“Comprehension is the reason
for reading. If readers can read
the words but do not understand
what they are reading, they are
not really reading.”
(Put Reading First, p. 48)
Seven categories of strategies that provide
evidence of efficacy in comprehension (NRP, 4-6) :
1. Comprehension Monitoring (metacognition)
2. Cooperative Learning (small groups)
3. Graphic & Semantic Organizers (show relationships)
4. Story Structure (who, what, where, when, why; plot,
setting, characters, events)
5. Question Answering (QAR’s)
6. Question Generation (who, what, where, when, why,
how)
7. Summarizing (main ideas)
Levels of Comprehension
Literal
- Reading the lines
• Getting information explicitly from the text
Interpretive
- Reading between the lines
• Putting together information, perceiving
relationships, and making inferences
Applied
- Reading beyond the lines
• Using information to express opinions and form
new ideas
STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE READING
COMPREHENSION
Oral Reading Fluency
Silent Reading
• Repeated Readings
• DRA
• Assisted Reading
• DRTA
• Choral Reading
• SSR/DEAR
• Imitative Reading
• ReQuest
• Partner Reading
• Reciprocal Teaching
Oral Reading Fluency
Silent Reading
• Echo Reading
• Guided Reading
Procedure (GRP)
• NIM
• Anticipation Guides
• Mumble Reading
• QAR’s
• Readers’ Theatre
• KWL
• 4-Way Reading
• Graphic Organizers
• Locational Reading
• Semantic Mapping
• Taped-Assisted Readings
• Summarizing
• Shared Reading
B-D-A LESSON STRUCTURE
Instructional
Sequence
Rationale
Before Reading
To establish purpose, activate
background knowledge, sustain
motivation, and provide direction
During Reading
To guide an active search for meaning
After Reading
To extend and elaborate ideas from
the text
Before-During-After Reading
(B-D-A Lesson Structure)
Before Reading:
Set Goals
Activate/build prior knowledge
Establish any necessary background
Arouse curiosity
Motivate students to read
Sample Strategies:
K-W of KWL
Anticipation Guide
Cloze Procedure
Brainstorm
Vocabulary/Word Building
Graphic Organizers
Writing (Quick-Write)
Book Talk
Discussion
Make Predictions (DRTA)
Agree/Disagree Statements (Intra-Act)
Questioning (QAR’s)
S-Q of SQ3R
During Reading:
Facilitate Comprehension
Focus attention on characters, issues, themes,
or details
Engage students in their reading
Make Connection (T-S; T-T; T-W)
Encourage reflection and personal responses
Sample Strategies:
Mapping; Webbing
Reading Guide
QtA
Questioning/Predicting (DRTA)
Reciprocal Teaching
Discussion
Note-Taking
Response Journal/ Writing Log
Compare/Contrast Charts
After Reading:
Provide closure
Synthesize information
Move beyond the book itself
Critically analyze and evaluate
Relate to personal experiences (T-S; T-T; T-W)
Sample Strategies:
Graphic Organizers (e.g., Relationship Web)
Compare/Contrast Charts
Cloze Procedure
Writing (e.g., L of KWL)
Analysis of literary style
Drama
Art
Music
Plays
Poetry
Multimedia
Research
Web Quests
Student Inquiry Projects
DR-TA
(Directed Reading-Thinking Activity)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Activating prior knowledge
Predicting the content
Reading
Confirm or revise predictions
“What do you think?”
“Why do you think so?”
“Can you prove it?”
RECIPROCAL TEACHING
• Predict
• Question
• Clarify
• Summarize
RECIPROCAL TEACHING
• Predict
• Question
• Clarify
• Summarize
Comparison Chart (Nonfiction)
-comparing different sources of information
-comparing different opinions by different authors
-charting “facts” for different versions of the same information
Text
Author
Main Idea
Supporting Details Difference of opinion
ED 745
Dr. Schatmeyer
Wright State University