BUILDING READING COMPREHENSION SKILLS THROUGH THE USE

OF THINKING MAPS STRATEGIES

Marilou C. Timoteo

What is Reading Comprehension?

• Reading comprehension: allows the reader to interact with the text in a

meaningful way. the bridge from passive reading to active  reading from letters and words to characters and contexts the crucial link to effective reading -- a strong

factor in our educational and professional lives. unlocks the door to a lifetime of reading recreation

and enjoyment.1 U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Listening to Children Read Aloud, 15. Washington, DC: 1995.

List of effective Comprehension Skills:

Main Idea and Details Cause and EffectCompare and ContrastSequencing EventsReading for DetailDrawing ConclusionPredicting OutcomeMaking InferencesDrawing ConclusionOutlining/SummarizingProblem and SolutionClassifying and Categorizing

Reading Comprehension and Thinking Maps

Thinking maps give all students and teachers a common language for meaningful learning. Each map promotes student-centered and cooperative learning, concept development, reflective thinking, creativity, clarity of communication, and continuous cognitive development.

Eight Thinking Maps that Build Students’ Comprehension Skills

1. defining in context2. describing qualities3. comparing and contrasting4. classifying and grouping ideas5. using for part and whole relationship6. sequencing and ordering7. cause and effect8. seeing analogies

Thinking Maps Starter Patterns for Reading Comprehension

Use the FLOW MAP to show the major events (plot) of the story or selection. What are the stages and sub stages of this story?

Use MULTI-FLOW MAP to identify an important turning point in the story. What were the causes and effects of this event? Predict and show what you think will happen next ( and explain why).

 Use BUBBLE MAP to identify sensory and emotional character traits using adjectives and adjective phrases. How would you describe one of the main characters? Describe the setting of the story.

Use DOUBLE-BUBBLE MAP to identify the similarities and differences between the two main characters in the story. How are the characters the same or differ from one another?

Use TREE MAP to identify the main idea and supporting details of the story. What are the other details for each supporting ideas?

 Use CIRCLE MAP to identify the main idea of the story. What do you know about the topic? What experiences, ideas, people and feelings might influence how you understand the story?

Elementary Lesson Using Multi-Flow MapGrades 3-5

Speaking Using Multi-Flow Maps

Distribute the Multi-Flow Map and ask: “What is something that you want to improve?” Ask student to write this goal in the center box?

In the boxes on the left, ask students to write what they could do to help them reach this goal. In the boxes on the right, have them write the effects of reaching this goal.

Organize students into pairs for sharing ideas. Give each member 5 minutes to share maps.

Optional: Ask students to write a paragraph using the information they learned.

Middle secondary lesson using multi-flow mapgrades 6-8

• Distribute the Multi-Flow Map and ask: “What is something that you want to improve?” Ask students to write this goal in the center box.

• In the boxes on the left, have students write what they could do to cause them to reach this goal In the boxes on the right, have them write in the effects of reaching this goal.

• Ask the students to write a draft paragraph about reaching this goal using the information from their map.

Upper Secondary Lesson Using Multi-Flow Map

Grades 9-12reflective thinking using multi-flow

maps

Distribute the Multi-Flow Map and ask: “What is something that you want to improve?” Ask student to write this goal in the center box?

In the boxes on the left, ask students to write what they could do to help them reach this goal. In the boxes on the right, have them write the effects of reaching this goal.

Ask students to draw a Frame around the Map and write within the “Frame” the experiences from the past that make them want to improve in this area.

Ask students to write a paragraph about reaching this goal using their Multi-Flow Map.

Conclusion• The goal of instruction in reading

comprehension skills is to make students aware of the logic behind the structure of the written piece to gain understanding of what they are reading.

References:

• 1 U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Listening to Children Read Aloud, 15. Washington, DC: 1995.

• Hyerle,D. Thinking Maps: (1995),Thinking Maps: Tools for Learning. North Carolina: Thinking Maps, Inc.

• Mather and Goldstein, Learning Disabilities and Challenging Behaviors. Maryland: 2008.