Reading Comprehension Strategies Arising Questions for the Professional Learning Community of Rex Rennert Elementary

“ As I read, I consciously and subconsciously synthesize. I question, I infer, I create vivid sensory images. I relate the piece to my own experience. I tease out what I think is most important. I draw conclusions about what I think the key points of the passage are. Sometimes I use the strategies purposefully, other times they surface randomly. They are tools I use, sometimes effortlessly, sometimes purposefully to construct meaning. They intertwine and merge and I switch quickly among them, frequently using them simultaneously. They are the instruments which, as I become more familiar with them, give me the ability to read more quickly. They are the means to an end. For proficient readers, they are second nature.” Keene and Zimmerman, 1997

Agenda 1. Definitions of reading comprehension 2. Evidence for instruction of reading comprehension strategies 3. Report from National Reading Panel 4. Reading comprehension strategies 5. Elements for successful reading strategies 6. Reading strategy instruction 7. Questions 8. Further references

Definitions of Reading Comprehension “intentional thinking during which meaning is constructed through interactions between text and reader.” Durkin (1993) Definitions of Reading Comprehension “the construction of the meaning of a written text through a reciprocal interchange of ideas between the reader and the message in a particular text.” Harris & Hodges (1995)

“comprehension is an active process that requires an intentional and thoughtful interaction between the reader and the text.” NICHD (2000) Said concisely: “reading comprehension is thinking guided by print” Perfetti (1995)

“the process of simultaneously extracting and constructing meaning through interaction and involvement with written language. It consists of three elements: the reader, the text, and the activity or purpose for reading” Rand Reading Study Group (2002) Said not so concisely but more completely:

Evidence for instruction in comprehension strategies comes from three sources: 1. Proficient readers monitor their comprehension more actively and effectively than less proficient readers 2. Proficient readers are more likely to use a variety of active cognitive strategies to enhance their comprehension and repair it when it breaks down

3. Explicit instruction along with supported, scaffolded practice in the use of comprehension strategies produces improvements in reading comprehension in both younger and older students

From the Report of the National Reading Panel: “The idea behind explicit instruction of text comprehension is that comprehension can be improved by teaching students to use specific cognitive strategies or to reason strategically when they encounter barriers to comprehension when reading.” NRP (2000)

“Reading instruction is effective in stimulating student comprehension abilities to the extent that it stimulates students to process texts as good readers do.” Pressley (2000)

What are reading comprehension strategies? Comprehension strategies are specific procedures children can use to help them: “… (they) are not skills that can be taught by drill; they are plans for constructing meaning “… (they) are not skills that can be taught by drill; they are plans for constructing meaning.” NRP (2000) "mental operations involved when readers purposefully approach a text to make sense of what they read." Barnett (1989)

2) improve their understanding and learning from text from text Generating questionsGenerating questions SummarizingSummarizing Using background knowledge to make predictionsUsing background knowledge to make predictions Constructing visual representationsConstructing visual representations 1) become aware of how well they are comprehending text as the read comprehending text as the read

Reading comprehension strategies from the perspective of the successful reader Go to this link

1.Lots of time spent actually reading 2. Experience reading real text for real reasons – have a purpose for the reading 3. Experience reading the range of genres that we wish students to comprehend 4. An environment rich in vocabulary and concept development through reading, experience, and, above all, discussion of words and their meanings 5. Lots of time spent writing texts for others to comprehend 6. An environment rich in high-quality talk about text Duke & Pearson (2002) Duke & Pearson (2002) Desirable elements in the classroom for successful reading comprehension strategies

Reading strategy instruction: the big ideas 1. Effective long-term instruction will most likely involve teaching students to flexibly use multiple strategies to improve their comprehension of text 2. Effective instruction requires many opportunities for students to discuss and interpret text using the application of strategies as a way of structuring the discussion 3. The focus of strategy instruction should always be on constructing the meaning of the text.

4. Effective strategy instruction always involves explicit description and modeling of strategies by the teacher. 5. Effective strategy instruction always involves extended discussions of text in which the teacher scaffolds student strategy use. 6. Always keep in mind that the purpose of strategy instruction is to stimulate student’s thinking about the meaning of text (by providing guided opportunities for them to actually think about, and interpret text)– ultimately, their attention needs to be on the text and not on the strategies.

Some personal questions that arise: 1. How can we implement the teaching of reading comprehension strategies in our actual multi-level and multi-cultural classrooms? 2. What reading comprehension strategies will most benefit a struggler reader? 3. Which strategies are most effective for a specific age group? 5. What is the teacher profile required for a successful instruction of reading comprehension? 4. Are these strategies suitable for all kinds of literary genres? 6. What are some reading strategies expressed most in the L1 while reading in the L2 for ELL?

References : Duke, N. K., & Pearson, P. D. (2002). Effective practices for developing reading comprehension. In A. E. Farstrup & S. J. Samuels (Eds.), What research has to say about reading instruction (3rd edition) (pp ). Newark, DE: International Reading Association. Durkin, D. (1993). Teaching them to read (6th Ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Harris, T. L., & Hodges, R. E. (1995). The literacy dictionary. Newark, DE:International Reading Association. National Reading Panel (2000). Teaching children to read: An evidence-based assessment of the scientific research literature on reading and its implications for reading instruction. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Washington, D.C.

Perfetti, C. A. (1985). Reading Ability. New York: Oxford University Press. Pressley, M. (2000). What should comprehension instruction be the instruction of? In M.L. Kamil, P.B. Mosenthal, P.D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading research (Vol. III, pp. 545–561). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. RAND Reading Study Group. (2002). Reading for understanding: Toward an R & D program in reading comprehension. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. (available online at

References suitable for use in Professional Learning Communities (K-1) Beck, I.L., & McKeown, M.G. (2001). Text talk: Capturing the benefits of read aloud experiences for young children. The Reading Teacher, 55, (2-3) Beck, I.L. & McKeown, M.G. (2006). Improving comprehension with questioning the author: A fresh and expanded view of a powerful approach. New York: Guilford. (2-3) Block, C.C., Rodgers, L.L, Johnson, R.B. (2004). Comprehension Process Instruction: Creating Reading Success in Grades K-3. New York: The Guilford Press. (2-3) Duke, N. K., & Pearson, P. D. (2002). Effective practices for developing reading comprehension. In A. E. Farstrup & S. J. Samuels (Eds.), What research has to say about reading instruction (3rd edition) (pp ). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.

(2-3) Guthrie, J. T., Wigfield, A., & Perencevich, K. C. (2004). Scaffolding for motivation and engagement in reading. In J. T. Guthrie, A. Wigfield, & K. C. Perencevich (Eds.). Motivating reading comprehension: Concept-oriented reading instruction. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. (K-3) Lehr, F. & Osborne, J. (2006). Focus on Comprehension. Pacific Regional Educational Laboratory. Available at: (1-3) Palincsar, A.S., & Duke, N.K. (2004). The role of text and text-reader interactions in young children’s reading development and achievement. The Elementary School Journal, 105, (K-3) Pressley, M. (2000). What should comprehension instruction be the instruction of? In M.L. Kamil, P.B. Mosenthal, P.D. Pearson, & R. Barr (Eds.), Handbook of reading research (Vol. III, pp. 545–561). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.