ActionResearch

InitialMeetingwithTeacher
StudentsChosen
StudentA:
ThisstudentwaschosenbyMs.Browntobeapartoftheactionresearchgroup
becauseofherreadingcomprehensionandlackofexpressionskills.Thisstudentstruggleswith
readingcomprehensionbecauseofherfluency,readingspeed,andexpressionskills.Sheis
readingongradelevelandenjoysreading.Herreadingspeediswaytoofastwithnoexpression
whichcausehertostrugglewithreadingcomprehension.Sheisastudentwhosprimary
languagewasSpanish.However,sheisfluentinEnglish.Sheisabletospeakbothandisoften
timesagoodcommunicatorbetweentheotherELLstudentsandMs.Brown.Ms.Brownfeels
thatwithmoreoneononeintervention,smallgroupwork,andextrapracticewillhelpthis
studentsreadingcomprehensionintheabilitytounderstandmainideasandkeydetailsto
improve.

StudentB:
ThisstudentwaschosenbyMs.Browntobeapartoftheactionresearchgroup
becauseofherreadingcomprehensionskillsandlackofexpressionskills.Thisstudentison
gradereadinglevel.Sheisagoodreaderandreadsatagoodpacebutstruggleswith
comprehensionduetoherlackofexpression.Ms.Brownfeelsthatwithasmallgroupworkand
extrapracticeeveryweekwillimproveherreadingcomprehensiontounderstandmainideasand
keydetails.

StudentL:
ThisstudentwaschosentobeapartoftheactionresearchgroupbecauseMs.Brown
saysshestruggleswithreadingcomprehension.Shehasgreatexpressionwhenshereadsaloud
andlovestoread.Sheisongradelevelreading.Shestruggleswithreadingcomprehensionand
beingabletopulloutmainideasandkeydetailsfromareadingtext.Withworkinginasmall
groupandgettingtheextrapractice,Ms.Brownbelievesthatherreadingcomprehensionskills
shouldimprove.

StudentM:
StudentMwaschosentobeapartoftheactionresearchgroupbecausesheneeds
helpwithherreadingcomprehensionandabilitytounderstandthekeyideasandmainideasofa
text.SheisanELLstudentwhoisfluentinEnglishbutstillstrugglessome.Reading
comprehension,expression,andfluencyissomethingthatshestruggleswith.Oftentimesshe
readstofastandchoppy.Theextrapracticeandbeinginasmallgroupsettingwillhelpthis
studentwithherreadingcomprehension,helpinghertobeabletopulloutthemainideasandkey
detailsofatext.

StudentS:
ThisstudentwaschosenbyMs.Browntobeapartoftheactionresearchgroup
becauseheneedshelpwithreadingcomprehensionandexpression.Heisreadingongradelevel
however,reallystruggleswiththeabilitytocomprehendmainideasandkeydetailsofagiven
text.Helacksexpression.Ms.Brownbelievesthatwiththeextrapracticeandsmallgroup
setting,willresultinimprovementwithhisreadingcomprehensionespeciallywithhisabilityto
pulloutthemainideasandkeydetailsfromatext.

TheQuestion:

AfterMs.Browndeterminedwhichstudentsshouldbeapartoftheactionresearch
group,wedeterminethecommonproblembetweenthesefivestudentsisreadingcomprehension
payingspecialattentiontokeydetailsandmainideas.Weconstructedthisquestiontobethe
focusoftheactionresearch:
Whatstrategiesaremosteffectivetoimprovestudentsabilityto
identifymainideasanddetails?
Thisquestionwasdevelopedduetothefactthatthesestudents
areongradereadinglevelbutbarely.Theystillstruggle.Theyespeciallystrugglewithnotthe
abilitytopulloutthemainideasandkeydetailsfromatextthattheyarereading.Thestudents
areabletoreadthetextfinewithnostrugglewithvocabulary.Theirmainstruggleistheability
tobeabletoidentifykeydetailsandmainideas.Byworkingonreadingcomprehensionwitha
littlebitoffocusonexpressionandfluencyinasmallgroupsettingshouldbebeneficialforthe
studentsandcausingthemtoimprovewiththeirreadingskillsespeciallycomprehension.

