This SlideShare gives information on the importance of reading comprehension, two strategies for students to develop this skill, and three instructional methods for teaching reading comprehension. Enjoy!

1. Strategies,
Instruction, &
Why It’s So Important

2. 
-A text’s meaning is construction by a reader’s
purpose for reading and their interaction with that
text. This interaction requires the reader to use
cognitive strategies for comprehension to take
place.
-When students use reading comprehension
strategies, they are more likely to make meaning
from what they read.
Reading Comprehension
Strategies:
What are students doing while they read that helps them comprehend?
Hollenbeck, A. F., & Saternus, K. (2013). Mind the comprehension iceberg: Avoiding titanic mistakes with the
CCSS. The Reading Teacher, 66(7), 558–568.

3. 
The following are examples of reading
comprehension strategies. These strategies
need to be explicitly taught and practiced in
order to become effective for independent
use.
Reading Comprehension
Strategies:
What are students doing while they read that helps them comprehend?

4. 
(1) Summarizing:
-Requires readers to sift through information,
eliminate the less or unimportant and create a new,
coherent text that includes only the essential
information.
-Learned through teacher-modeling, group practice,
and individual practice.
-This exercise allows students to practice
committing to memory the information that they
read and processing it in a way that allows them to
effectively store it.
Reading Comprehension
Strategies:
What are students doing while they read that helps them comprehend?
Duke, N. K. & Pearson, P. D. (2005). Effective practices for developing reading comprehension. In A. E. Farstrup & S.
J. Samuels (Eds.) , What research has to say about reading instruction (205- 242). International Reading Association,
Inc.

5. (1) Summarizing:
-Two ways of teaching students to summarize:
a. By having students create a summary with a
fifteen word limit from increasingly longer
passages.
b. Through a step-by-step process:
1. Delete the unnecessary
2. Delete the redundant
3. Use one word to replace a list of items
4. Use one word to replace individual
parts of an action
5. Select or write a topic sentence
Reading Comprehension
Strategies:
What are students doing while they read that helps them comprehend?
Duke, N. K. & Pearson, P. D. (2005). Effective practices for developing reading comprehension. In A. E. Farstrup & S.
J. Samuels (Eds.) , What research has to say about reading instruction (205- 242). International Reading Association,
Inc.

6. 
(2) Using Graphic Organizers:
-Scaffolds students toward independent note-
taking and builds sense of self-efficacy.
-Helps students making connections between
new information and existing schema.
-Makes information-processing easier and more
effective.
Reading Comprehension
Strategies:
What are students doing while they read that helps them comprehend?
Afflerbach, P., Cho, B.-Y., Kim, J.-Y., Crassas, M. E., & Doyle, B. (2013). Reading: What else matters besides strategies
and
skills? The Reading Teacher, 66(6), 440–448.
Dye, G. A. (2000). Graphic organizers to the rescue! Teaching Exceptional Children, 32(3), 72. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/201177626?accountid=14872

7. 
The lesson “Charting Characters for a More
Complete Understanding of the Story,” from
ReadWriteThink provides an excellent example
of how to scaffold instruction and teach students
to use graphic organizers as a strategy for
building reading comprehension.
Reading Comprehension
Strategies & Instruction: An
Example
International Reading Association (IRA) and National Council of Teachers of English. (2014).ReadWriteThink.
Retrieved from http://www.readwritethink.org/search/?grade=13&resource_type=6&learning_objective=8

8. 
Students take a close look at a story’s two main characters
and consider the different perspectives, motives, actions,
and emerging themes of two main characters in a story.
Students participate in class discussion and personally
complete the graphic organizer.
Finally, students practice metacognition and self-reflection as
they consider whether the use of this graphic organizer and
comparison of the perspectives of two different characters
helped them to gain a deeper understanding of the story.
Reading Comprehension
Strategies & Instruction: An
Example
Afflerbach, P., Cho, B.-Y., Kim, J.-Y., Crassas, M. E., & Doyle, B. (2013). Reading: What else matters besides
strategies
and skills? The Reading Teacher, 66(6), 440–448.
International Reading Association (IRA) and National Council of Teachers of English. (2014a).ReadWriteThink.
Retrieved from http://www.readwritethink.org/search/?grade=13&resource_type=6&learning_objective=8

