1. COMPREHENSION Tool Kit K-3 1 1
The ultimate goal of reading is comprehension, or making meaning from written text. Understanding, synthesizing, and deriving meaning from written material is the “essence of reading” (Durkin, 1993). 1 1

2. Primary Comprehension Toolkit
Before, During, After Reading
Strategy
Description
Probable Passage
RD-EP ,
2.0.4, 2.0.7, 3.0.2, 4.0.1 B
Making Connections
Questioning
Text Structure
Visualizing
Monitoring/Clarifying
Summarizing
Teacher selects important terms/concepts
Students categorize terms/concepts in columns
Write probable story or Gist statement
Read stories or Gist statements
Compare stories or Gist statements
Modify predictions after reading
It Says-I Say
RD-EP-2.0.3, 2.0.4, 2.0.7, 4.0.1 D
The teacher devises a question which requires students to make an inference in order to answer correctly.
The students read the sentence, paragraph, passage, or page.
The students respond to the question by jotting down, in the It Says column, what the text says.
The student share and jot down what it means to them, drawing on prior knowledge.
The students then share and come up with a concluding answer to the question based on both the text and their prior knowledge.
Prediction Chart
RD-EP-4.0.1
Discuss the book or story title. Preview the chapter headings and illustrations.
Make predictions and give evidence.
Students read silently to predetermined point.
Check predictions.
Make new predictions and give evidence.
Repeat steps until story or chapter is completed.
KWL
RD-EP , 2.0.3, , 3.0.4, 4.0.1
B,D,A
Label column 1- K, column 2- W, and column 3- L
Fill in the Know column with everything students already know about the topic.
Have the students predict what they might learn about the topic, which might follow a quick glance at the topic headings, pictures, and charts that are found in the reading.
Alternatively, have students put in the middle column what they want to learn about the topic.
After reading, students should fill in their new knowledge gained from reading the content.
Have students clear up misperceptions about the topic which might have shown up in the Know column before they actually read anything.

3. Before, During, After Reading
Tool
Before, During, After Reading
Strategy
Description
Narrative and Expository Cards
RD-EP , 2.0.2, 2.0.4, 2.0.7, 3.0.2, 4.0.1, 5.0.3,
B,D,A
Making Connections
Questioning
Text Structure
Visualizing
Monitoring/Clarifying
Summarizing
Choose narrative or Expository Cards.
Handout green (before reading cards), yellow (during reading cards), and red (after reading cards) prior to beginning.
Before reading, ask questions of students who have green cards.
During reading, ask questions of students who have yellow cards.
After reading, ask questions of student who have red cards.
Narrative Map
RD-EP , , 2.0.5, 3.0.2, 3.0.4, 5.0.4 A
Determine format by choosing graphic organizer .
Graphic Organizers
RD-EP- 1,2,3,4,5
(especially 5.0.4)
Choose graphic organizer:
Compare and Contrast
Categorize
Cycle
Descriptive
Cause and Effect
Sequencing
Problem and Solution
Draw and Label
RD-EP , 2.0.5, 2.0.7, 3.0.4, 4.0.1 D
The teacher reads aloud a few images, stopping at points of interest.
The teacher asks the students to visualize and create pictures in their mind.
The teacher encourages students to “think aloud” and generate discussion and help student to individually sketch their visions on paper.
The teacher thinks aloud and sketches while making certain that this is done after students have sketched in their notebooks, so they do not use the teachers visualization.
Sketch to Stretch
Read the story.
Demonstrate the strategy.
Be sure to emphasize that students should not be concerned with their artwork.
Guide students to apply the strategy.
Practice individually or in small groups.
Reflect.

4. Before, During, After Reading
Tool
Before, During, After Reading
Strategy
Description
Think Aloud
RD-EP-
1,2,3,4,5
B,D,A
Making Connections
Questioning
Text Structure
Visualizing
Monitoring/Clarifying
Summarizing
Begin with a familiar fiction read-aloud. As you read a short passage, describe images you see in your mind.
After reading that quote, share with students the images you visualized as you read it.
When you finish sharing your thoughts, let students try the same technique on their own. Share a highly descriptive reading selection appropriate for students' listening vocabulary level (up to two years above their reading vocabulary).
Character Map
RD-EP , 2.0.7, 3.0.1, 4.0.1 A
Determine the format by choosing a graphic organizer
GIST
RD-EP , 2.0.7, 3.0.4
D,A,
Explain what “get the gist” means
Have students read one sentence or section of a text at a time
Help students determine the main idea of each paragraph or section by:
Name the who or what. (the main person, place of thing)
Tell the most important thing about the who or what (main idea)
State the main idea in 10 words or less
Say Something
RD-EP , 2.0.7, 3.0.1, 3.0.2, 3.0.4, 4.0.1 D
Group students in groups of 3 or 4.
Have them read to designated point.
When each student has finished the passage, have each group member “Say Something” about what they have read.
Have the group read to the next designated point.
Reciprocal Teaching
RD-EP-1.0.6, 2.0.3, 2.0.7, 3.0.4, 4.0.1
Select a reading passage.
Group the students in groups of four.
Assign roles to students
Repeat this process from “chunk” to “chunk” of reading material.