Timeline

PreSession
InitialmeetingwithMrs.Brown
Choosestudentstoworkwith
Determinetheessentialquestion
Discussindividualneedsofeachstudentchosen

 Identifytheessentialquestion:
Whatstrategiesaremosteffectivetoimprovestudents
abilitytoidentifymainideasanddetails?

Session1
InitialAssessment:
Iassesthestudentsbygivingthemanonlevelshortreadingtext
titled
TheSkeletonKey
Theycompletedreadingquestionsthatwentalongwiththe
text.Aswellwehadagroupdiscussionofthetexttalkingaboutthemainideaofthe
storyandthekeydetailsthatwentalongwithit.
OriginalActionResearchGroup
everyonetakesapretestofreadingaselectedtextandanswersgiven
questionsaboutthetext
discussasagroupwhathappenedinthestory.Whatwerethemainidea?
andkeydetails?

Goalsforthenextsession:Session2Iwillchooseamorechallengingreadingtextsincethis
onemoststudentsreadandcomprehendedwithease.Wewillcontinuetoreadadifferenttexts
andanswercomprehension,keydetails,andmainideaquestions.SinceafterSession1,Ifeel
confidentthatIknowtheirreadinglevelandcomprehensionlevels.Wewillcontinuetowork
oncomprehensionandkeydetailsandmainideas.
Session2
Wereadashortstorytitled
Sharks
.Wewentaroundalternatingreadingdifferentpages.
Wediscussedmainideaandkeydetailsthatsupportedthemainidea.

 Eachstudenthadtheirownindividualthreeparagraphfactsaboutsharks.
Thestudentswererequiredtoidentifythemainideaandthenunderlinethekeydetails
ineachparagraphthatsupportedthemaindetail.
Thestudentscompletedaflipchartthathelpedthemidentifythemainideaandpulling
outthekeydetailsthatsupportedthemainideafromeachparagraph.
Session3
IgavemystudentsanarticletoreadtitledAHistoryofZombies.Thisarticlewasa
littlemorelengthyandtheyhadtoanswerquestionsaboutthecomprehensionin
completesentences.
Thesewerequestionsthatcausedthemtoreflectonwhattheyreadandrelateittotheir
everydaylifeandmakingpredictionsaboutthefuture.
Inorderforthemtoreallyunderstandandanswerthequestionsfullytheyhadto
comprehendthestoryandbeabletomakeconnections

Session4
Wedidalessononhowtodescribethemaindetailindepthandtheimportanceof
beingabletodescribeacharacterisdepth.WereadashortstorycalledthePhone
Call.Wediscussedandcompletedagraphicorganizeronthemaincharacter.They
didreallywellwiththecomprehensionofthestoryandbeingabletodescribethemain
characterindepth.
Session5

 Thiswasourfinalsession!Wedidnotmeetforlong!Wemettotalkaboutallthatwe
haveaccomplishedthissemester.Ipulledouttheassessmentsthatwetooktheveryfirst
sessionandcomparedthemtoPhoneCallassessmenttotrackgrowth.Thestudents
wereveryproudofalloftheirhardworkthattheyhaveaccomplishedsofarthisyear.
Wetookalastassessmenttotracktheirimprovements.Itwasacombinationofallthe
assessmentsthatwedidearlierintheyeartotracktheirprogress.

InitialAssessmentReflection
Administered:September22,2015

StudentA
Afteradministeringthreeofthefiveassessments,Ibegantorealizethatthestudentreally
struggledwithreadingspeed.Thisiswhatcausedhertostruggleinreadingcomprehension.She
wasreadingsofast,shewasgettingthewordscorrecthowevershewasnotabletoremember
whatshewasreading.Shedidfinewithreadingthequestionsoftheassessmentandreadingthe
readingpassage.Shedidstrugglewithrememberingwhathappenedinthestoryespeciallykey
detailsandmainideas.Shewasconstantlyhavingtogobackintothepassagetoanswerthe
questions.Bythethirdassessmentshewasdoingabetterjobatslowingdownandtakingher
timewhenshewasreading.Shewasslowingprogressingwithreadingcomprehension,wewere
workingontakingourtimewhilereadingthetextandreallyfocusingonwhatwashappeningin

thestory.Icandeterminethatwiththemorepracticeandconcentrationonslowingdownwhile
readingthatthereadingcomprehensionskillswillincrease.