9. 
Reading
Comprehension
Strategies &
Instruction: An
Example

10. 
 Research has found that reading comprehension
strategies are commonly found in popular basal
readers. What is missing, however, is reading
comprehension instruction.
 Reading Comprehension Instruction includes:
-direct explanation of strategies
-teacher modeling
-discussion of strategy use in connection to meaning
construction and problem-solving while reading
-integrated into authentic reading opportunities
Reading Comprehension
Instruction:
How do teachers increase student’s ability to comprehend what they read?
Hollenbeck, A. F., & Saternus, K. (2013). Mind the comprehension iceberg: Avoiding titanic mistakes with the CCSS. The
Reading Teacher, 66(7), 558–568.

11. 
 Reading comprehension is built on a knowledge base and
needs to be explicitly taught.
 Some elements of reading comprehension to be taught:
-Types of reading comprehension: literal,
inferential, and evaluative
-Types of text: expository, narrative, formal, and informal
-Differences in literacy genres
-Metacognition of reading comprehension
-Strategies to improve reading comprehension.
Reading Comprehension
Instruction:
How do teachers increase student’s ability to comprehend what they read?
SEDL. (2013). Cognitive elements of reading. Retrieved from http://www.sedl.org/reading/framework/elements.html

12. 
The following are examples of reading
comprehension instruction. Each instructional
example is appropriate for transitional,
intermediate, and advanced literacy learners.
Reading Comprehension
Instruction:
How do teachers increase student’s ability to comprehend what they read?

13. 
(1) Think-Pair-Share
a. Teacher poses a question to the class.
b. Students have a few moments to think to
themselves.
c. Students share their thoughts with a neighbor.
d. One or both of the partners has an opportunity to
share their collective thoughts with the whole group.
-The cooperative learning format allows all students
to fully participate which equals greater engagement.
Reading Comprehension
Instruction:
How do teachers increase student’s ability to comprehend what they read?
Afflerbach, P., Cho, B.-Y., Kim, J.-Y., Crassas, M. E., & Doyle, B. (2013). Reading: What else matters besides strategies
and skills? The Reading Teacher, 66(6), 440–448.
Reutzel, D. R., & Cooter, R. B., Jr. (2011). Strategies for reading assessment and instruction: Helping every child
succeed (4th
ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

14. 1. Question 2. Think
3. Pair 4. Share
Reading Comprehension
Instruction:
How do teachers increase student’s ability to comprehend what they read?
Reutzel, D. R., & Cooter, R. B., Jr. (2011). Strategies for reading assessment and instruction: Helping every child
succeed (4th
ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

15. 
(2) Explicit Cognitive Comprehension Strategy Instruction:
-This instructional method teaches students to:
a. have a clear understanding of what
“comprehension monitoring” is.
b. self-monitor, evaluate and self-regulate
their reading comprehension.
-Using this method, teachers use a framework lesson
plan template that has them thoroughly and purposefully
write out their comprehension instruction plans.
Reading Comprehension
Instruction:
How do teachers increase student’s ability to comprehend what they read?
Reutzel, D. R., & Cooter, R. B., Jr. (2011). Strategies for reading assessment and instruction: Helping every child
succeed (4th
ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

16. 
(2) Explicit Cognitive Comprehension Strategy Instruction:
-This lesson plan includes what the students will
learn, where and when they will use it, and why it is
important.
-The explicit comprehension instruction is build on
teacher modeling and gradual release of responsibility.
-By writing down a lesson plan in this way, teachers
are able to carefully consider what they will say and
how they will say it, and internalize the lesson and the
necessary language for explicit instruction.
Reading Comprehension
Instruction:
How do teachers increase student’s ability to comprehend what they read?
Reutzel, D. R., & Cooter, R. B., Jr. (2011). Strategies for reading assessment and instruction: Helping every child
succeed (4th
ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