5. Before, During, After Reading
Tool
Before, During, After Reading
Strategy
Description
QAR
RD-EP ,
D,A
Making Connections
Questioning
Text Structure
Visualizing
Monitoring/Clarifying
Summarizing
Ask different question types and have students answer the question as well as choose the question type.
Right There- The answer is usually contained in a single sentence, and the words used to create the sentence are often also in that one sentence.
Think and Search- The answer is in the text, but you might have to look in several different sentences to find it.
Author and You- The answer is not in the text, but you still need information that the author has given you, combined with what you already know, in order to respond to this type of question.
On My Own- The answer is not in the text, and in fact you don't even have to have read the text to be able to answer it.
Character Interview
RD-EP , 2.0.7, 3.0.1, 4.0.1 A
Assign students to be story characters.
Assign students to be reporters.
Have the reporters and characters work together to design interview questions for the character.
The reporter will interview the character in a whole class setting.
Clunk and Clues
RD-EP D
List “Fix-Ups” in advance for students to glance at if needed.
Students will need a Clunk and Clues graphic organizer.
As they read, have students jot down concepts or words they don’t understand or note places in the reading they are unengaged.
Have students list “fix-ups” used to get meaning from the text.
Post-It
As students read a passage have them place post-its at points in the reading where they are not understanding or make making visual pictures.
On the post-it the student should jot down what they were thinking as they lost their pictures or began to misunderstand.
Read Aloud
RD-EP- 1,2,3,4,5

6. Before, During, After Reading
Tool
Before, During, After Reading
Strategy
Description
“I’m Wondering…”
RD-EP , 4.0.1 D
Making Connections
Questioning
Text Structure
Visualizing
Monitoring/Clarifying
Summarizing
As you model questioning during a “Think aloud”, use the carrier phrase “I’m wondering…”
As students understand the process, have them to use the carrier phrase “I’m wondering” and share their questions.
You may use a microphone.
“I Predict…”
“This reminds me of…”
RD-EP , 4.0.1
As you model prediction or making connections during a “Think aloud”, use the carrier phrase “I predict…” or “This reminds me of…”
As students understand the process, have them to use the carrier phrase “I predict” and share what predictions they have or “This reminds me of…” and share what connections they are making.
“I see….”
RD-EP
As you model visualization during a “Think aloud”, use the carrier phrase “I see……”
As students understand the process, have them to use the carrier phrase “I’m see…” and share their visuals.
“This simply says…”
RD-EP- 2.03, 2.0.7, 3.0.3, 3.0.4, 4.0.1
As you model summarizing during a “Think aloud”, use the carrier phrase “This simply says…”
As students understand the process, have them to use the carrier phrase “This simply says…” and share their summaries.
“I don’t get the part where…”
“I don’t get the word…”
RD-EP
As you model monitoring during a “Think aloud”, use the carrier phrase “I’ don’t get the part where…. and/or “ I don’t get the word….”
As students understand the process, have them to use the carrier phrases “I’ don’t get the part where…. or “ I don’t get the word….” and share the concepts and words that they find difficult to understand.

7. Before, During, After Reading
Tool
Before, During, After Reading
Strategy
Description
SWBS
Somebody Wanted But So
RD-EP , 2.0.7, 3.0.1, 3.0.2, 3.0.4, 3.0.6
D,A
Making Connections
Questioning
Text Structure
Visualizing
Monitoring/Clarifying
Summarizing
Teacher
Read a passage aloud.
Ask students to use the information from the model passage to create a written SWBS statement.
Ask the students to share their SWBS statements.
Student or student groups
Read the designated passage.
Create a written SWBS statement.
Share their SWBS statements.
Move on to the next passage.
Text Templates
RD-EP , 5.0.3
B,D,A
Design templates to match your text, both narrative and expository.
Write Around A
Small Groups of 4
Teacher asks a question.
Students the passage.
Students write their response to the question.
Students pass their response to the person on their right.
That student responds to their response.
Pass the response to the right again and that person will respond to the other 2.
Pass the response to the right for the 3rd time. Now all 4 should have a response on each paper.
Share responses.