StudentB
Afteradministeringthreeofthefiveassessments,Ibegantorealizethatthestudentreally
struggledwithreadingcomprehensionduetofocusofthetextandexpression.Shewas
constantlyhavingtogobackintothepassagetoanswerthequestions.Shehadagreatreading
speedandwasabletoreadthewordscorrectly.Shestruggledwithexpressionwhenreadingit
aloud,whichwasanotherreasonwhyshestruggledwithreadingcomprehension.Weworkedon
readingexpressivelyandvisualizinginyourmindwhatwashappeninginthestory.Astimewent
onandweworkedontheseskillshertestscoreswereraised.

StudentL
Afteradministeringthreeofthefiveassessments,Ibegantorealizethatthestudentreally
struggledwithbeingabletopulloutthemainideasandkeydetailsofastory.Shewasconstantly
havingtogobackintothepassagetoanswerthequestions.Weworkedonreadingsothatwe
understoodwhatwasgoingonreallyfocusingonbeingabletoreadatextandtellthemainidea.
andkeydetails.
StudentM
Afteradministeringthreeofthefiveassessments,Ibegantorealizethatthestudentreally
struggledwithbeingabletopulloutthemainideasandkeydetailsofastoryandreadingspeed.
Shewouldreadthepassagesjusttoreadthepassage.Herreadingpacewasveryspeedy.Shewas

constantlyhavingtogobackintothepassagetoanswerthequestions.Wemadeabig
improvementfromtheinitialassessmenttothefinalassessment.Byreallyfocusingonthe
readingspeedhelpedherbeabletocomprehendmainideasandkeydetailsofatext.
StudentS
Afteradministeringthreeofthefiveassessments,Ibegantorealizethatthestudentreally
struggledwithbeingabletopulloutthemainideasandkeydetailsofastory.Hewasconstantly
havingtogobackintothepassagetoanswerthequestions.Weworkedonreadingsothatwe
understoodwhatwasgoingonreallyfocusingonbeingabletoreadatextandtellthemainidea.
andkeydetails.Hewouldbeveryconcernedaboutlittledetailsandthewholestoryratherthan
justthemainidea.Wemadeprogressespeciallywhenwefocusedonexpression.Wemadeabig
improvementfromthefirsttesttothefinalassessment.

ActionResearch

Date/
Time
Spent

Strategy
description

Anecdotal
Observation

Assessment
Data

PlanforNext
Session

Reflect/Respond

Sept.22,
2015

25mins.

reading
comprehension

Inoticedthat
theystudents
wereveryshy
butslowly
warmedupto
measwe
continuedto
read.Student
S,L,Areally
lovedreading
aloud.While
studentMand
Bweremore
hesitantand
shy.

StudentA:

onthe
assessment
StudentB:

onthe
assessment
StudentL:
onthe
assessment
StudentM:
onthe
assessment
StudentS:
onthe
assessment

the
assessment
wasona
readinglevel
P.

Iwillchoosea
more
challenging
readingtext
sincethisone
moststudents
readand
comprehended
withease.We
willcontinueto
readadifferent
textsand
answer
comprehension,
keydetails,and
mainidea
questions.
Sinceafter
Session1,I
feelconfident
thatIknow
theirreading
leveland
comprehension
levels.Wewill

IfeelconfidentthatI
knowtheirreading
leveland
comprehensionlevels.
Wewillcontinueto
workon
comprehensionandkey
detailsandmainideas.
Icanmoveupthe
studentsreadinglevel
becausethisconfirmed
thattheyareongrade
level.Theywereable
toreallycomprehend
thistext.Theydid
strugglealittlebitwith
beingabletopickout
themainideasandkey
details.Ithinkthaton
theirgradereading
levelwewillneedto
reallyputspecial
emphasisonthis.

continueto
workon
comprehension
andkeydetails
andmainideas.

