Comprehension Strategies

This page gives information on the six comprehension strategies known as making connections, questioning, visualizing, inferring, determining importance, and synthesizing.

http://ed008.k12.sd.us/reading%20workshop%20pictures/Reading%20is%20Thinking.JPG

Comprehension Strategies

Some tips for teaching these comprehension strategies:

  • Model each strategy when reading text  during a read aloud, guided reading, content area text, independent reading, etc.

  • Keep anchor charts of your thinking as well as students' thinking. 

  • Besides post-it notes, also expose students to other ways of recording their thoughts, such as a reader's response journal, T-charts, graphic organizers, etc.

Picture Book List for Modeling StrategiesStrategy Use Tracking SheetReading Strategies Rubric
comprehension skills postersMajor Point Interiews for ReadersDefinitions of StrategiesComprehension Cards to use during reading discussion
Mosaic of Thought Study GuideReading Comprehension Strategies ChartStrategies We UseComprehension Strategies Chart

Making Connections (heading forbulletin board)

Choose topic or theme for each category  (being the new kid, overcoming problems,being responsible, change, everything is connected, dogs, bullies, hope,friendship, etc) Put headings on board and you can use post it notes, paperstapled up there, or just let them write on the board paper! Post your ownconnections and allow students to makwe connections. Really “connect” with your kids and think of a way school reminds themof facebook/texting or a video game for the media category!!  Clickon LINK BELOW to see word document example---Making Connections.rtf

Children make personal connections with the text by using their schema (background knowledge).  There are three main types of connections we make while reading text.

  • Text-to-Self (T-S) refers to connections made between the text and the reader's personal experience. 

  • Text-to-Text (T-T) refers to connections made between a text being read to a text that was previously read.

  • Text-to-World (T-W) refers to connections made between a text being read and something that occurs in the world.

It is important to activate children's schema (background knowledge) before, during, and after reading.

Text-to-Self SheetSchema LessonMaking Connections LessonsMaking Connections Cue Card
Double Entry JournalText-to-World SheetText ConnectionsMaking Connections Lesson
Text-to-Self  LessonText-to-Text LessonText-to-World LessonText-to-World Lesson 2
Making Connections PageUsing Connections PosterMaking Connections Conference Sheet 


http://www.readinglady.com/mosaic/tools/QuestioningboardfromJennifer.JPG

from http://www.readinglady.com/mosaic/tools/QuestioningboardfromJennifer.JPG (click to see larger image)

Questions help students clarify and deepen understanding of the text they are reading.  Teachers should model coding of the different types of questions.

Codes for questions vary according to different authors and books on comprehension strategies. Use codes that suit your students' needs. 

You can even create your own codes with your students' help!

Look at this page for more information on this questioning strategy.

Another questioning strategy that is similar is Question-Answer Relationships (QAR).  Click here for more information.
 

Example of Thinking Aloud for Questioning LessonQuestioning PlansFour Types of QuestionsQuestions Form (I Wonder/I Think)
Questioning WebThin and Thick Questions LessonQuestioning the TextQuestioning Toolkit
Question Strategy Lessons25 Mini-lessons on QuestioningUnit of Study on QuestioningThick and Thin Projects
Asking Questions ThinkmarkAsking Questions ChartQuestioning BoardAsking Relevant Questions
QAR SheetsQAR LessonQAR PromptsQAR Article
Questioning Mini-Lessons   


Click for ppt on how to teach this strategy
http://www.easyliteracy.com/mentalimages.ppt
  • Mental pictures are the cinema unfolding in your mind that make reading three-dimensional.

  • Visualization helps readers engage with text in ways that make it personal and memorable. 

  • Readers adapt their images as they continue to read.

 

Research paper on VisualizationProfessional Development Article on VisualizationGuided ComprehensionVisualization Lesson
Mind PicturesVisualization with PoetryMental Images PlanSensory Imagery Graphic Organizer



Inferring


Click to see larger and more poster examples

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3752485&grade=78

Usually referred to as "reading between the lines".

This strategy usually involves:

  • Forming a best guess using evidence -- context clues, picture clues, etc.

  • Making predictions

  • Drawing conclusions

  • Finding meaning of unknown words

 

Making InferencesSuggested Activities for InferringInference RubricInferring Unit of Study
Difference between Predicting and InferringInferring Word ChartSimple Sentence for InferencingInferring Poem
Inferring Mini-lessons   


Determining Importance


Click chart for larger image OR clink on links below for additional resources

http://t4.jordan.k12.ut.us/cbl/images/litfac/deterimp.pdf

www.horrycountyschools.net/.../Searching%20for%20Meaning-Determing%20Importance.ppt

People are bombarded daily with information.

Knowing the purpose for reading helps determine what's important.

Reader's need to distinguish between:

  • Fiction and nonfiction

  • Important from unimportant information

This strategy works great in conjunction with a nonfiction unit of study.

Determining Importance Notes for TeachersDetermining ImportanceDetermining Importance Note Taking FormDetermining Importance Handout
Nonfiction Unit of StudyNonfiction Conventions Notebook  



http://www.vickymoore2.com/for.cfm?subpage=446921

Thinking evolves through a process.    Reader's thinking changes as they gather more information.

New information makes the reader re-evaluate their schema to form new schema.

Here is an excellent picture of synthesis.  Click to enlarge.

chttp://www.choiceliteracy.com/public/143.cfm

Synthesizing Notes for TeachersSynthesizing and RetellingSynthesis StrategyRecord/Edit/Synthesize/Think (REST) Strategy