Chapter 7: Checking Comprehension Strategies for Minimizing Misunderstandings

Last Week We looked at checking comprehension. We looked at 4 strategies that we can use to make sure our students have understood us.

Strategy 1: Asking for Questions Do you have any questions? Are there any questions?

Strategy 2: Asking If Students Understood Do you understand? Is that OK? Is that clear? Got it? Do you understand what you have to do? Do you know what you have to do?

Problems with the first two strategies: (a) Students are too shy or embarrassed to ask questions. They don’t want to stand out. (b) There are times when students think they understand but don’t.

Strategy 3: Asking to Rephrase What do I want you to do? What do you have to do? What do you need to do? What is your assignment/homework/task? Tell me what you have to do. Tell me what you need to do.

The problem with strategy 3 is that many students have comprehension beyond their ability to express themselves. And so even if students do understand, they may not be able to rephrase what the teacher has instructed them to do.

Strategy 4: Verifying Details Instead of asking students to rephrase the teachers instructions, teachers can verify specific details to make sure students understand what they have to do. When is the quiz? What chapters will be on the test? When is the homework due? What do you have to bring to school tomorrow?

In Class Activities In class exercises 7-1. Fill in the blanks. In class exercises 7-2. Come up with some verifying questions to check student comprehension of teacher instructions. In class activity. Giving Instructions.