““II ’’ll Read it if I Donll Read it if I Don’’t Have t Have to Think..to Think..””

Rethinking Rethinking ““ComprehensionComprehension”” Instruction through ChildrenInstruction through Children’’s s Literature Literature

Judith Dunkerly-Bean, Ph.D

The ChallengeThe Challenge

The The ““WhyWhy”” of Literacy of Literacy

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Comprehending vs. Comprehending vs. ComprehensionComprehension

The process of The process of actively actively constructing constructing meaning in meaning in transaction with transaction with texts in a particular texts in a particular social context social context ( Serafini & Youngs, ( Serafini & Youngs, 2008).2008).

Focus more on Focus more on Process,Process, not not ProductProduct of Reading of Reading

Why ChildrenWhy Children’’s s Literature? Literature?

Home Literacies/Schooled Home Literacies/Schooled Literacies Literacies ( Phall& Roswell, ( Phall& Roswell,

2005)2005) Consider: Consider:

Funds of knowledge ( Moll Funds of knowledge ( Moll et al, 1992) et al, 1992)

Wealth model of literacy ( Wealth model of literacy ( as opposed to deficit) as opposed to deficit)

ORIM ( Hannon & ORIM ( Hannon & Nutbrown, 1997)Nutbrown, 1997) Opportunities for literacy Opportunities for literacy

development development Recognition of literacy Recognition of literacy

practicespractices Interaction with children Interaction with children

to develop literacyto develop literacy Model literacy practices Model literacy practices

Bookbags/backpacks as Bookbags/backpacks as conduit between home & conduit between home & school school

Research Based Research Based Comprehension Comprehension

Strategies Strategies Generating questionsGenerating questions Thinking aloudThinking aloud Monitoring ( Metacognitive Reading) Monitoring ( Metacognitive Reading) Attending to text structureAttending to text structure Activating/Applying relevant background Activating/Applying relevant background

knowledgeknowledge Making inferencesMaking inferences Constructing visual representationsConstructing visual representations SummarizingSummarizing

Effective Literacy Effective Literacy InstructionInstruction

DeliberateDeliberateResponsiveResponsiveExplicitExplicitRelevantRelevantResearch Research

Based Based

Bad Day at RiverbendBad Day at Riverbend

Bad Day at RiverbendBad Day at RiverbendWhat were you What were you

thinking prior to thinking prior to the reading of the reading of the story?the story?

What were you What were you thinking as you thinking as you were listening?were listening?

What were you What were you thinking as we thinking as we finished the finished the story?story?

I bet you….I bet you….

Activated background knowledgeActivated background knowledge

Determined the most important Determined the most important themes/ideasthemes/ideas

Asked yourself questionsAsked yourself questions

Created visual images Created visual images

Drew inferences, made critical judgmentsDrew inferences, made critical judgments

Utilized a variety of Utilized a variety of ““fix-upfix-up”” strategies strategies if/when your comprehension faltered.if/when your comprehension faltered.

Enjoyed the book!Enjoyed the book!

Your turn….Your turn….In your small groups, read the picture In your small groups, read the picture book and try out the enclosed book and try out the enclosed strategy/activity.strategy/activity.

We will be sharing these together in a We will be sharing these together in a whole group in about 20 min. whole group in about 20 min.

A final thought…A final thought…

““Its not reading and Its not reading and writing in themselves writing in themselves that count, itthat count, it’’s the s the meanings that are meanings that are carried in the flow of carried in the flow of text as it creates text as it creates context that countscontext that counts”” (Kell, 2004, p. 36). (Kell, 2004, p. 36).