Sept.29,
2015

25mins.

reading
comprehension
expression

Thestudents
weremore
comfortable
withreading
aloudina
group.They
lovedthestory
aboutsharks!
Theyallspent
timetalking
aboutscience
factsthatthey
learnedabout
inscience.
Theyenjoyed
readingand
wereless
timid.

Thestudents
allgoton
theflipchart
thatthey
completed.I
hadarubric
towherethey
hadtopick
outthemain
ideaandthen
3keydetails.

Iwillchoosea
passagenext
timethathasa
lessobvious
mainidealike
sharks.Wewill
continueto
reallyworkon
findingthe
mainideaand
keydetails
withinthetext.

Thestudentsareallon
thesamereadinglevel
sotheydidnothave
anydifficultywith
readingthepassage.
Themainideawasvery
obviousandstatedin
thetitle.Theywere
easilyabletopickout
themainidea.Thekey
detailsweresomething
thattheystruggled
with.Asagroup
collectivelytheyareall
onthesamelevelof
beingabletopickout
comprehension.

October
6,2015

25mins.

reading
comprehension
fluentreading
expression

Thestudents
werevery
comfortable
withthis
reading.They
wereexcited
sinceitwas
closeto
Halloweento
readabout
Zombies.They
reallywere
enthusiastic
andexcitedto
dothis
reading.

Theyall
scoredinthe
80to87
percenton
the
assessment.
The
assessment
wasfocused
onpicking
outthemain
ideaandkey
details.

NextweekI
willcontinueto
focusonkey
detailsand
mainidea.

Theyreallyenjoyed
thispassage.Their
readingfluencyaloud
inthesmallgrouphas
improvedespecially
theirexpression.They
aremakingalotofbig
stridestounderstanding
comprehensionand
gettingmore
comfortableespecially
withpickingoutthe
mainideafromatext.

October
20,2015

reading
comprehension

Theyhaveall
improved

The
assessment

NextweekI
willreally

Thestudentsarereally
startingtogetahangof


25mins.

October
27,2015

25mins.

reading
comprehension

tremendously.
Therereading
aloudhas
improved
especiallywith
expression.

everyonedid
awesome!I
amsoproud!
StudentSand
Lwerethe
onlyonesto
missone
question,the
restgotthem
allcorrect.

emphasizekey
detailsand
mainideas
againandwhy
theyareso
important.

everything!Iamso
proudofthem!Itaught
alessonon
comprehensionandkey
detailstoday.They
werereallygettingthe
hangoutit.Itwas
reallyneattoseehow
muchtheyhave
improvedsincethe
beginning.

Thestudents
werevery
enthusiastic.
Theyhave
madesomuch
improvement
anditisfunto
pullouttheold
assessments
andshowthem
howmuchthat
theyhave
improved.

Igave
everyonethe
same
assessmentI
originally
gavethemat
thevery
beginningof
themeetings.
Theyall
improved!

Thisisthelast
meeting!Iwill
looktoseehow
theyare
performingin
theirclasses
andseeifMs.
Brownnotices
any
improvements
withinthe
classroom
setting.

Wetookthesame
assessmentthatthey
tookatthebeginning.
Everyoneimproved!It
wasagreat
accomplishment!Itwas
soneattobeabletosee
theprogressthatwas
madethroughoutthe
timesthatwehavemet.
Wereflectedon
everythingandgotto
goarounddiscussing
andlookingathow
mucheveryonehas
grown.Itwasveryneat
andhappytogettosee
alltheimprovements
andbeabletoshow
themallofthe
improvementsthatthey
havemade.

