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The focus of this unit is on Reading Comprehension and the development of students’ comprehension skills by using two famed strategies,
DRTA and QTA. This unit was designed specifically to help students derive meaning from written text, foster critical thinking and enjoy
the pleasures of reading. If achieved, students will become skilled readers who can make accurate predictions, understand various text
structure and sequence and make connections to real life situations. By developing this unit, I have recognized that the value of reading
comprehension lies in the ability to understand meaningful messages from the author. Indeed, reading comprehension skills are integral to
every student.
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Unit of Instruction : Reading Comprehension
Introduction
According to the Secondary Education Modernization Programme (SEMP) syllabus for Forms 1-3, the intended learning outcomes of the
curriculum include to ‘use language to reflect and support creative and critical thinking’ as well as ‘to obtain, interpret, and analyse information
from different types of texts’ (SEMP curriculum Forms 1-3 pg. 24). The performance standards in the curriculum further state that students must
‘read with fluency and comprehension’ and ‘use, with facility, a variety of comprehension skills’ (SEMP curriculum Forms 1-3 pg.28). Hence,
the purpose of this unit is teaching reading comprehension using two specific strategies.
Reading comprehension, according to Ylvisaker et. al (2006) includes all of the processes related to deriving meaning from written
language and constructing meaning from written language. Thus reading comprehension is much more than the ability to read individual words
and know what those words mean. To comprehend what one reads is to understand the meaningful message sent by the author (Ylvisaker et. al
2006). The Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) is a comprehension strategy that guides students in asking questions about a text,
making predictions, and then reading to confirm or refute their predictions. Questioning the author (QTA) is a strategy that engages students
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actively with a text. Rather than reading and taking information from a text, the QTA strategy encourages students to ask questions of the author
and the text.
Rationale
The purpose of teaching this unit is to help students develop the knowledge, skills, and experiences they must have if they are to become
competent and enthusiastic readers. Helping students derive meaning from written text is a skill which will have a profound impact on their
lives. Teaching reading comprehension will enable students to develop skills which are essential to humanity, that is the ‘ability to think
creatively and critically; to speak, listen, read, and write; to establish satisfying interpersonal relationships; and to aspire to realize a vision of an
ideal human being and an ideal culture’ (SEMP curriculum Forms 1-3 pg.22). The teaching of reading comprehension should ideally equip
students with the ability ‘to read a variety of texts to understand and appreciate texts, themselves and others, and cultures of the world’ (SEMP
curriculum Forms 4-5 pg.35).
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UNIT GOALS & OBJECTIVES
This unit encompasses the teaching of Reading Comprehension using the DRTA and QTA strategies. The goal of this unit is to enhance
the reading comprehension skills of the leaners so that they are better able to derive meaning from text. The objectives in this unit
includes both lower and higher order objectives that will be achieved through tasks performed by the students.
This unit objectives are as follows:
1. Implement comprehension strategies (QTA, DRTA) when interpreting a comprehension text
2. Detect main idea through vocabulary and context clues used in comprehension
3. Recognize subjective language used in comprehension
4. Classify message of text through word selection and signal words
5. Identify relationship through signal words
6. Detect Point of View through emotive language used in comprehension text
7. Identify through parts-of –speech, the speakers in a text
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Instructional Needs
Students lack the development of sophisticated vocabulary knowledge, decoding skill and exposure to challenging text, and as such, they are
unable to decipher meaning in reading comprehension and make generalizations about new and unfamiliar context. Further, their inability to
recognize linkages and make connections about the meaning via different language elements hinder their comprehension of the text.
Prior Knowledge
Students are familiar with:
➢ Comprehension passages
➢ Identifying verbs and nouns in sentences
➢ Formulating questions using the 5 w,
➢ Identifying explanatory sentences
➢ Signal words
➢ Emotive Language
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Performance Tasks
THE PERFORMANCE TASK INCLUDED IN THIS UNIT WILL INCLUDE BOTH FORMATIVE AND SUMMATIVE ASSESMENTS.
LESSONS PERFORMANCE TASK RESOURCES
1. Inference
Students will work in pairs to complete graphic
organizer. The graphic organizer will assist students
infer meaning from text by highlighting verbs/nouns
that will give clues to the meaning.
Graphic organizer
2. Main Idea
Students may work in groups to complete table with the
5 w questions. These questions will guide students into
determining the main idea.
Writing paper
Graphic organizer
3. Context Clues
Students will work in pairs to select words in the
sentence that means the same or hint at the meaning of
an unfamiliar word. Students will use the context clues
to understand the text.
hand-outs
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4. Fact and Opinion
Using a graphic organizer with standard questions,
students will read the passage “Climbing Blindly” to
differentiate fact from opinion.
Comprehension passage, Graphic
organiser.
