Comprehension is the goal! How do we get there??

Synthesis:

The readings this week focused on the importance of comprehension, the different components of reading that affect the reader’s comprehension, and various strategies that teachers can use to facilitate their students’ comprehension in the classroom.

We know that we want our students to comprehend what they are reading. Comprehension is the entire purpose and goal of reading. If our students are not comprehending what they read and gaining understanding from the text, reading will simply be seen as a meaningless and boring activity to them. But there are multiple factors that can interfere with reaching comprehension. Texts become more difficult during the secondary school years, specifically by containing content-specific vocabulary and more complex sentence structures and ideas. Texts are expository and informational, and require a higher level of thinking.

According to Fisher, Frey, and Ross, these variables can influence student comprehension:

• ·      Reader variables (age, ability, motivation)
• ·      Text variables (genre, features)
• ·      Educational-context variables (environment, task, grouping, purpose)
• ·      Teacher variables (knowledge, experience, attitude, teaching strategy)

Now, how do we help these students? What can we do as their instructors to help foster their comprehension of these difficult texts? The readings this week had some answers for us.

(Hinchman and Sheridan-Thomas)

• 1.     We need discussion in the classroom. Comprehension will be strengthened when the students have the opportunity to listen and learn from one another. Teachers need to introduce and dialogue with students about the academic language of the content area during these discussions.
• 2.     It is important to ask students quality questions to check for student understanding of the text. We should ask students questions that make them look at the text again and reread. These questions should make students think critically and may spur other discussions.
• 3.     In-depth vocabulary instruction is vital to understanding the reading. We cannot just expect our students to skip over the vocabulary that they do not know. We need students to be familiar with the vocabulary, or be familiar with different ways that they can problem solve to figure out words (such as looking at structural analysis, examining the context of the vocabulary, or looking to other resources).
• 4.     We have to set a purpose for reading before our students even open the text. This will focus the students’ attention and will motivate students to read the text carefully and meaningfully.
• 5.     Modeling can be helpful for students to see how they should be thinking while reading. If we can let our students get inside our brain for a second and see how we problem-solve and make sense of the text, it may help our students do the same.

(Jetton and Shanahan)

• 6.     We need to concentrate on planning lessons and picking text that is engaging and meaningful. Taking into account student interest and prior knowledge are two other important factors that we should remember while planning.
• 7.     Social and cultural views may affect comprehension and learning in the classroom. We must consider the different cultures and backgrounds of our students when planning lessons, and make sure that all of our students will benefit from the teaching.
• 8.     Mental imagery can be a key factor in the brain comprehending the text. Choosing texts that students can visualize, and letting students talk with one another about their images can be valuable to comprehension.
• 9.     We can teach students to make inferences while reading. This is an important strategy for students to construct meaning from informational and narrative texts.
• 10. If students can monitor their own comprehension, it can definitely help their level of understanding. Students should be taught that going back to reread, accessing prior knowledge, and using vocabulary analysis strategies are great ways to help build comprehension.

(Fisher, Frey, and Ross)

• 11.  Reciprocal teaching allows students to become leaders in the classroom. This method allows students to boost their comprehension by teaching and learning from their classmates.

These points are for ALL teachers. Every subject of learning needs to incorporate comprehension instruction and teach strategies to students to help figure out the text.

Responses:

(Text to self)

Many times in middle school and high school, I remember reading something for class and thinking, “Why in the world am I reading this?” I don’t think many of my teachers did a very good job of sharing with us a purpose for reading. I remember it greatly affecting my motivation to complete the reading, and in turn affected what I remembered and took from the text. I understand the importance of showing the students the purpose behind the reading, and also making sure that the text is relevant to the students.

(Text to text)

Once students reach upper elementary, the focus of school takes a turn from “learning to read” to “reading to learn”. I remember hearing this many times in my undergraduate courses. These chapters discussed how we can help this “reading to learn” process. It can be a difficult transition once students reach secondary school because the text becomes much more complex. This just proves the importance of teaching the comprehension strategies.

(Text to world)

In today’s educational world, where there is such a focus on testing, I can’t help but relating the comprehension strategies to testing strategies. Teaching our students to go back and reread and use vocabulary analysis to figure out words are two big methods we can teach our students to help them during important tests. 

Questions:

• 1.     How can I make sure that I am picking texts that are relevant to both the content and the students’ lives?
• 2.     How can I help build up my students’ background knowledge to help them comprehend various texts? 

I want my students to have access to various texts that are relevant to the content and also are relatable to their lives. This seems like a challenge to me that I would love to have your input!

Thank you for reading! J