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Reading ComprehensionSections I, II, III, IV

of Paper 2Paper I 60 M.C.

items

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How do you read?

What strategies do you use?

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Report from the National Research

Council

U.S.A.,1998

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U.S.A.: Report of the National

Reading Panel, 2000

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In 2005, Australian Government

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In 2006, British

Government

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SO…WHY DO OUR STUDENTS

NEED TO READ?

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Some reasons for reading: 1. For Testing

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2. For competency in other subject areas

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3. For a broader base of knowledge

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4. For usefulness in a world replete with non-fiction literature

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5. For creation of a deeper understanding of self and others

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6. For enjoyment and appreciation of literature (fiction)

Am reading. Go away.

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Key Beliefs to Teaching Reading Successfully1. Teachers, not programs or strategies, are

the critical element in a student’s success. Teachers must understand a student’s particular issues and choose teaching strategies that will push students forward.

2. The goal of reading is comprehension.

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Key beliefs to Teaching Reading (continued)3. Comprehension is a complex, abstract

activity. It can be taught. There are no “magically good” readers.

4. No matter what level of students we teach, no matter how weak or how strong, it is our responsibility to teach them.

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Diagnosing Students Reading Comprehension weaknesses. You are the doctor here.

1. Your Teaching

Experience2.

Education3. Your training4. Your

compassion

Open This Box/Student:

Student brings socio-economic complexes plus

own reading experiences- good

or bad

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If you notice that a student can read aloud at an appropriate rate:But1. Consistently has

difficulty answering questions

2. Difficulty discussing the text

3. Repeatedly says reading is boring

4. Has difficulty thinking beyond literal level

Then Student Needs Help With:

- Vocabulary- Making predictions- Seeing causal

relationships- Comparing and

contrasting- Drawing conclusions- Questioning the text- Summarizing

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Independent Reader versus Dependent Reader

Independent Reader:1. Monitors her

understanding of a text

2. Chooses appropriate strategies necessary to comprehend difficult text

3. Able to make the invisible process of reading mostly visible

Dependent Reader:1. May be able to

sound out/decode a passage, but not able to make sense of it

2. Appeals to teacher for help

3. Lacks interest to complete long or difficult texts

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Schema ConnectionsSchema: the combined knowledge that students already have; connecting reading to what you know.

Three types of schema connections: text to self, text to text, and text to world.

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Why do good readers make schema connections as they read?1. Increases their interest level in the text2. Helps them to relate to characters3. Increases “reading stamina” 4. Helps them remember what they read5. Shows them that they DO have a base

knowledge/core group of experiences that they can draw from

6. Forces them to ask questions7. Learn to listen to others

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Teach the students schema by:1. Explaining concept of schema to them,

and the three types of schema

2. Make sure students understand the benefits of schema connections.

3. Model how I make schema connections. Use “think aloud” method.

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Teach students schema (continued)4. Give students time to practice.

Students are expected to make at least ONE schema connection in pairs, groups or as a class.

5. Continue to demonstrate , ask students about, and expect students to make schema connections as they read primary texts

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Teaching students schema (continued)

6. Apply schema connections elsewhere, e.g. to movies, book to movie, et cetra

7. Introduce students to short non-fiction articles related to themes in book

8. Remind students to highlight or underline with a purpose as they read

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Teaching students schema (concluded)

9. Ask students to compare books to popular songs or to think about what songs are related to what is happening in the book and WHY

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Alternative Methods for introducing Schema1. Adopt mantra- “what does this

remind me of?”

2. Ask students to list everything they know about a given subject.

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Alternative methods for introducing schema (continued)3. Work on K-W-L charts with students

4. Activity: give generalized statements related to themes in text- ask students to take a stand and explain WHY in two sentences

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Alternative methods to teaching schema (continued)

Schema

Text to

world

Text to

self Text to

text

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REVIEW:READING

COMPREHENSION

POST READING

DURING READING

PRE-READING

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Form groups of four to teach the following reading comprehension strategies given four minutes:1. clarifying

2. Comparing & Contrasting

3. Inferencing5. Predicting7. Questioning the

text9. Evaluating11. Determining

what’s important as students read

12. SQ4R method

4. Make connections to prior experience

6. Summarizing8. Visualizing10. Understanding

Textual Features13. Synthesizing

information to create new thinking

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Home Work for Tuesday & Wednesday:

1. Bring one innovative teaching method or technique you have created or used.

2. Prepare for a debate on the following three propositions for Wednesday:

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Propositions for debate:1. Be it resolved that teachers

should specialize as lower form or upper form teachers.

2. Be it resolved that teachers teach to CSEC exam instead of teaching to course.

3. Be it resolved that CSEC is still important to Belizeans.