Life is Comprehension (Tune "Life is a Cabaret") What good is barking at print on the page If it don't mean a thing? We need to understand this stuff. Let's make these pages sing! Enough of phonics... Let's balance it out. How about some strategies? If we're going to understand this stuff. Comprehension is what we need. Let's think aloud! Let's visualize! Let's get our whole brain activating, Why keep all your schema waiting? Now when we're reading Words fly off the page The meaning is getting clear Comprehension is what it's all about When we're doing our reading here!

Base Your Understanding of Comprehension on the Social Constructivist Nature of Reading

Understand Students’ Role in Reading Comprehension

Not Disability

LiteralInferentialCritical/Evaluative Right ThereThink and SearchAuthor and You On the page and in the lines On the page but between the lines In your head + on the page Text dependent Supported by text

Be an Influential Teacher

 The students received faulty demonstrations of how to read and write.  The student received quality demonstrations but not engage with them.  The student has low expectations of him/herself as a reader and writer.  The student receives faulty feedback to grow stronger.  The student will not or can not take responsibility for their learning.  Any combination of the above

Motivate and Engage Students

Constance Steinkeuhler, 2011

11.8 Reading Level

12 What we found in the study was there was no significant difference between school and game text until choice of topic was introduced. Once choice of text was introduced the boys did significantly better, with those who were reading below their grade level based on the QRI tests reading up to 5 grades above their actual grade level. The Mismeasure of Boys: Reading and Online Videogames Wisconsin Center for Education, 2011

Teach Reading Comprehension Strategies

Ask and answer questions Determine important information Make connections Monitor comprehension Predict Summarize Visualize

 Phase One: Introduction  Phase Two: Explicit Instruction  Phase Three: Modeling  Phase Four: Guided Practice (LG)  Phase Five: Independent Practice (LG)  Phase Six: Transfer (Independent)  Phase Seven : Closure

Foster the Development and Use of Vocabulary

Several studies have established a solid link between overall decoding and reading comprehension skills (e.g., Curtis, 1980; Shankweiler et al., 1999). This connection is most pronounced in young children and in less-skilled readers. For example, Ouellette & Beers (2010) found that while first graders’ reading comprehension was most strongly related to decoding skills, sixth graders’ comprehension was most closely related to vocabulary breadth and depth.

Provide Students with a Variety of Types and Levels of Text

Independent > Frustrational 73% Independent = Frustrational 6% Frustrational > Independent 21%

Did you enjoy reading this book?

 Anthony & Sarah How different two readers can be in their behaviors, tastes, interest and abilities even when they are reading at the same level  Bunnicula & Grandpa’s Face Although these books are the same level, they offer different supports and challenges

Encourage Students to Use Multiple Modes of Representing Thinking

Where are the literacy demands of a task like this on the learner?

Embed Formative Assessments in Your Everyday Teaching

by Sheila W. Valencia and Marsha Riddle Buly in The Reading Teacher (March 2004)

Reader ProfileAccuracyFluencyComprehension ProficientOK Slow Steady Comprehenders OKDifficulties OK for finished sections Slow Word Callers OK with Self-corrections Difficulties Struggling Word Callers OK with Great effort Difficulties

Reader ProfileAccuracyFluencyComprehension Automatic Word Callers OK Difficulties Word StumblersDifficultiesOKOK but missed details DisabledDifficulties

Below the Bar (Valencia and Buly)  Slow Comprehenders 24%  Automatic Word Callers18%  Word Tumblers17%  Slow Word Callers17%  Struggling Word Callers15%  Disabled Readers 9%

Teach Students to Comprehend at Deeper Levels

StrategyStudent One Student Two Student Three Student Four Student Five Student Six Other Strategy Observations Ask and answer questions Determine important information Make connections Monitor comprehension Predict Summarize Visualize Other observations about students…

Greg’s Small Group Posted near the table, language prompts…  I like/disliked because  I wonder why  I have a connection  I think the author’s message is  To add on to ___’s thought  That’s a good thought but I still think  Can you give me more evidence  Can you explain that more  Why do you think that?

Greg’s Small Group Greg tapes the session with understanding that…  He is checking himself as he tries to reduce his teacher talk  So students can check their participation against a book discussion rubric  Greg monitors discussion as it happens and can reassess when the recoding is played back

Small Group Discussion Rubric Listening Students are paying attention to their classmates by listening to what they are saying, responding to questions, and following along in their books. Students are paying attention most of the time but may be distracted a few times. Students are distracted more often then they are paying attention. Speaking Students have thoughtful insights about the text and share it with their group. They express their ideas about the text in order to get feedback. Students have insights but do not explore or explain them fully to the group. Students do not share their insights with the group. Participation Students have done the assigned reading and homework. Students are engaged in discussion. Students have done most of the work and are engaged most of the time in discussion. Students have less than half of the work done and are not engaged in the discussion. Respect Students listen to their classmates ideas with an open mind, compliment one another on a job well done, and do NOT put each other down. Students also take turns talking so everyone has a chance. Students listen mostly to their classmates, and avoid put downs. Students take turns most of the time. Students do not listen to classmates, do not compliment each other, use put downs. Students do not take turns