About the Course
This comprehensive course helps participants to be aware of what they understand, identify what they do not understand, and to use appropriate strategies to resolve problems in comprehension. The following skills will be used:
Metacognition - defined as "thinking about thinking"
Before reading, they might clarify their purpose for reading and preview the text.
During reading, they might monitor their understanding, adjusting their reading speed to fit the difficulty of the text and “fixing” any comprehension problems they have.
After reading, they check their understanding of what they read.
Graphic and semantic organizers - illustrate concepts and relationships between concepts in text using diagrams, maps, webs, graphs, charts, and frames. Some examples of graphic organizers include:
Used to compare or contrast information from two sources. For example, comparing two Dr. Seuss books.
Used to order or sequence events within a text. For example, listing the steps for brushing your teeth.
Used to chart the story structure. These can be organized into fiction and nonfiction text structures. For example, defining characters, setting, events, problem, resolution in a fiction story; however in a nonfiction story, main idea and details would be identified.
Used to illustrate the cause and effects told within a text. For example, staying in the sun too long may lead to a painful sunburn.
Answering Questions (QAR)
The Question-Answer Relationship strategy (QAR) encourages students to learn how to answer questions better. Students are asked to indicate whether the information they used to answer questions about the text was textually explicit information (information that was directly stated in the text), textually implicit information (information that was implied in the text), or information entirely from the student’s own background knowledge. There are four different types of questions:
“Right There”
Questions found right in the text that ask students to find the one right answer located in one place as a word or a sentence in the passage.
Example: Who is Frog’s friend? Answer: Toad
“Think and Search”
Questions based on the recall of facts that can be found directly in the text. Answers are typically found in more than one place, thus requiring students to “think” and “search” through the passage to find the answer.
Example: Why was Frog sad? Answer: His friend was leaving.
“Author and You”
Questions require students to use what they already know, with what they have learned from reading the text. Students must understand the text and relate it to their prior knowledge before answering the question.
Example: How do think Frog felt when he found Toad? Answer: I think that Frog felt happy because he had not seen Toad in a long time. I feel happy when I get to see my friend who lives far away.
“On Your Own”
Questions are answered based on a student’s prior knowledge and experiences. Reading the text may not be helpful to them when answering this type of question.
Example: How would you feel if your best friend moved away? Answer: I would feel very sad if my best friend moved away because I would miss her.
Recognizing story structure - In story structure instruction, students learn to identify the categories of content (characters, setting, events, problem, resolution). Often, students learn to recognize story structure through the use of story maps. Instruction in story structure improves students’ comprehension.
Summarizing - requires students to determine what is important in what they are reading and to put it into their own words. Instruction in summarizing helps students:
Identify or generate main ideas
Connect the main or central ideas
Eliminate unnecessary information
Remember what they read
Source:
Your Instructor
Trisha Clerk
I received extensive training from the Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE) and Neuhaus Education Center (Bellaire, TX) in Reading Readiness, Basic Language Skills (Advanced), Developing Metacognitive Skills, Written Composition, Multisensory Grammar, and Scientific Spelling. Additionally, I completed Region IV in Reading by Design modules. To assist students whose first language isn't English, I studied Words of our World (WOW) and WELLS 2 programs, which are transition to English programs to provide a systematic and explicit approach for teaching English language and literacy skills to Spanish-speaking English language learners.