IMPROVING READING IMPROVING READING COMPREHENSIONCOMPREHENSION

The Key IdeasThe Key Ideas

Literacy, defined as reading comprehension, is a Literacy, defined as reading comprehension, is a growing concern in the high school classroom.growing concern in the high school classroom.As a literature specialist, I feel equipped to As a literature specialist, I feel equipped to address reading strategies in my classroom.address reading strategies in my classroom.I explicitly model and teach my students reading I explicitly model and teach my students reading comprehension strategies.comprehension strategies.I provide numerous opportunities for my I provide numerous opportunities for my students to practice reading strategies and I students to practice reading strategies and I monitor and provide feedback on their use of monitor and provide feedback on their use of these strategies.these strategies.

OVERVIEW OF OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATIONPRESENTATION

The push behind literacy – the problems The push behind literacy – the problems with reading comprehensionwith reading comprehension

Supporting literacy across all content Supporting literacy across all content areasareas

Characteristics of good readers before, Characteristics of good readers before, during, and after reading.during, and after reading.

The strategies in actionThe strategies in action

Why do students need to become Why do students need to become expert readers?expert readers?

According to the work of Dawn Reithaug According to the work of Dawn Reithaug ((Supporting Adolescent Readers 2007)Supporting Adolescent Readers 2007)::

“…“…in our knowledge based society adolescents in our knowledge based society adolescents need to be expert readers, writers, and thinkers need to be expert readers, writers, and thinkers to compete and succeed in the global economy to compete and succeed in the global economy and to navigate through a technological world.”and to navigate through a technological world.”

““Reading is central to learning – in school, in the Reading is central to learning – in school, in the workplace, and in everyday life.”workplace, and in everyday life.”

Shouldn’t high school students Shouldn’t high school students know how to read?know how to read?

YES…The 5 keys to deconstructing text: phonemic YES…The 5 keys to deconstructing text: phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension must be explicitly development, and reading comprehension must be explicitly taught in both the elementary and high school ELA taught in both the elementary and high school ELA classroom.classroom.

BUT…when students are not proficient in reading we know it BUT…when students are not proficient in reading we know it affects their learning in every other subject.affects their learning in every other subject.

THEREFORE…Modeling effective reading strategies for THEREFORE…Modeling effective reading strategies for content area texts and teaching students content area content area texts and teaching students content area vocabulary are the responsibilities of all teachers, regardless vocabulary are the responsibilities of all teachers, regardless of subject area. These strategies must also be reinforced at of subject area. These strategies must also be reinforced at home. home.

The Problem With Reading The Problem With Reading ComprehensionComprehension

How to Bartle Puzballs (Gallagher 2004)How to Bartle Puzballs (Gallagher 2004)

There are tork gooboos of puzballs, including laplies, mushos, and There are tork gooboos of puzballs, including laplies, mushos, and fushos. Even if you bartle the puzballs that tovo inny and onny of fushos. Even if you bartle the puzballs that tovo inny and onny of the pern, they do not grunto any lipples. In order to geeme a the pern, they do not grunto any lipples. In order to geeme a puzball that gruntos lipples, you should bartle the fusho who has puzball that gruntos lipples, you should bartle the fusho who has rarckled the parshtootoos after her humply fluflu.rarckled the parshtootoos after her humply fluflu.

How many gooboos of puzballs are there?How many gooboos of puzballs are there?

What are laplies, mushos, and fushos?What are laplies, mushos, and fushos?

Even if you bartle the puzballs that tovo inny and onny of the pern, Even if you bartle the puzballs that tovo inny and onny of the pern, what won’t they do?what won’t they do?

How can you geemee a puzball that gruntos lipples?How can you geemee a puzball that gruntos lipples?

What does our reading of the passage What does our reading of the passage tell us about the reading our students tell us about the reading our students

are doing in our classrooms?are doing in our classrooms?Reading is more than decodingReading is more than decoding

Reading is an active, constructive process.Reading is an active, constructive process.

Good readers have a repertoire of thinking Good readers have a repertoire of thinking strategies they use to comprehend texts.strategies they use to comprehend texts.

