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