- Comprehension of Narrative Text Comprehension is the main purpose of reading, whether that reading is of narrative or expository text. Comprehending narrative text is different from comprehending expository text. For example, in order for readers to comprehend stories, they must understand the elements of a story—setting, characterization, plot, theme, point-of-view, and tone. They must also understand the differences among genres—realistic fiction, historical fiction, autobiographies, biographies, science fiction, fantasy, legends, and fairy tales. Comprehension requires many skills that are intricately woven together. Some of the skills that students need to develop include predicting, making inferences, drawing conclusions, visualizing, and connecting new information to background knowledge. Proficient readers develop these skills as they read stories independently at their easy reading level (independent reading level) and are exposed to stories at their instructional reading level during guided reading and other shared reading experiences. Struggling readers often need time in a tutoring session to develop these skills.
Comprehending a text goes beyond the literal level; it includes being able to read critically so that one understands the possibly biased language authors sometimes use. Readers must also analyze the author’s perspective and use of figurative language. Critical literacy results with readers taking action.
Most standardized achievement tests have comprehension as one of the subtests. These scores will help teachers recognize students who are not reading at grade level. Standardized diagnostic tests also help teachers understand what students know. Informal assessment—including informal reading inventories, running records, miscue analysis, cloze tests, and think-alouds—help teachers understand what students do and do not do as they read.
Once a teacher has assessed what a student reader can and cannot do when reading, the teacher can introduce strategies and engage the student in activities before, during, and after reading that will increase the student’s reading ability.
- Ch. 8 PPT Attached Files:
- ch8PPT.pptx (1.628 MB)
- Group Work Look at the various reading tests provided and answer the following questions.
- Analyze the reading subtests of standardized achievement tests and individual diagnostic tests. Identify the types of tasks a reader needs to do in order to answer the questions.
- Analyze the questions. Are the questions literal, inferential, or evaluative?
- List the types of information the test scores provide. List the advantages and disadvantages of each.
- With a Partner Review a running record and miscue analysis previously administered to your tutoree. Reflect on the type of information about the reader’s comprehension ability that you gathered. Make sure you think beyond word identification skills. Share with your partner.
- Think Alouds Review one of the think alouds provided in a Reading A to Z guided reading lesson plan. Reflect on how these can be used to assess a reader’s comprehension processes. How can these also be used in providing intervention activities?
- Cloze Test Create and administer a cloze test to your tutore. As youadminister the test, look for answers to the following questions:
- Does the child give up when he/she does not know the word?
- Does the child make wild guesses?
- Does the child go back to the beginning of the sentence to fill in the blank?
- Does the child read to the end of a sentence to fill in the blank?
- Does the child read to the end of a paragraph and then come back to the blank to fill in the word?
- DRTA During tutoring engage your tutoree in a directed reading–thinking activity (DRTA) and a directed listening–thinking activity (DLTA). Use part of your class time to create this.
Review the Reading A to Z lesson plans. How are the similar to or different from these activities? - Story Maps Prepare a story map using a read aloud book. You will be asked to share the map with the class. Explain how you would use story maps to increase comprehension.
- Partner Work Compare and contrast the skills of a reader who is proficient in comprehension with a reader who has poor comprehension skills.
- Ch. 8 Quiz