Comprehension

What is Comprehension?

The ability to read a written text and understand its meaning. This helps students become confident readers by developing knowledge, skills, and experience to become confident readers and understand what they read.

Why Is It Important?

It is important because comprehension is the main purpose of reading. As students read, they may skip parts they already understand or go back to parts they may struggle to understand. Through this, children will use the book as a way to learn, so assessing comprehension is important in giving the children the tools to find purpose in reading.

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The Critter

If a student struggles in monitoring reading, this remediation would work for them. With this activity, students will be able to use the notion of a "critter" to help get students to think visually about the concepts of strategic reading and metacomprehension. In doing so, they will practice having an "inner voice" to help them understand what they are reading. The important point is for students to take control of their reading and to monitor their comprehension. A critter may help provide a concrete, visual image toward the end.

Activity Directions:

Draw/have students draw a “Critter”
The critter will help students read.
The critter will help develop important questions with the class. Some possible questions the critter can ask to help the reading make sense are:
1. Do I understand what I’m reading? If yes, great! If no, what should I do about it?
2. What do I already know about this topic?
3. How is this chapter organized?
4. How can I figure out this unknown word?
5. What is my purpose for reading?
6. Have I achieved my purpose for reading?
A single question could be focus on one or more lessons to develop important ideas related to strategic reading. For example, if the answer to “Do I understand what I’m reading?” Is “no,” some possible actions could be:
1. I’ll reread the last paragraph
2. I’m tired so I’ll take a short break
3. I need to ask someone for help
4. I need to look up the meaning of this word
Remind students to use the important ideas their critters are telling them so they understand what they are reading.

Reference

Johns, J. L. (2019). Chapter 6: Comprehension Strategies.
In Improving Reading: Strategies, Resources, and
Common Core Connections (p. 372-373). Dubuque,
IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.

Which fits?

If a student struggles in seeing relationships, this remediation would work for them. With this activity, students will be able to see relationships through classification excerices. In doing so, they will practice building on drawing conclusions, making inferences, and predicting outcomes.

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Activity Directions:

Present objects (concrete objects, pictures, or words)
Have students identify the one that does not belong
Explain why the others do belong
There can be a mix between pictures/ words/ objects

Reference

Johns, J. L. (2019). Chapter 6: Comprehension Strategies.
In Improving Reading: Strategies, Resources, and
Common Core Connections (p. 395). Dubuque,
IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.

Things To Remember:

Advice #1

Audiobooks are key! Have students read and listen to a talking book then ask students to recall how events in the story are similar to their personal experience

Advice #2

Students love to make connections by imagining themselves as someone from the story. Have students create imaginative dialog between character and self.

Advice #3

After telling one story, remind students that any memory can trigger many more memories. continue making connections!

Advice #4

Have students bring photographs to class. Have them think of the many stories the photographs represents. Teacher should model first!