Comprehension Strategies Presented by Annette Burns

Strategies All Good Readers Use Ask Questions Make Connections Note New Learning Use their background knowledge Figures out the unknown Reread Determines Importance Synthesizes

Following Your Inner Conversation When readers pay attention to their thinking, they are more apt to learn, understand and remember what they have read. Leaving tracks of their thinking helps readers monitor their comprehension AND become aware of their thinking and learning as they read.

Teaching Comprehension Strategies Use in historical fiction Use in science fiction Use in any nonfiction

Starting Out the series of lessons: Use a historical fiction book or biography for modeling and practice Leave notes of thinking while reading on post-it notes (EXAMPLE) Strategies that can be modeled as of Day One: asks questions; makes connections; notices new learning; has opinions; demonstrates background knowledge.

Monitor Comprehension Why comprehension breaks down Fatigue Disinterest Stress Too Hard Not enough connections Distracting Connection Can’t pronounce a word Fix-up Strategies Reread Read On Ask a question Stop reading and refocus on text Marking the place where we stray from meaning with a post-it note (I don’t understand...; This doesn’t make sense.. ; Huh? I don’t get this part...) Skip over unfamiliar names and places and find out their pronunciation after reading

Nonfiction Features Feature 1. Title 2. Photograph 3. Table of Contents 4. Map Key 5. Map 6. Diagram with arrows 7. Close-up 8. Labels/captions 9. Bold Print/Italicized Words 10. Cut Away 11. Index 12. Glossary 13. Subtitles Purpose 1. Tells us what we’ll be reading about 2. Shows us exactly what something looks like 3. A list of chapters and topics in the book and the page numbers of each 4. Tells us how to interpret information on a map 5. A picture representation of geography 6. Shows movement; tells sequence or order 7. Picture or photo that shows all the details 8. Words that explain a photo or picture 9. A word the author wants you to focus on (often a vocabulary word) 10. Helps us to see what is inside a volcano 11. A list of topics in the back of the book that tells you where that topic is discussed 12. A dictionary of terms in that nonfiction text 13. What a section of an article is about

New Information in Nonfiction Language that Signals New Learning I never knew... Wow! I learned... I was surprised.. Cool! I didn’t know... I can’t believe... Oh, so sad.. Hmmm, interesting... No Way! Amazing!! That’s news to me!!

Connecting the New to the Known What I knowWhat I learned

Asking Questions Good readers wonder about what they read Questions might be answered by reading on Questions might be answered by finding clues and inferring Questions might be answered in book discussions Questions might be answered by researching

Making Inferences Background Knowledge + Text Clues = Inference (BK + TC = I) Start with Context Clues to figuring out unknown vocabulary Draw Conclusions from text evidence—listing facts then making inferences Using this knowledge on poetry

Let’s practice Titles and subtitles – Standard Titles/Subtitles – Question Titles/Subtitles – Inferential Titles/Subtitles

Inferring Themes Text Evidence (words, pictures, actions) Themes

Separating the Important Information from the Details Sift important information from details as they read Details are often interesting, will add to our understanding and keep us engaged in the reading, but they are not essential to the reading. Important information gives us the big idea of what the author wants us to understand. Note Taking—Marking it for the Gist or What you are thinking

Nonfiction Reading Response Includes important facts But also includes... – A reader’s questions – A reader’s connections – Something new the reader learned – A reader’s opinions – Details the reader finds interesting – Something learned in the nonfiction features – new vocabulary learned – Author’s intention

Tips for Reading Nonfiction Nonfiction reading is reading to learn. You have to slow down as you read nonfiction so you can think about the information. Reading nonfiction is like watching a slideshow where you have to stop and think after each slide. You have to stop frequently and take notes to learn and remember. Read nonfiction with a pencil in your hand. Reread to clarify meaning. Merge your thinking with the text information to learn, understand and remember it. Pay attention to the features to help you understand. Think about and write down the facts, questions and responses to better understand what you are reading. Remember to ask questions and think about them when reading nonfiction.

Checklists for Assessment Rubric Tier II grouping