StrategiesUsed
1. RunningRecordReadingAssessment
2. GuidedReading

3. FluencyRubric
4. ExplicitModeling
5. graphicorganizers

Lessons/AssessmentsUsed
1. ElementaryReadingAttitudeSurvey
2. ThePhoneCallshortstory
3. ThePhoneCallassessmentquestions
4. SkeletonKeyshortstory
5. SkeletonKeyassessment
6. Sharksassessment
7. Sharksshortstory
8. AHistoryofZombiesshortstory
9. AHistoryofZombiesassessment
10. FluencySelfAssessment

ActionResearch

NecessaryInstructionChanges
1. Inoticedafterconductingtheinitialreadingcomprehensionassessmentsthatmystudents
allstruggledwithreadingcomprehensionespeciallypullingoutthemainideaandkey

detailsfromastory.StudentS,B,Mstruggledwithexpression.StudentAandL
struggledwithreadingpace.Theyallstruggledwithreadingcomprehension.Knowing
thattheyallreallystrugglewithmainideaandkeydetailsthanmyfocusforthisgroup
willbeonthat.
2. InoticedthattheywereallreadingongradelevelsoIwasabletopickpassagesthatwere
ongradelevelforthemtoread.Ifiguredbygoingaroundareadingthepassagesaloud
toowithmodellingexpression,fluency,andreadingratewasveryhelpful.
3. OnceIfeltthatwereadingmorewithexpressionandatabetterrateIwasabletogive
moreemphasisonpickingoutthemainideaandkeydetailsofapassage.
4. InordertoreallytheimportanceofmainideaandkeydetailsIhadthestudentsfillouta
flipchart.Thiscausedthemtopickoutthemainideaandthenwritekeydetailsthat
supportedthemainidea.
5. Astimewentonandthestudentsbegantoprogress,Ibegantochallengethestudentwith
moredifficultreadingpassageswherethemainideawasnotasobvious.Itwasgreatto
beabletoseehowmuchtheyprogressedfromtheverybeginningtonow.Wewereable
toconnectmainideasandkeydetailsthatsupporteditandhaveagoodacademic
discussionaboutthem.

FinalAssessment
Administered:October27,2015

Afterfivesessionsofsmallgroupwork,myfivestudentswhoallhadthesamestruggle
ofreadingcomprehensionespeciallywithbeingabletoidentifythemainideaandkeydetails.
StudentS,B,Mexpressionimproveddramatically.Inthebeginningandtheveryfirstreadaloud
theyimprovedbyatleast20percentbetterexpression.StudentAandLstruggledwiththepaceat
whichtheywerereadingat,theyalsoimprovedsomuch.Althoughexpressionandpacewerenot
thecomponentsatwhichmyactionresearchwasparticularlyfocusingon,Inoticedthatwith
improvementintheseareaswouldleadtoimprovementofreadingcomprehension,whichwas
mymainfocus.Everysessionwewouldreadashortstorythatwasongradelevelandtowards
theendareadingpassagethatwouldchallengethem.Wewouldreadaloudandindependently.
Wewouldfocusonbeingabletoidentifythemainideaandkeydetailsinthestory.Fromthe
firstassessmentIgavethestudentsweregettingintherangeof7080percentcorrect.Thelast
assessmentIgavestudentS,L,Aallscored95andstudentMandBscored90.Thesewerevery
excitingresultsbecauseanassessmentinthebeginningwherethestudentswouldscorea23out
5ontheassessmentwerenowonlymissing1to2questionsoutof10.StudentA,B,M,L,andS
areontheroadtobeingverygoodcomprehensivereaders