5. Cause and Effect
Students are given a passage “Global Warming” and a
graphic organiser sectioned of as: cause / my prediction
/ signal word/ effect/ textual evidence to support
prediction. Students are reminded to ask questions and
make predictions as they go along reading.
Graphic organiser, Comprehension
passage.
6. Point of View (POV) Students are placed in groups and given different
passages to work on. Their task entails using the QTA
strategy to deduce the author’s POV based on emotive
language used. They are to create an umbrella of words
and phrases under the passage’s topic that depict the
author’s POV. Additionally, they must include their
POV on the topic.
Comprehension passages, Graphic
organiser.
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Outline of Unit
Lesson 1- Inference
Lesson 2- Main Idea
Lesson 3- Context clues
Lesson 4- Fact and Opinion
Lesson 5- Cause and Effect
Lesson 6- Point of View
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Concept Map of Teaching Reading Comprehension
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Lesson Purpose Teaching point Objectives
Lesson Summary Strategy used
Inference
“Inferential thinking
occurs when text clues
merge with the reader’s
prior knowledge and
questions to point toward
a conclusion about an
underlying theme or idea
in the text.” (Harvey &
Goudvis, 2000)
To personally engage
students who can reflect
on information, make
judgments and draw
conclusions in response to
what they are reading,
resulting in enhanced
understanding and
increased learning
Using verb and
noun indicators to
formulate
questions to the
author while
reading
comprehension
passages teach
students to draw
inferences
➢ Students will
be able to
recognize that
word selection
(Verbs ,
Nouns)
provide clues
to meaning
Direct Explanation- The
teacher explains the QTA
strategy
Modelling- The teacher
reads one paragraph from
a comprehension passage
and halts at a points she
deems greater
understanding is needed.
She then thinks aloud
about the verbs and nouns
encountered. She models
how to identify and use
verbs and nouns to
formulate questions to the
author as a hint to making
inference about the
passage
Guided Practice- Students
Question the Author
(QTA)
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put into pairs and tasked to
make inferences about the
second paragraph. They
are aided with scaffolds
such as guiding prompts,
examples, graphic
organizers and handouts.
(observation by the teacher
occurs here)
Independent work- teacher
removes scaffolds and
assess students via
comprehension passages
with inferential questions.
Main Idea To improve the readers
recollection and
understanding of important
Asking questions
about who, when,
where, why and
➢ Students will
be able to
locate the main
Direct Explanation – The
teacher introduced the
DRTA strategy and the
Directed Reading
Thinking Activity
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information and the point
that the writer is
attempting to express
how while
reading
comprehension
passages can
encourage
students to make
predictions about
the main point
expressed by the
writer
idea in a
passage by
applying the
5w questions(
who, when,
where, why,
how)
benefits for its usage
Model and teach Strategy-
The teacher activates prior
knowledge by asking
students what they
understand by the title of
the comprehension
passage. Prompts are used
to elicit predictions about
the passage based on the
title. Students are engaged
with a short video to recap
the 5 w and to revive
students’ memory and
understanding. After, the
teacher begins to read
aloud halting at pre-
selected points. She thinks
aloud and question herself
about the predictions made
based on new information
read. These questions take
the who, where, when,
why, how form and
(DRTA)
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predictions are refined.
Based on the answers from
the 5 w questions and
refined prediction, main
idea is deduced
Guided instruction –
students are put into
groups of four and given a
comprehension passage to
deduce the main idea.
They are to use a 5 w table
to make predictions about
the passage. Main idea is
determined when the
questions have been
answered and aligned with
refined predictions
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Context Clues To expand the readers
vocabulary and aid their
understanding of the text.
Explanations in
the form of a
sentence/s
surrounding an
unknown word
can prompt the
reader to ask
questions in order
to deduce the
meaning of the
word in a
comprehension
passage
➢ Students will
be able to
deduce
meaning of
unknown
words by the
use of
explanations as
context clue in
the passage
Direct Explanation- The
teacher explains the QTA
strategy
Modelling – teacher reads
comprehension passage
and halts at unknown/
difficult words. With the
use of coloured pen, she
circles the unknown word
and loudly ask guiding
questions as to the
meaning of the word. She
re-reads sentences above,
below and next to the
unknown word to look for
any explanations that
might hint toward the
meaning of the word. She
analyses the explanations
carefully and determines
the meaning of the word.
She uses her mobile phone
with a dictionary
application to double
Question the Author
(QTA)
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check if the meaning
deduced from the
explanation is the
authentic meaning of the
word.
Guided Practice- students
are given another
comprehension passage
and are to work in pairs
and via the think-pair-
share techniques in
collaboration with the
QTA strategy they are to
use explanations from the
context to determine the
meaning of unfamiliar
words. Handouts showing
examples are provided as
scaffolds
Fact and Opinion To differentiate between
what is true and what is
the belief, someone has
about something.
Differentiating
fact from opinion
allows readers to
form their own
opinion about
➢ Students will
be able to
differentiate
fact from
opinion by
Direct Explanation- The
teacher explains the QTA
strategy.
