BIG IDEAS OF READING: COMPREHENSION
Definition
Comprehension is an active, intentional thinking process
in which a reader makes meaning from text.
Concepts
Readers are able to think within, about, and beyond all
genres of text.
Readers are able to monitor for meaning, use and create schema, ask questions, determine
importance, infer, use sensory and emotional images, and synthesize.
Application to Balanced Literacy
Shared Reading – think aloud, pair share, literature circles, book talks, book reviews, readers’
theater, graphic organizers, text features and genre discussions
Guided Reading – scaffolding/introduction, text referencing, text features and genre
discussions, rereading, readers’ theater, after reading activities (retell, summarize, book talks)
Centers – listening center, big-book center, browsing box, library, story telling
Writing Workshop – Rereading, editing and revising to clarify meaning
Phonics/Word Work/ Spelling – Developing a flexible range of strategies for solving words
rapidly and efficiently so attention is freed for comprehension: connecting knowledge of known
words to solve unknown words (word origin, syllabication, prefixes, suffixes, roots, base
knowledge of word function, word patterns, sorting, spelling patterns, vowel patterns, highfrequency word recognition)
Vocabulary/Word Study – Exposing students to word meanings in a variety of context and a
variety of settings to increase their word knowledge: multiple meaning words, word origin,
prefixes, suffixes, roots
Read Aloud - Think aloud, visualization, pair share, conversation quads
Independent Reading – Monitor for meaning, selecting just right books, engage with text for
sustained amount of time
Effective Instruction
Teaching Ideas and Blackline Masters for Comprehension Skills:
See Guided Comprehension in the Primary Grades Maureen McLaughlin Appendix C pg. 204
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See Guided Comprehension in Grades 3-8 Maureen McLaughlin and Mary Beth Allen Appendix A
pg.185
Strategy:
Tools:
Previewing
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Strategy:
Tools:
Self-Questioning
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Strategy:
Tools:
Coding the Text
Connection Stems
Double-Entry Journal
Drawing Connections
Save the Last Word for Me
Visualizing
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Strategy:
Tools:
“I Wonder”
Know-Want to Know-Learn and K-W-L-S
Paired Questioning
Question-Answer Relationships QAR
Thick and Thin Questions
Making Connections
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Strategy:
Tools:
Anticipation/Reaction Guide
Predict-o-gram
Pre-reading plan
Probable Passages
Questioning the Text
Semantic Map
Storybook Introductions
Story Impressions
Text Introductions
Draw and Label Visualizations
Gallery Images
Graphic Organizers/Visual Organizers
Guided Imagery
Mind and Alternative Mind Portraits
Open-Mind Portrait
Photographs of the Mind
Sketch to Stretch
Knowing How Words Work
o Concept of Definition Map
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Strategy:
Tools:
Monitoring
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Strategy:
Tools:
Bookmark Technique
Cuing Systems Check
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Pattern Partner Reading
Say Something
Think-Alouds
Summarizing
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Strategy:
Tools:
Context Clues
Decoding by Analogy
List-Group-Label Possible Sentences
RIVET
Semantic Feature Analysis
Text Transformations
Vocabulary by Analogy
Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy
Bio-Pyramid
Lyric Retelling/Lyric Summary
Narrative Pyramid
Paired Summarizing
QUIP Questions into Paragraphs
Retelling
Story Map
Summary Cubes
Evaluating
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Contrast Chart
Discussion Web
Evaluative Questioning
Journal Responses
Meeting of the Minds
Mind and Alternative Mind Portraits
Persuasive Writing
Web Resources
Comprehension Activities (FreeReading)
Printable activities to introduce, practice, and expand students’ comprehension skills and
strategies.
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Reading Response Forms (ReadingLady)
Printable resources that encourage students to respond to a variety of texts in a variety of
ways.
K-1 Comprehension Activities (Florida Center for Reading Research)
2-3 Comprehension Activities (Florida Center for Reading Research)
4-5 Comprehension Activities (Florida Center for Reading Research)
Printable activities and graphic organizers to build students’ ability to monitor for meaning,
summarize, and analyze text structure. Note: When opening the above link, scroll all the way to
the bottom of the page for the comprehension section.
Building Resources
Teaching Reading Sourcebook Second Edition Core Literacy Library by Honig, Diamond, Gutlohn
The Continuum of Literacy Learning A Guide To Teaching by Fountas and Pinnell (FoPi Box)
Teaching for Comprehension and Fluency: Thinking, Talking, and Writing about Reading K-8 by
Fountas and Pinnell (Berardinelli)
Guided Comprehension in Grades 3-8 by Maureen McLaughlin and Mary Beth Allen (Terri’s
office)
Guided Comprehension in the Primary Grades by Maureen McLaughlin (Terri’s office)
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