17. (3) Online Reading Comprehension (Reutzel & Cooter, 2011):
-As teachers of intermediate literacy learners, we
need to prepare our students to be literate with
both traditional, hard copy print texts as well as
digital texts (Common Core State Standards Initiative, 2012).
-Incorporating digital texts motivate students that
struggle with reading engagement which in turn
positive impacts reading comprehension.
-Fluent decoding skills are important for hard
copy print as well as online reading comprehension.
Reading Comprehension
Instruction:
How do teachers increase student’s ability to comprehend what they read?
Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2012). English language arts standards: Reading: Foundational skills:
Kindergarten. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/RF/K
Reutzel, D. R., & Cooter, R. B., Jr. (2011). Strategies for reading assessment and instruction: Helping every child
succeed
(4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

18. (3) Online Reading Comprehension Instruction:
-Online reading comprehension is unique, complex
and typically uses one or more of the following
processes:
a. to generate a problem or question from a
social context.
b. to locate information
c. to critically evaluate information
d. to synthesize information from
multiple sources
e. to communicate with others
Reading Comprehension
Instruction:
How do teachers increase student’s ability to comprehend what they read?
Reutzel, D. R., & Cooter, R. B., Jr. (2011). Strategies for reading assessment and instruction: Helping every child
succeed
(4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
Coiro, J. & Dobler, E. (2007). Exploring the online reading comprehension strategies used by sixth-grade skilled
readers to search for and locate information on the internet. Reading Research Quarterly , 42(2), pp. 214-257.

19. (3) Online Reading Comprehension Instruction:
-When reading online, students must be able to
locate and critically evaluate information in order to
adequately answer the question or solve the problem
that inspired the online reading.
-Teachers should use explicit instruction to address
the uses of digital text:
a. evaluate the reliability of various online
sources.
b. read and integrate information from several
sources, without plagiarizing.
c. appropriately use social networking for
communication.
Reading Comprehension
Instruction:
How do teachers increase student’s ability to comprehend what they read?
Reutzel, D. R., & Cooter, R. B., Jr. (2011). Strategies for reading assessment and instruction: Helping every child
succeed (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

20. Afflerbach, P., Cho, B.-Y., Kim, J.-Y., Crassas, M. E., & Doyle, B. (2013). Reading: What else matters
besides
strategies and skills? The Reading Teacher, 66(6), 440–448.
Coiro, J. & Dobler, E. (2007). Exploring the online reading comprehension strategies used by sixth-
grade skilled readers to search for and locate information on the internet. Reading Research
Quarterly ,
42(2), pp. 214-257.
Common Core State Standards Initiative. (2012). English language arts standards: Reading: Foundational
skills:
Kindergarten. Retrieved from http://www.corestandards.org/ELA- Literacy/RF/K
Duke, N. K. & Pearson, P. D. (2005). Effective practices for developing reading comprehension. In A. E.
Farstrup & S. J. Samuels (Eds.) , What research has to say about reading instruction (205- 242).
International Reading Association, Inc.
Dye, G. A. (2000). Graphic organizers to rescue! Teaching Exceptional Children, 32(3), 72. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/201177626?account id=14872
Hollenbeck, A. F., & Saternus, K. (2013). Mind the comprehension iceberg: Avoiding titanic mistakes with
the CCSS. The Reading Teacher, 66(7), 558–568.
International Reading Association (IRA) and National Council of Teachers of English. (2014a).
ReadWriteThink. Retrieved from
http://www.readwritethink.org/search/?grade=13&resource_type=6&learning_objective=8
Reutzel, D. R., & Cooter, R. B., Jr. (2011). Strategies for reading assessment and instruction: Helping
every child
succeed (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.
References