Comprehension

TE 301
 Background Knowledge

K (What you know) W (Want to know) L (What you have

learned)
 What is comprehension?

Simply defined, comprehension is making meaning out of

text.
Comprehension is the reader’s process of using prior
experiences and the author’s text to construct meaning
that is useful to the reader for a specific purpose (Irwin,
1991).
Reading is a constructive process in which readers
construct meaning by interacting with text (Pearson,
Roehler, Dole, & Duffy, 1990).
“The process of simultaneously extracting and
constructing meaning through interaction and
involvement with written language” (Rand Reading Study
Group, 2002, p. xiii)
 Comprehension Model
Reliant upon:
 Reader factors-what
Reader
readers bring to the
reading process, including
purpose, motivation and
strategies they use to read
 Text factors-author’s
ideas, words used,
organization and
presentation of ideas
 Activity or the purpose
and task behind the
reading Activity Text
 What we already know

We know that the following factors affect reading

comprehension:
 Word knowledge/Decoding skills
 Fluency
 Vocabulary
 Motivation
 What are comprehension strategies?

“Reading comprehension strategies are conscious

and flexible plans that readers apply and adopt to a
variety of texts and tasks” (Pearson, Roehler, Dole, &
Duffy, 1992).
The flexible use of reading comprehension strategies
are what separates the effective readers from the
poor readers.
The good news is that reading comprehension
strategies can be taught.
What are characteristics of comprehension strategies?

Strategies are conscious efforts.

 At first this is the case, but as students become more accustomed to
using these strategies, then they become habits of good readers.
Strategies are flexible.
 Strategies can be used for different types of texts and at different
stages of reading.
Strategies should be applied only when appropriate.
 Students should be told that they don’t have to use ALL the strategies
ALL the time.
Strategies are widely applicable.
 Strategies can be used across ages, grade levels, abilities, and texts.
Strategies can be overt or covert.
 Some strategies will result in written or verbal output, while others
can not be observed.
Graves, Juel, & Graves, 2004
 Strategies for younger learners (K -1st grade)

Before During After

 Previews from a picture  Uses 1:1 matching  Notices if reading did or

walk  Uses meaning cues: did not make sense
 Makes a prediction based “What would make sense  Returns to text to clarify
on picture cues there?” “Check the picture confusions
 Checks for picture cues and think if that makes  Retells or summarizes;
for support on “tricky” sense?” “Get your mouth includes characters,
words pointed out by tutor ready (with the first sound setting, beginning and
 Notices and repeats of printed word) and think ending, and main events.
language “patterns” Ex: what would make sense.”  Responds to the
Run, run, as fasts as you  Cross-checks cues (MSV) message of the text with
can… for self-correction personal connections
 Activates background  Responds to the
knowledge by making message of the text with
connections with pictures personal connections
 Makes predictions  Checks predictions
 Strategies for older readers (2 nd
grade and above)

Before During After

 Activating  Generating  Answering questions
background questions and generating new
knowledge  Visualizing ones
 Generating  Predicting  Visualizing (ending
questions  Clarifying or important
 Predicting  Summarizing concepts)
 Setting a purpose  Monitoring  Clarifying
for reading  Making connections  Summarizing
(expository text) – text to self, text to  Paraphrasing
 Establishing a text, text to world  Verifying predictions
purpose for reading.  Making inferences  Discussion of main
 Note taking using a ideas using story
graphic organizer structure or text
structure
 Video

Watch the following video and listen for information

about what good readers do:

http://www.learner.org/resources/series204.html?po
p=yes&pid=2188#
What do good readers do?
 Strategies in action

What strategies have you seen being taught in the

classroom? How have they been taught?
 What don’t you get?

Why some kids have difficulties in comprehension

 Meaning is not constructed from the individual words
 Comprehension goes beyond the ability to read fluently and/or
recognize words
 Any number of issues can affect comprehension and these can
occur for text, reader, and/or activity
 Ruling Out

 Is the student having issues with word decoding or

recognition (sight words)?
 Is the student having issues with fluency?
 What do you know about the student’s oral language?
 Is short-term or working memory an issue?
 How is the student’s primary language related to the
language of the text?
 Is the issue related to an unfamiliarity with specific
features or aspects of written language?
 What strategies, if any, is the student using?
 How motivated is the student (for the material or the
activity?)
Duke, Pressley, & Hilden, 2004
Comprehension Struggles: Beyond Not Getting It

Variations in issues with children who are

struggling to comprehend:
 Automatic word callers: good fluency, poor
comprehension
 Struggling word callers: some difficulty in word ID,
though still stronger in fluency and word ID than
meaning
 Word stumblers: difficulty with word ID, but
relatively strong in determining meaning
 Slow and steady comprehenders: read slowly, but
strong word ID and comprehension
 Slow word callers: accurate yet slow in reading, poor
comprehension
 Disabled readers: difficulty in both word ID and
comprehension
Buly & Valencia, 2002
 What This Tells Us

Have to look beyond test scores

Triangulate your data
 Formal assessments
 Informal assessments
Determine if multiple causes might be at work
(which is true in many cases)
Determine where the issue begins, rather than just
looking at the end (comprehension)
Determine what the best course for instruction is
based on the various causes (and what you can or
can’t address)
 Type of Text: Linear vs. Hypertext

What differences can you think of between linear

(printed text) and hypertext (electronic text)?
What similarities exist?
How does comprehension change from linear to
hypertext?
 Comprehension of Hypertext

 Strategies employed include:

 Relying on prior knowledge
 Of the topic
 Of the text structures
 Of structures of informational websites
 Of search engines on the web (to plan, predict, monitor and evaluate
subsequent text)
 Setting purpose
 Reviewing and predicting
 Finding main ideas
 Minimizing disorientation
 Evaluating text
 Using literal matching skills (did I find what I wanted to find?)
 Based on structural and context clues (often to make inferences about the
text)
Coiro & Dobler, 2007; Duke, Schmar-Dobler, & Zhang, 2006