Prior knowledge is the main determinant of Prior knowledge is the main determinant of comprehension.comprehension.

Reading is a staged and recursive process.Reading is a staged and recursive process.

What can we do? What can we do?

Four Keys to Support Adolescent Readers:Four Keys to Support Adolescent Readers:(Reithaug 2007)(Reithaug 2007)

1.1. Increase the Volume of ReadingIncrease the Volume of Reading

2.2. Build VocabularyBuild Vocabulary

3.3. Enhance ComprehensionEnhance Comprehension

4.4. Offer Support When NeededOffer Support When Needed

Increase the Volume of ReadingIncrease the Volume of Reading

How do we increase the volume of How do we increase the volume of reading?reading? Get our colleagues to focus on content area Get our colleagues to focus on content area

reading.reading.

How do we convince our colleagues to do How do we convince our colleagues to do this?this? Show them they are already doing content Show them they are already doing content

area reading, help them to support it with area reading, help them to support it with comprehension strategiescomprehension strategies

Why Content Area Teachers Care Why Content Area Teachers Care About ReadingAbout Reading

According to Daniels and Zemmelman in their book According to Daniels and Zemmelman in their book Subjects Matter (2004)Subjects Matter (2004)::

““There are two main problems with reading in secondary There are two main problems with reading in secondary subject fields; first, students are reading the wrong stuff subject fields; first, students are reading the wrong stuff and second, they don’t understand what they read.”(14)and second, they don’t understand what they read.”(14)

Read the “right stuff.” Textbooks can’t nor shouldn’t be Read the “right stuff.” Textbooks can’t nor shouldn’t be the only reading resource. the only reading resource.

Support the reading with Support the reading with explicit explicit instruction of instruction of comprehension strategiescomprehension strategies

How do we build vocabulary?How do we build vocabulary?

A word must be heard/used in context 6 A word must be heard/used in context 6 times before the meaning is internalized.times before the meaning is internalized.

The typical high school Chemistry text The typical high school Chemistry text contains over 3,000 words unfamiliar to contains over 3,000 words unfamiliar to the average student.the average student.

Use vocabulary building strategies!Use vocabulary building strategies!

Reading Strategies Across the Reading Strategies Across the Curriculum – Teaching TipsCurriculum – Teaching Tips

Introduce one strategy at a time and then Introduce one strategy at a time and then have students practice it repeatedly. Apply have students practice it repeatedly. Apply to short passages at first and then extend.to short passages at first and then extend.

Model the activity yourself, as you explain Model the activity yourself, as you explain to students how to use it.to students how to use it.

Practice the strategy as whole class first Practice the strategy as whole class first so kids can see how it works.so kids can see how it works.

Provide reinforcement and follow up.Provide reinforcement and follow up.

What Good Readers Do Before What Good Readers Do Before ReadingReading

Tap, activate, and build prior knowledge.Tap, activate, and build prior knowledge.Ask questionsAsk questionsPreview the textPreview the textDetermine the rateDetermine the rateAnticipate the message and the author’s Anticipate the message and the author’s purposepurposePredict what the text will be aboutPredict what the text will be aboutSet purpose for readingSet purpose for reading

What Good Readers Do During What Good Readers Do During ReadingReading

Connect and construct meaningConnect and construct meaningConstruct mental imagesConstruct mental imagesMake, confirm and adjust predictionsMake, confirm and adjust predictionsMake, confirm, and adjust inferences and draw Make, confirm, and adjust inferences and draw conclusionsconclusionsUse cueing systems to construct meaningUse cueing systems to construct meaningNote key ideas and what supports themNote key ideas and what supports themAsk questions and self-monitor comprehensionAsk questions and self-monitor comprehensionAdjust rate and/or strategyAdjust rate and/or strategy

What Good Readers Do After What Good Readers Do After ReadingReading

Recall, paraphrase, summarize and Recall, paraphrase, summarize and synthesizesynthesize

Reflect and interpretReflect and interpret

EvaluateEvaluate

Extend and apply new understandingExtend and apply new understanding

Respond personallyRespond personally

Listen, read, view again, speak, write and Listen, read, view again, speak, write and represent to deepen understandingrepresent to deepen understanding