StudentProgressMonitoringChart


DataAnalysis&AdditionalReflections
StudentAisaverypositiveELLstudentwholovestoreadandschool.Shehadagreat
attitudeeverydaythatwemet.WhenwefirststartedInoticedthatshewasaverysmartstudent
howevershedidstrugglewithreadingcomprehensionandpayingattentiontomainideaandkey
details.WhenwedidreadingaloudInoticedthatshereadveryfast,toofast.Weworkedon
readingpacethroughoutthesessionsalongwithmainideaandkeydetails.Sheimprovedbythe
timeoftheendbeingmoreconfidentwithreadingaloudandreallytakinghimtimeslowing
downwhileshewasreading.Thiscausedforhertohaveabetterunderstandingofmainideas
andkeydetails.IamexcitedtoseewhatthefuturehasforstudentAespeciallynowthatshehas
becomeabetterreaderwhocanidentifythemainideaandkeydetailsofatext.
StudentBissuchasweetfourthgrader.Atthebeginningshewasverytimidespecially
withreadingaloud.Shewasnotveryconfident.Astimewentonshewasvolunteeringtobethe
firstonetoreadoraskingifshecouldreadthispassagealoud.Itwasveryneattobeabletosee
theprogressthatshemade.Shestruggledwithexpression.Aftereachsessionssheimprovedand
beingabletoreadaloud,hearmereadaloud,andbeabletohearherpeersreadreallyhelpedher.
Sheimprovedinreadingcomprehensionwithbeingabletogetthekeydetailsandmainideasout
ofatext.Itwasveryneattoseehowshebecamemoreconfident.OutofmyfivestudentsthatI
gottoworkwithshegrewthemostinconfidencewhenitcametoreadingandreading
comprehension.

StudentLisaveryexpressive,dramatic,andfunlovingfourthgradestudent.Expression
isnotsomethingthatthisstudentstruggledwithatall.Sheisveryexpressive.Shedidstruggle
withreadingrate.However,outoftheotherstudentsshewasthestrongestwhenitcameto
reading.Shedidreallystrugglewithreadingcomprehensionandespeciallybeingabletopullout
themainideaofatext.Sheprogressedandhavingasmallgroupreallywasbeneficialtoher.
Alsohavingthelearningtoolofagraphicorganizerwasveryhelpfulforher.Sheprogressedand
betheendwasconfidentwithbeingabletopickoutamainideafromatextandbeabletofind
thekeydetailsthatsupportedit.
StudentMisanELLstudentwhoiskindheartedandloving.Sheisdefinitelyateacher
pleaserandrulefollower.Sheisverysweetandajoytoworkwith.Shestruggledwithreading
speedandwouldreadveryquickly,IthinkithastodowithherfirstlanguagebeingSpanish.She
progressedeverysingletimewemet.Withherfocusingonslowingdownherreadingrateshe
wasabletocomprehendthetextbetter.Withextrapracticeeverysessionshewasableto
improvebeingabletocomprehendthereadingtextsandpullingoutthemainideasandkey
detailsfromashortstory.
StudentSisasweet,obedientstudent.Heisaverydisciplinedstudentandnotonlywants
tomakesurethatheisdoingtherightthingbutwantstomakesureeveryoneelseisdoingthe
rightthing.Hestruggledinthebeginningwithexpressionandpullingoutthekeydetails.He
wouldthinkthateverythinginthetextwasimportantinformationandoftengetconfusedon
whatthemainideawas.Withmoreandmorepracticehisreadingaloudhisexpressionwhenhe
readaloudwasimproving.Hewasalsocomprehendingthemainideafromthestoryandthen
beingabletopickoutthekeydetailsthatsupportthatmainideafromatext.Duringoneofthe

sessionsIhadthestudentsdoaflipchartthatfocusedonpickingoutthemainideaandthen
findingthekeydetailsthatsupportedthemainidea.Ithinkhavingthisgraphicorganizerwas
veryhelpfulforhimandmadetheinformationclick.Hereallyimprovedthroughoutthewhole
timethatwegottoworktogetherandwasajoytoworkwith.
Itwasveryneatandrewardingtoseeallmystudentsimprove.Theyallhadabetter
understandingofreadingcomprehensionandisnowabletomoreconfidentlyidentifythemain
ideaandkeydetailsfromatext.Ihadagreatgroupofstudentswhowereeagertolearnandvery
involvedinallofthesessions.

