Comprehension KeysComprehension Keys

The strategies and tools to help unlock reading comprehension

Research studies have revealedResearch studies have revealed

**Reading is an interactive process.Reading is an interactive process.

*Good readers naturally engage in *Good readers naturally engage in constant internal conversation with constant internal conversation with text text

*This engagement helps the reader *This engagement helps the reader understand and elaborate on what understand and elaborate on what they have readthey have read

**These strategies are used regardless of the These strategies are used regardless of the type of text: for recipes, Shakespeare, type of text: for recipes, Shakespeare, instruction manuals….instruction manuals….

*MOST IMPORTANTLY, there is a way to teach *MOST IMPORTANTLY, there is a way to teach all students to use this interactive processes. all students to use this interactive processes.

*Students need to learn WHEN and *Students need to learn WHEN and HOW to use the strategies if they are HOW to use the strategies if they are not using them. not using them.

*Content teachers (the expert at *Content teachers (the expert at reading text from their content area) reading text from their content area) must learn to modelmust learn to model these strategies these strategies when they are using content texts.when they are using content texts.

1. CREATE MENTAL IMAGES1. CREATE MENTAL IMAGES

Good readers use a wide range of Good readers use a wide range of visual, auditory, and sensory images as visual, auditory, and sensory images as they read to become emotionally they read to become emotionally involved with what they read.involved with what they read.

Readers need to use all their senses to Readers need to use all their senses to make understanding, but a key place make understanding, but a key place to start is with VISUALIZING. Have the to start is with VISUALIZING. Have the reader practice creating mental reader practice creating mental images of what they have read.images of what they have read.

Have students Have students DRAW or WRITEDRAW or WRITE about about their mind images as they read.their mind images as they read.

2. Use background knowledge to 2. Use background knowledge to MAKE CONNECTIONS MAKE CONNECTIONS

Good readers use their relevant prior Good readers use their relevant prior knowledge before, during and after knowledge before, during and after reading to enhance their reading to enhance their understanding of that they’re reading.understanding of that they’re reading.

Train students to connect the NEW Train students to connect the NEW to the KNOWN three ways:to the KNOWN three ways:

Text to SelfText to Self - a personal connection to - a personal connection to something done, seen or feltsomething done, seen or felt

Text to TextText to Text - connections to other - connections to other books, films, etc.books, films, etc.

Text to WorldText to World - connections to events - connections to events in the past/presentin the past/present

This connection process needs to occur This connection process needs to occur before, during and after readingbefore, during and after reading

3. MAKE INFERENCES3. MAKE INFERENCES

Good readers use their prior Good readers use their prior knowledge and information from what knowledge and information from what they read to make prediction, seek they read to make prediction, seek answers to questions, draw answers to questions, draw conclusions, and create interpretations conclusions, and create interpretations that deepen their understanding of the that deepen their understanding of the text.text.

InferringInferring

*is the ability to “read between the *is the ability to “read between the lines” and extract information that is lines” and extract information that is not directly stated in the text.not directly stated in the text.

*involves DRAWING A CONCLUSION or *involves DRAWING A CONCLUSION or making an interpretation.making an interpretation.

*is the LINK between reader knowledge *is the LINK between reader knowledge of, of, and reader experiences withand reader experiences with, , vocabulary, content, context, and vocabulary, content, context, and clues within the text. clues within the text.

*using context to figure out the meaning *using context to figure out the meaning of wordsof words

*using text evidence to infer themes and *using text evidence to infer themes and bigger ideasbigger ideas

*merging background knowledge with *merging background knowledge with clues in the text to surface themes and clues in the text to surface themes and bigger ideasbigger ideas

Inferring strategies include:Inferring strategies include:

*infer and draw conclusions from *infer and draw conclusions from informational informational text using features and text using features and text structurestext structures

*thinking beyond the facts read in *thinking beyond the facts read in textbooks and other nonfiction texttextbooks and other nonfiction text

4. DETERMINE IMPORTANCE/THEMES4. DETERMINE IMPORTANCE/THEMES

Good readers identify key ideas, or Good readers identify key ideas, or themes, as they read and they can themes, as they read and they can distinguish between important and distinguish between important and unimportant information.unimportant information.

