1. Unlocking Understanding Cyndi Castello-Bratteson Literacy Consultant

2. What is Reading Comprehension?  Simply put… It is making meaning from any written text.  Written text includes books, magazines, and computer messages.  “It is an interactive process involving the reader, the text, and the content.” (Block et al, 2002)  Comprehension is a cognitive process.

3. What does the research say about comprehension?  There is an enormous link in improving teachers’ understanding of effective instructional strategies to students success with text comprehension.  Creating intrinsic motivation to read is a prerequisite to teaching reading comprehension.

4. Cooperative Learning Structures Focused on Today! Walk-Pair-ShareNumbered Heads Together Inside-Outside Circle Students think to themselves about a topic proposed by the teacher. They walk and pair up with another student to share and adjust their thoughts. Then they raise their hands and share with the whole group. The teacher asks a question. Students consult with everyone in their group to be sure all students have the answer. One student number is called upon to stand and share. Students stand in pairs in two concentric circles. The inside circle faces out and the outside circle faces in. Students use flashcards or respond to teacher directions or questions while rotating partners.

5. Successfully Implementing Strategies  Direct explanation of the strategy  Modeling  Guided practice  Focused feedback  Independent application

6. Retention Pyramid Teach others (Sousa, 2001) Practice by Doing Discussion Groups Demonstration Audiovisual Reading Lecture 5% 10% 20% 30% 50% 75% 90%

7. Comprehension Strategies  Preview and Predict  Self-Questioning  Making Connections  Visualizing  Knowing How Words Work  Monitoring  Summarizing  Evaluating

8. MODEL, MODEL, MODEL “When we observe someone carrying out an action, the same neurons in our brains fire as if we were carrying out the action. We actually practice as we observe.” (Kagan, 2009) *Do not expect independent practice to be successful if you haven’t modeled with think- alouds once or more than once.*

9. Strategy #1 RAP Objective: TLW use buddy reading/RAP strategy to monitor and summarize comprehension after each page of text. Procedure  Teacher explanation- What is the strategy and how does it help comprehension?  MODEL for the students using a fish bowl technique with a grade level story  Pair off the students and assign the page range and first reader (if completed early, have students go back and reread silently)  Walk the room and take anecdotal notes on students’ reading, questioning, answering and summarizing for future small group instruction  Assist when needed with decoding or comprehension strategy Evaluation: Group discussion and recording of the P for each page Extention: Have groups, pairs and individuals write a summary using the group P

10. Reading Comprehension Components Working with Text:This cluster focuses on ideas and information that are presented in the text and available either literally or by extrapolation. Analyzing/Critiquing Text:This cluster focuses on students analysis of what they have read. These questions provide students with opportunities to reflect on and analyze their understanding of the text.Questions and tasks in this cluster ask students to analyze aspects of the text that lead to their own questioning, predictions, and opinions, or to analyze what specific ideas or information contribute to or reveal in the text. http://www.state.nj.us/education/njpep/assessment/TestSpecs/lal_njask/ppt/NJASKLALPresentation_files/frame.htm

11. Baby Steps to QAR! Teach the difference between: In The Book:  Right There: Go back and find it  Think and Search: Go back, find it, think about how the ideas fit together In Your Head:  Author and You: Find it and form an opinion  On My Own: Use your background knowledge of a topic ______________________ NJASK sample: On page 14, the school letter states that Spider has been chosen for the spelling bee. Why was he chosen? What lesson does “Brave as a Mountain Lion” teach? (Raphael, 1982; 1986)

12. Working with Text: Paraphrasing  On page 45, the author writes the King flew into a rage.  This means the King  A. laughed at his advisors.  B. sent his advisors away.  C. bumped into something.  D. was very angry. http://www.state.nj.us/education/njpep/assessment/TestSpecs/lal_njask/ppt/NJASKLALPresentation_fil es/frame.htm

13. Analyzing Text: Drawing Conclusions  You left your glass of juice in the classroom with Juan and Jenny. One of them drank your juice. What steps would you take to determine which classmate drank the juice? Use information from the article to support your explanation. http://www.state.nj.us/education/njpep/assessment/TestSpecs/lal_njask/ppt/NJASKLALPresentation_fil es/frame.htm

14. Plan for Implementation Day 1: -What is QAR? -Explain, use models of each question Day 2: -Focus on In The Book questions in small group and whole group -Assign same for HW Day 3: -Focus on In My Head questions in small group and whole group -Assign same for HW