KeyDetailsandMainIdeasInvolvedinReadingComprehension
HaileyPierson
SamfordUniversity

Abstract
Readingcomprehensionisdefinedastheabilitytoreadtext,processit,andunderstandits
meaning.Readingcomprehensionisaskillthatmustbemasteredinordertobeasuccessful
student.TechniquessuchasBrainGymactivities,pretestingandposttesting,andliterature
discussionsareallstrategiesthatcanimprovereadingcomprehension.Readingcomprehensionis
whenyoufocusonthemainideaandkeydetailsofthetexttohelpyouunderstandthetext.With
theuseofavarietyofstrategiesreadingcomprehensionwillbeimproved.Inordertohelpthe
studentsabilitytoidentifymainideaandkeydetailsitgoesbacktotheunderstandingoftext,
readingcomprehension.Mainidea,keydetails,andreadingcomprehensionallgotogether.You
mustpossessalltheskillsinordertobeasuccessfulreader.

Readingcomprehensionistheabilitytoreadtext,processitandunderstanditsmeaning.
Readingcomprehensionisaskillthatisvitaltobeingasuccessfulstudent.Inordertobea
successfulreaderyoumustbeabletofirstreadthetext,processitandthenunderstandit.In
ordertounderstandthetextyoumustknowthemainideasandkeydetails.Keydetailsandmain
ideasarewhatmakesastory.Thereisavarietyofmanytests,strategies,andsuggestionsgiven
inordertohelpstudentsimprovereadingcomprehension.
Readingcomprehensionisaskillthatfocusesonthreemainaspects,beingabletoread
thetext,processit,andunderstandit.AccordingtoPatrickKariukiinhisarticleaboutreading
comprehensionhedescribestwotypesofstrategieswhenitcomestoreadingcomprehension,the
traditionalwayandthenthebraingymactivities.Doingtheresearchaboutreading
comprehensionKariukifoundthatifthestudentsweretaughtreadingcomprehensionBrainGym
activities,whicharejustactivitiesthatgetyourbraingoingbydoingactivethingsinthe
classroomlikeanactivitythatinvolvesstandingandsittingorwalkingaroundtheclassroom
beforethestudentslearnthetraditionalway.WiththeuseofBrainGymthestudentswereableto
recallmorekeydetailsandrememberthemainideasbetterratherthanifthestudentslearnedthe
traditionalway.
Thestudentsweretestedafterfivedaysofreceivingtraditionalteaching
strategiesandagainafterfivedaysofparticipatinginBrainGymactivitiesbeforeclass
instructionbegan.Datawereanalyzedusingapairedttest.Theresultsindicatedasignificant

differenceinstudents'comprehensiontestscoreswhentaughtusingBrainGymactivitiesover
thestudents'comprehensiontestscoreswhoweretaughtusingonlytraditionalteaching
strategies...(Kariuki,5)Kariukdiscoveredthatifyouusedifferentwaysotherthanjustthe
traditionalwaysthanthestudentsreadingcomprehensionscoreswillgoup.Thetraditionalway
isdescribedastheteacherstandinginfrontoftheclassdoingalltheteaching.Byallowingthe
kidstobemoreinvolvedintheirlearningwillbebeneficialtothestudents.Asateacher,it
wouldbekeytopresentthematerialinavarietyofdifferentwaysandusingdifferentstrategies.
Inarecentstudydonebyresearcher,Ismailaboutthebenefitsofpreandpostreading
tests.Pretestingforreadingcomprehensioniswhenyoutestthestudentstoseewhatlevelthey
areonforreadingcomprehension.Pretestingallowsyoutotellifthestudentispickingupon
themainideaandkeydetailsoftexts.Mainideaandkeydetailsareveryimportantwhenit
comestobeingsuccessfulinreadingcomprehension.Itisimportanttopretestbecausethenyou
canseethelevelsofreadingcomprehension,keydetails,andmainideasoyouknowwhatto
workwith.Throughoutthetimethatyouareworkingwiththestudents,theyshouldconsistently
beimproving.Inacoupleofmonthsorwhenevertheteacherdecidestoreassessthestudents
theywillgiveaposttest.Aposttestisatestsimilartothebeginningtest,thepretestthatwas
giventothestudentsatthebeginning.Theposttestshowstheteacherhowmuchprogresswas
madethroughoutthetime.Itisaboutimprovementandtrackingthegrowthaboutthestudents.In
thearticleittalksaboutanexperimentdoneregardingthepreandpostteststoseeiftheyhad
anysignificanceinbeingastrategythatwouldimprovereadingcomprehension.Therewasan
experimentalgroupandacontrolledgroup.Thecontrolledgroupdidnotparticipateinanyofthe
readingstrategiesorpreorposttests.Theyweretaughtthetraditionalway.Theexperimental

