Reading Comprehension “Best Practices in Informational Text Comprehension Instruction”

Phonemic Awareness Elkonin Boxes

Alphabet Knowledge

Morphology and Vocabulary Morphological Analysis: Use the meaning of word parts to derive the meaning of the entire word Use the meaning of one word (part) to facilitate the knowing of other related words

Text Talk Beck and McKeown

Word Meaning

Punctuation conveys stress PreTeena, May PreTeena, May

Effective Fluency Instruction Assisted reading (models and supports fluent reading) – Choral or group reading – Paired reading, partner reading, echo reading – Books on tape with text Deep and wide practice reading – Repeated reading of the same text (deep) (Samuels, 1979) (NRP, 2000) – Single reading of multiple texts (wide) (Kuhn, )

Reciprocal Teaching Prediction from the previously read text Generating questions from ideas presented in the text Seeking clarification about areas that might have been confusing in the text Summarizing what was read Palincsar and Brown, 1984

Transactional Strategies Instruction Teacher models a variety of strategies which students practice Students report which strategies they are using when they read with the expectation that students will use a combination of strategies and different strategies. The goal is flexible and independent strategy use Pressley et al,. 1992

Collaborative Strategic Reading Students activate prior knowledge and make predication (preview) Find words and ideas that are unknown or are confusing (click) and apply “fix up” strategies (clunk) Summarize Construct questions about what they read Klinger & Vaughn, 1999

Principles of Effective Strategy Instruction Strategies should be thought of as a set; i.e., they are flexible and interconnected. Teach multiple strategies rather than a single strategy. Strategies should be practiced while reading authentic texts. Strategies should be practiced over time until responsibility for their use shifts from the teacher to the student

Reading Comprehension “Best Practices in Informational Text Comprehension Instruction”

Differences Between Narrative and Expository Text Narrative TextInformational Text (Content Area) Purpose to entertainPurpose to inform Familiar contentUnfamiliar content Focus on character motivation, intentions, goals Focus on factual information Includes academic vocabulary (Tier 2) Includes academic vocabulary (Tier 2 and Tier 3) Signal words are not criticalSignal words are critical; e.g., because, before, if then. Simple text structureComplex text structures Each text can stand aloneExpected to integrate information across texts

Differences Between Narrative and Expository Text Strategy Instruction Narrative TextInformational Text Set a purpose for reading Connect to prior knowledge (experiences) Connect to prior knowledge (content) PredictingPreview the text Inferring (pragmatic)Inferring (logical) IllustrationsGraphics (maps, charts, graphs) Monitoring (fix up) Questioning Summarizing

Additional Consideration: Comprehension is Genre Specific Academic vocabulary specific to each of the content areas (social sciences, sciences, mathematics, arts) – Generative morphology for history/social sciences – Generative morphology for the sciences

Additional Consideration: Comprehension is Genre Specific Organized labor was a critical element of the New Deal Coalition. As a result of the Wagner Act and other pro-labor legislation passed during the New Deal, union members enjoyed better working conditions and increased bargaining power. Lexical density: Nearly half of the words in these two sentences are content words (assume prior knowledge) References to previous text: “other pro-labor legislation” Signal words: “as a result of” signals a cause/effect relationship

Text Structure Instruction Signal Words

Compare/ContrastCause/EffectSequenceProblem/Solution although however on the other hand along the same lines as a result of therefore consequently may be due to first, second, third next finally previously hardship is faced with overcome in spite of

Compare/Contrast ProQuestionCon Issue 1 Issue 2 Issue 3

Cause/Effect Effect Cause

Sequence Event 1Event 2Event 3

Problem/Solution ProblemSolution Event One Event Two Event Three

Program Reviews This Week – Achieve 3000 – REWARDS – RAV-O Next Week – Six Minute Solution – Read Naturally – Language! – Orton Gillingham

Next Week Research Synthesis Due Proust and the Squid – Four or five main ideas (with supporting details) from the chapter – “How the brain adapted itself to read: The first writing systems” – “The birth of an alphabet and Socrates’ protest” – “The beginnings of reading development or not” – “The natural history of reading development: Connecting the parts of the young reading brain”