COMPREHENSION

Reading First

Stonewall Resort

Fall ’07

-adapted from presentations by

Dr. Joe Torgenson and Dr. Anita Archer

Before Reading passages

Teach the pronunciation of difficult to read words.

Teach the meaning of critical, unknown vocabulary words.

Teach or activate any necessary background knowledge.

Preview the story or article.

Pronunciation

If students can read the words in a passage accurately and fluently, their reading comprehension will be enhanced.

Pronunciation

Carefully and systematically teach and review decoding skills that have been introduced in the core reading program.

Pronunciation

Teach before passage is read:Program indication

Difficult text

Outside core program

Pre-teach to struggling readers small group.

Focus on accuracy, then fluency.

Blend with vocabulary instruction

Pronunciation of difficult wordsSelection of words

1. Provided by core program

2. If not, preview passage to select

3. Divide words into 2 categories:1. Tell Words – irregular words, words with

untaught elements and foreign words

2. Strategy Words – words that can be decoded with minimal assistance

1. Tell words

This word is ______________.

What word? ______________

Spell and read the word.

__________________________

Examples:

there along upon woman

2. Strategy words

Single syllable wordsPrecorrect the difficult part of the word

Look at the underlined letters.

What sound? ___________

Sound out the word. (Pause)

What word? ____________

rain boat seed

2. Strategy wordsMultisyllabic words

Segment into decodable parts.

Guide students in reading each part.

What part?___________

What part? __________

What part?___________

What part?___________

Condensation atmosphere

If any element is unknown, simply tell students the pronunciation of the element.

Meaning

If students understand the meaning of critical vocabulary in the passage, their comprehension will be enhanced.

Meaning

High-quality Classroom Language

Reading Aloud to Students

Explicit Vocabulary InstructionWord-learning Strategies

Wide Independent Reading

Meaning

Attributes of good vocabulary instruction Multiple exposures

Definitional information and contextual information

Sufficient amount of instructional time to insure understanding of words

Active engagement in instruction

Meaning

Select limited number for robust, explicit vocabulary instruction.

3 to 10 words per story for expanded instruction would be appropriate.

Briefly tell the meaning of all other words that are needed for comprehension.

MeaningWords that are unknown.

Words that are critical to passage understanding.

Words that students are likely to encounter in the future and are generally useful.

“Goldilocks Words” Not too difficult

Not too easy

Just right

Meaning

Reading Level: 2nd Passage: Lemonade for SaleSeries: Harcourt Trophies

announced members neighborhood

arrived rebuild lemonade

glum squawked clubhouse

Meaning

Teach words AFTER you have read a story to your students and BEFORE students read a selection.

Routine of Isabel BeckIntroduce word

Student-friendly explanation

Illustrate with examples

Ask deep processing questions

Examples & non-examples

Generate own examples

Story starter & then complete sentence

Review“Word association” Activity

enemy, disgusting, invited, relieved

“Tell me the word that I am thinking about.

Someone that hates you might be called an _____.

If you didn’t like a food, you might say it is _______.

When a test is over, you often feel ________________.

When you are asked to a party, you are ________. “

Review

“Choose” activity

enemy, disgusting, invited, relieved

• “If you felt relieved after a test, was the test probably easy or difficult?

• If an enemy gave you the answers before a test, would you believe the answers to be correct or incorrect?

• If the food was disgusting, would you ask for more or spit it up?

• If you were invited to a party, would you be asked to come or to stay away?

Background knowledge

If students have the background knowledge required by a passage, their comprehension will be enhanced.

Background knowledge

Teach it!Strategy # 1 – Introduce as stated in core program. Actively engage students.

Strategy # 2 – “Front load” by teaching additional background knowledge.

Strategy # 3 – Prior to reading, select a read aloud that provides necessary background knowledge.

Activate background knowledge

Strategy # 1 – Ask questions and engage in discussion to activate

Strategy # 2 – KWL strategy

Strategy # 3 – Brainstorm topics/questions that might be covered

Preview

If students preview a passage, their comprehension will be enhanced.

Preview

Discover the content to be covered.

Learn what is emphasized.

Organized

Activate background knowledge

Interest level

Preview - narrative

Read title. Predict the content of story

Preview the illustrations/pictures. Predict the content of the passage.

Preview – Expository/Informational

Read title and predict content.

Read introduction and ask “What will we learn in this passage?”

Read headings and subheadings. Predict.

Read the summary.

PreviewWarm – Up – Science, Social Studies, Health

BEGINNING Title

Introduction

MIDDLEHeadings

Subheadings

ENDSummary

Questions

Quick Notes from Dr. Archer and Dr. Torgenson

Comprehension instruction must mirror the core program to show and continue student gains.

Sustain the level of intensity

There’s no way to teach perfect when children are present.

To comprehend, students must be first taught how to respond.

Decoding is necessary but not sufficient for comprehension.

Multisyllabic words –Many students do not read them; but the problem is that English uses them.

Learn the rhythm of teaching.

Reading First is not about being perfect, but teaching more students to read every year.

Scaffold the probability that students can successfully answer the question. Scaffold before, NOT after reading the passage to ensure student understanding.

Questions

Books