groupwasgivendifferentreadingstrategiesandpretestsandposttests.Statisticalanalysesof
thedatashowedthattherewerestatisticallysignificantdifferencesbetweentheexperimental
groupandthecontrolgroupontheposttestreadingcomprehensiontestaswellasthereading
strategiesquestionnaire.Theseshowedasignificantimprovementinthereadingskillinthe
experimentalgroup(Ismail84).Withthisresearchpreformedandtheresultsgiven,itiswell
notedtoincludepreandposttestinwhenteachingreadingcomprehension.
Therewasaqualitativestudydonethatquestionedtheimportanceofliteraturediscussion
andthepositiveaffectsthatithasonreadingcomprehension.InthestudythatPittmandescribes
atestonreadersthatwerestrugglingwasdoneinaruralTitleIschool.Theresultsfromthistest
wasthatwhenliteraturediscussionincreasedstudentsenjoymentofreadingandunderstanding.
Whenreadingstrategieswereexplainedtheycomprehension,remembranceofmainideaandkey
detailsincreasedevenmore.Theliteraturediscussionwasamainfocusofthisstudy.Literature
discussionleadtoanimprovementofthetextespeciallywhentherecouldbeaconnection
betweenthestudentslivesandthetext.Thediscussionshouldbefocusedontheliteraturetext.
Usingthestrategyofaliteraturediscussionthestudentsbecomemoreknowledgeable,confident,
andcomfortablewiththetextallowingthemtorecallkeydetailsandthemainideaeasier.
Inconclusion,readingcomprehensionisaskillisasignificantskillforallelementary
studentstohave.Thereisavarietyofwaysthatastudentcanimprovetheirreading
comprehensionandremembranceofkeydetailsandthemainidea.Insteadofdoingtraditional
teachingitisimportanttomixupthewaythatyoupresenttheinformationandreading
comprehensionskillstothestudentssuchasusingtheBrainGymactivities.Thiswillallow
studentstobetaughtinadifferentwayandseetheinformationpresenteddifferently.Another

verysuccessfulstrategyistheuseofpreandposttests.Thisismostbeneficialtotheteacher.
Thisallowstheteachertoseewherethestudentneedstoimproveandthereforetheteachercan
helpthestudentsimprovementbasedontheresultsthatthetestsgives.Thelastveryimportant
strategyistheuseofliteraturediscussion.Discussionisaveryimportanttoolthatteacherscan
useinordertohelpimprovereadingcomprehension.Discussionallowstheteachertohearthe
studentsthoughtprocess.Thiswillhelptheteacherbeabletopickuponifthestudentis
understandingthemainideaandpickinguponkeydetails.Mainideaandkeydetailsaretwo
componentsofreadingcomprehensionthatarevitaltounderstandthetext.Reading
comprehensionisanecessaryskillthatmustbemasteredinordertobesuccessfulinschool.Asa
teacheritisveryimportantthatyouteachthisskilltoyourstudentsbyusingdifferentstrategies
sothattheycanbesuccessfulinreadingcomprehension.


WorksCited

Ismail,N.M.,&Tawalbeh,T.I.(2015).EffectivenessofaMetacognitiveReading
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Kariuki,P.N.,&Kent,H.D.(2014).TheEffectsofBrainGymActivitiesandTraditional
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Pittman,P.,&Honchell,B.(2014).LiteratureDiscussion:EncouragingReadingInterest and
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