Good readers also establish a purpose Good readers also establish a purpose for reading, sifting essential for reading, sifting essential information in order to glean key ideas information in order to glean key ideas and themes.and themes.

Essential vs Interesting Essential vs Interesting

Determining importance is simply being able Determining importance is simply being able to delineate between what is essential and to delineate between what is essential and what was interesting in the passage.what was interesting in the passage.

This can be come through TEXT FEATURES, This can be come through TEXT FEATURES, and TEXT EVIDENCE as proof for ideas.and TEXT EVIDENCE as proof for ideas.

Students also need to be trained to separate Students also need to be trained to separate the distinction between what the distinction between what they think is think is important and what the important and what the authorauthor wants themto wants themto think is important.think is important.

Summarizing to determine Summarizing to determine importanceimportance

Summarizing is the ability to condense Summarizing is the ability to condense a longer piece of text into a shorter a longer piece of text into a shorter statement to get the essense of the statement to get the essense of the text.text.

Summarizing occurs THROUGHOUT Summarizing occurs THROUGHOUT reading, not just at the end.reading, not just at the end.

Summarizing is also putting the ideas Summarizing is also putting the ideas from the text in the reader’s own from the text in the reader’s own words.words.

5. SYNTHESIZE INFORMATION5. SYNTHESIZE INFORMATION

Good readers have thinking that Good readers have thinking that evolves during reading. They get new evolves during reading. They get new overall meaning by taking the new overall meaning by taking the new information and adding it to their information and adding it to their background knowledge. background knowledge.

Synthesizing incorporates many Synthesizing incorporates many strategies: The students must be able strategies: The students must be able to determine importance, ask to determine importance, ask questions and summarize to be able to questions and summarize to be able to synthesize.synthesize.

Synthesizing can be found in oral, Synthesizing can be found in oral, written, dramatic, artist expression. It written, dramatic, artist expression. It is the crossing from literal meaning to is the crossing from literal meaning to inferial meaning.inferial meaning.

6. ASK QUESTIONS

Good readers ask questions as they read to keep their thought engaged with the text.

They use the questioning to clarify and make meaning.

This is the core of thoughtful reading.

Students must be able to self-generate Students must be able to self-generate questions to seek out information, solve questions to seek out information, solve problems and extend understanding.problems and extend understanding.

Create opportunities for students to Create opportunities for students to generate questions as they read. “I generate questions as they read. “I wonder if.... I wonder what.... I wonder wonder if.... I wonder what.... I wonder why?”why?”

Asking questions is the art of carrying on Asking questions is the art of carrying on an inner conversation with the author.an inner conversation with the author.

7. USE FIX-UP STRATEGIES7. USE FIX-UP STRATEGIES

Good readers self-monitor their Good readers self-monitor their understanding. If they have trouble understanding. If they have trouble understanding words, phrases or understanding words, phrases or passages, they use a wide range of passages, they use a wide range of problem-solving strategies to regain problem-solving strategies to regain their understanding.their understanding.

There are countless books and There are countless books and websites available on strategies and websites available on strategies and lessons. Please note the website lessons. Please note the website LINKS on the Literacy Tool Kit home LINKS on the Literacy Tool Kit home page.page.

final thoughts.....final thoughts.....

Comprehension instruction is all about Comprehension instruction is all about being STRATEGIC. That is different being STRATEGIC. That is different from just teaching strategies in a rote from just teaching strategies in a rote manner. Strive to model, guide and manner. Strive to model, guide and release a variety of strategies, in a release a variety of strategies, in a variety of flexible circumstances, with variety of flexible circumstances, with a variety of texts.a variety of texts.

Most importantly

Comprehension strategies are TOOLS to expand the readers thinking.... to get deeper.... to a more profound understanding.