Using Picture Books to Teach Adolescents Reading Strategies

Why teach comprehension? Researchers Linda Fielding and P. David Pearson (1994) recently described the shift in our thinking about comprehension:Once thought of as the natural result of decoding, plus oral language, comprehension is now viewed as a much more complex process involving knowledge, experience, thinking, and teaching. It is important to teach readers to think when they read, to develop an awareness of their thinking, and to use strategies that help them comprehend. Comprehension is the key component in reading. Children need to know how to make connections, ask questions, visualize, infer, extract important ideas, and synthesize important information if they are to become fluent readers.

Reading Strategies Prediction *actively making predictions based on titles, pictures, and text Asking Questions *actively asking questions of themselves, authors, or text before, during, and after reading *generating possible answers to the questions *keeps readers engaged *helps readers clarify understanding and make meaning

Making Connections *actively making connections to self, to other texts, and to the world *readers comprehend better when they think about the connections between the text, their lives and the larger world Making Inferences *actively draw inferences before, during, and after reading *readers find clues from the text to help them think ahead, make a judgment, or predict what is to come

Why is it important to teach reading strategies? Students need to see teachers modeling reading strategies. Teachers need to show students how to be active readers. Comprehension increases when students are actively engaged before, during, and after reading.

What is the best way to teach reading strategies? Teacher repeatedly models own use of strategy Show students their thinking when they are reading Discuss how strategy helps readers make meaning Make connections between the new strategy and what the reader already knows Gradually release responsibility for the use of the strategy to the students Build in large amounts of time for actual text reading by the students Provide opportunities for guided practice Show students how the strategy applies to other texts, genres, formats, disciplines, and contexts Help students to use strategies together Observe and talk with students about their learning

What does effective strategy instruction look like? Lesson Direct instruction Teacher models the strategy for the students. Guided practice Teacher and students practice the strategy in small or large groups. Independent practice Students practice the strategy independently.

Why should I use picture books to teach comprehension strategies? Effective way to explicitly teach reading comprehension strategies Gives everyone in the room a common literacy experience Can be read quickly and easily reread to clarify confusion and construct better meaning Great for for modeling, guided practice, and independent practice Vivid language and illustrations Wide range of themes, issues, words, and ideas that reach out to different learning styles, ages, reading levels, or prior experiences Great for reluctant readers, low ability readers, and ESL readers