15. Plan for Implementation Day 4 & 5: -Assign each group 1 type of question -Share and assess accuracy Day 6: -Assign each group member 1 type of question -Share and assess accuracy in small group if possible Use lesson plan on next page to implement QAR in whole group, small group or independently

16. Strategy #2 & 3: Self-Questioning Self-Questioning: Objective: TLW use questions before, during and after reading to make connections to the text. Procedures:  Teacher explanation- What is the strategy and how does it help comprehension  Teacher models the questioning strategy using the big chart while students are in whole group  Introduce the book. Ask and MODEL "before" questions  Picture walk/predict. Add questions  Begin reading and stop to add "during" questions.  After reading add more "after" questions and have a summary discussion  Review the purpose for questioning Evaluation: The students will code the chart and show support for their answers.

17. Strategy #4: Text Coding with Sticky Notes Sticky Note Strategy: Objective: TLW use a coding chart to apply sticky notes during and after reading. Procedure:  As a class, create a coding chart based on known strategies to this point  Model using sticky notes for active reading through a read aloud lesson  Allow volunteers to apply one sticky note to the read aloud text  Modify chart according to student input  Groups of students will read a common text and apply a minimum of 3 sticky notes using the chart to display active reading  Have groups present their codes and connections Evaluation: Students will work independently coding with sticky notes in their just right independent reading selections.

18. Text Coding Possibilities Confused: Cleared Up: Favorite Part: :) Text-to-Self TS Text-to-Text TT Text-to-World TW

19. Non-fiction Pyramid and Narrative Pyramid Strategy #5: Non-fiction Pyramid and Narrative Pyramid Non-fiction Pyramid and Narrative Pyramid Objective: TLW use a graphic organizer to summarize during/after the reading activity Procedure:  Preview, predict & read the text.  In pairs or small groups, students use information from the text to fill in the pyramid.  Differentiate Instruction: Some groups may use the text for help. Other groups may pull from memory. (During vs. After)  Differentiate Instruction: As a follow-up, some groups may use the pyramid to make a story summary for the group. Other groups may work independently to write their own summary. Evaluation: Listen to group discussions or see final summary guides. (Carreker, 2004 & McLauglin, 2002)

20. Strategy #6: Inferring with Feeling Cards On Your Back: Objective: TLW use students’ clues (oral or written) to infer what feeling or event is written on their back. Procedure:  Explain inferences by MODELING the meaning of reading between the lines  Create a class chart of feelings through read alouds and group discussions  Pin a feeling card to one student’s back without the student seeing the card  Allow all students to see the card and think of clues for the target child  Have students describe the emotion or event without using exact words  Prompt the child to infer what the feeling may be “on their back” Evaluation: Have students discuss feelings of characters while reading text and ask them to point to information that allowed them to make their inference.

21. Strategy #7: Exit Tickets Exit Tickets: Objective: TLW will summarize the day’s lesson and dig deeper with one question Procedure:  Following a mini-lesson, lecture, movie…hand out exit tickets to all students  The tickets should remain anonymous to allow for risk-taking  Students will record the GIST of the topic in the top half  Students will record one QUESTION they need clarified in the bottom half  All tickets will be placed in the Tomorrow Tub  Students will randomly select an Exit Ticket at the start of the follow up lesson  Students will read their tickets and the teacher will validate accurate information and correct misconceptions  The questions will guide the day’s lesson or allow for a follow up focus lesson Evaluation: Students’ inquiries on the Exit Tickets will generate quiz or test questions

22. References:  Block, C.C., Gambrell, L.B., & Pressley, M. (2002). Improving comprehension instruction. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.  Carreker, Suzanne. (2004) Developing metacognitive skills. Houston, Texas: Neuhaus Center.  Harvey, S. & Goudvis, A. (2000). Strategies that work: Teaching comprehension to enhance understanding. Markham, Ontario: Pembroke Publishers Limited.  Keene E. O., & Zimmermann, S. (1997). Mosaic of thought: Teaching comprehension in a readers workshop. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.  Miller, D. (2002). Reading with meaning: Teaching comprehension in the primary grades. Portland, Maine: Stenhouse.  McLaughlin, M. & Allen, M.B. (2002). Guided Comprehension. Newark, Delaware.  National Reading Panel. (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidenced- based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. Washington, DC: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

23. Contact Information Cyndi Castello-Bratteson 201-280-4690 Cyndilearning@yahoo.com