Modelling- Teacher will
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something by first
understanding
what is true about
it from what
others perceive it
to be.
identifying
subjective
language in a
given text.
present students with a
passage and decide on
stopping points where
students need to stop,
think, and gain a deeper
understanding of the text.
At each stopping point,
questions will be asked to
open discussion and
broaden student’s
understanding of factual
and opinionated statements
from the text. The teacher
models these questions for
students and models how
they should be answered.
Questions will be geared
to identifying facts and
also identifying subjective
language which highlights
opinionated statements.
Guided instruction- Using
a graphic organizer with
standard questions,
students will read the
passage “Climbing
Blindly” to differentiate
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fact from opinion.
Cause and Effect To recognize cause and
effect relationships when
reading and how they
relate to the overall
message of the story.
Identifying cause
and effect
relationships
within a story
helps students
focus on two
important
elements of
comprehension:
what happens in
the story and why
it happened.
Identifying cause
and effect gives
students an
opportunity to
look carefully at
the consequences
of characters'
actions and to
think about how
different actions
might have
different effects.
➢ Students will
be able to
identify cause
and effect by
the use of
signalling
words.
Direct Explanation – The
teacher introduced the
DRTA strategy and the
benefits for its usage.
Model and teach Strategy-
The teacher activates prior
knowledge about chewing
gum in class by asking
open-ended questions to
direct students as they
make predictions about the
content of the text (e.g.,
"Given this title, what do
you think the passage will
be about?"). The teacher
then reads sections of the
passage and poses prompt
questions at crucial points.
Think aloud questions are
modelled for students that
point to signal words
(because, as a result,
caused, affected, since,
due to, effect). Eg. I don’t
allow students to chew
gum because it is a
distraction. A prompt
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question to extract the
signal word can be “Why
is chewing gum not
allowed?” From this,
students can identify the
cause and the effect based
on the signal word
because. After each
question, students can
modify their answers
based on their previous
predictions. Reflection on
predictions made after
reading the passage is
encouraged by the teacher.
Guided instruction-
Students are given a
passage “Global
Warming” and a graphic
organiser sectioned of as:
cause / my prediction /
signal word/ effect/ textual
evidence to support
prediction. Students are
reminded to ask questions
and make predictions as
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they go along reading.
Point of View (POV) To recognise that through
the use of emotive
language, a writer can
express his point of view /
his opinions / feelings
about a particular topic.
A writer’s point
of view can have
an impact on how
a story is told.
Identifying
emotive language
allows students to
gain a better
understanding of
the writer’s
intention and
view point about
a topic.
➢ Students will
be able to
deduce the
writer’s POV
based on
emotive
language in the
text.
Direct Explanation- The
teacher explains the QTA
strategy.
Modelling- Teacher will
present students with a
passage entitled “ Bored
pupils riot as staff walk
out “ As the teacher reads
the text, she will stop at
certain points and pose
questions that will illicit
responses related to
identifying emotive
language. Eg. What is the
author trying to tell us
here and what words
indicate this to us? The
teacher reads through the
passage and models how
they should read the
passage and think through
the queries. Emotive
words and phrases are
jotted down on a paper to
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highlight the author’s POV
on the topic. Students are
also asked to reflect on the
author’s POV and say if
they too feel the same
way. If not, how would
they express their thoughts
on the subject.
Guided instruction-
Students are placed in
groups and given different
passages to work on.
Their task entails using the
QTA strategy to deduce
the author’s POV based on
emotive language used.
They are to create an
umbrella of words and
phrases under the
passage’s topic that depict
the author’s POV.
Additionally, they must
include their POV on the
topic.
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Assessment Plan
Assessment Strategy Assessment Tools
Observe
Observations are ongoing and cumulative, and they signal patterns of
literacy growth as well as highlight “zones of proximal distance” or
areas for future student growth (Vygotsky, 1962, 1978).
Think – pair-share, Checklist
Encourage Student Self –Assessment
Students not only take responsibility for their learning but also develop
the capacity to be reflective thinkers by making their literacy
experiences the object of conscious thought (Vygotsky, 1962, 1978).
Reflective journals/ Exit tickets after each lesson to check for
understanding
Test Summative test- worksheets/ quizzes
Formative test- students work with a partner to complete graphic
organizers
Oral questioning
Monitor Rubrics, Correct homework,
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Reference
Ministry of Education. (2008). SEMP Secondary School Curriculum Forms 1-3. McBean,
Couva: Curriculum Planning and Development Division.
Pearson, P. D. & Gallagher, M. (1983). The Instruction of Reading Comprehension.
Contemporary Educational Psychology, 8, pp. 317-344.
Ylvisaker, M. (2006). Reading Comprehension. Retrieved from
http://www.projectlearnet.org/tutorials/reading_comprehension.html