The document discusses the importance of reading comprehension. It states that the goal of reading is to derive meaning from what is read in order to gather information and use it. However, without adequate comprehension skills, reading is just following words without understanding. It emphasizes that comprehension skills allow readers to make predictions, monitor understanding, clarify confusion, and connect new information to prior knowledge. The document also notes that while some reading skills can be learned quickly, comprehension takes continued practice over many years.

1. The goal of reading is to derive
meaning
• Obviously, this is an extreme example but sadly, classrooms across the nation are
interspersed with students who experience the same type of frustration every
day. They don’t possess adequate reading comprehension skills to do what is
expected of them. Without comprehension, reading is simply following words
on a page from left to right while sounding them out. The words on the page
have no meaning. And while people read for many different reasons, the chief
goal is to derive some understanding of what the writer is trying to convey and
make use of that information – whether for fact gathering, learning a new skill,
or for pleasure. That’s why reading comprehension skills are so important.
Without them the reader cannot gather any information and use it to efficiently
function and enjoy the richness of life

2. Reading is a multifaceted process that develops only with practice. There
are certain aspects of reading, such as fluency and word recognition,
which can be learned in a few years. These basics must be mastered but at
the same time reading comprehension should be emphasized in the
process. Students can parrot words on a page all day long but if they don’t
have the necessary comprehension skills they will not be able to make
predictions about what will happen next, monitor their understanding of
content, sequence or characters, clarify confusing parts of the text, or
connect what they’re reading to their own experience or prior knowledge.
And that is what true comprehension is all about.

3. Reading comprehension
activity

4. Why the Bat flies at Night
Once upon a time, in the distant past, there was a great war between
the animals who live in the sky and those that live on the ground.
Nobody now remembers how the war started or what it was about, but
it was a terrible time. Many animals on both sides were wounded or
killed, and eventually somebody said that if they carried on like this,
there would be no animals left on the earth. So some of the sky
animals and some of the ground animals had a meeting, and as nobody
could recall what they were fighting each other for, it was agreed that a
truce should be called, and peace declared.

5. Why the Bat flies at Night
For the sky dwellers, the heron was appointed to make the
announcements, and for the ground animals, the hare would do this
job, as he was able to get around the area very quickly. This was done
the next morning, but as all animals settled down, realizing they could
now live in peace and rebuild their lives, some body found the body of
Mr. Bat. He was the last victim of the war, and must have been killed
late the previous day. All the flying animals were very upset, and the
decided to organize a big burial for their friend. But as they were
preparing his body for the funeral, one of the birds noticed that Mr. Bat
had teeth in his mouth.

6. Why the Bat flies at Night
How was that possible? Flying animals don’t have teeth. They called a
meeting, and they agreed that Bat can’t be one of them, as no other
bird has teeth in his mouth. So they took bat’s body to the ground
animals, and told them that as Mr. Bat was not a bird, it was their
responsibility to give him a decent burial.
The ground animals agreed to accept the body, but then, as they were
preparing for the burial, one of them shouted: “Wait a minute, this bat
may have teeth, but he definitely also has wings! How can he be one of
us if he has wings?”

7. Why the Bat flies at Night
So now the ground animals had a meeting to consider the problem,
and they decided that no ground animal can have wings, so therefore,
Mr. Bat can’t be regarded as one of them. So they too, refused to bury
Mr. Bat.
Poor Mr. Bat, the flying animals refused to accept him because he has
teeth, and the ground animals refused to accept him because he has
wings. And that is why the bat is still flying around every night.
• Found among the papers of John Fumey, my deceased father in law, in Madina, Accra.

8. AFTER READING…
1. In the story, what kind of animals were fighting with out reasons?
2. Which are the two animals that give the ending fighting
announcement to the rest of animals?
3. What was the bath´s name?
4. Which are the reasons, animals exposed for not to buried the bath?
5. In your own words, why baths flies at night?