question in the sequence
might ask students about the structure of the
piece, with later questions in the set asking
students to find supporting information for
assertions about the text or to make inferences
based on the text.

4.  The emphasis on structure comes directly
from ReadWorks’ research base, which
includes studies showing that lack of
understanding about structures leads
directly to lack of comprehension. It also
helps students identify signals in the text
that direct them toward the passages of
greatest meaning. To learn more, visit
www.readworks.org.