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Reading Comprehension

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Food for Thought Reading furnishes the mind only with materials for knowledge; It is thinking that makes what we read ours. ~John Locke Philosopher

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Factors affecting comprehension Background knowledge Knowledge of sentence structure Knowledge of text structure Vocabulary Word identification skills Fluency Existence of picture clues Reading mode-oral, silent, listening Genre-narrative, expository

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Typical Comprehension Instruction Activate prior knowledge Predicting Vocabulary instruction Picture walk/Think aloud Comprehension questions Retelling Graphic organizers Making inferences Summarizing Paraphrasing

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Comprehension Teaching Looks Different at Different Ages Kindergarten learning to read Picture walk with think aloud Oral retelling Lots of teacher support Third Grade reading to learn Build background knowledge Diagram story elements Moving towards independence Middle School expository and content area text Reading bold titles Using signal words Finding the main idea and supporting details Working independently

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Four Components of a Comprehension Program Large amounts of time for reading Direct instruction of strategies Peer and collaborative learning Occasions to talk about their response to reading (Pearson & Fielding, 1991)

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Comprehension Behaviors Self-correcting Looking back/ahead Asking questions for understanding Making predictions

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Prediction Exercise: The whole of this family-the six grown ups and little Charlie Bucket- live together in a small wooden house on the edge of a great town. Pg. 4

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Prediction Exercise: The Oompa-Loompas guided the boat alongside the red door. On the door it said, INVENTING ROOM-PRIVATE-KEEP OUT. Mr. Wonka took a key from his pocket, leaned over the side of the boat, and put the key in the keyhole. Pg. 87

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Why the Bookmark? Builds vocabulary Encourages students to ask questions and make connections Looking back increases comprehension Reading in school becomes more like real reading Students take ownership of their learning Opportunity for true discussion Prepares students for note taking Multi-level Adaptable

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The Bookmark: An Adaptable Teaching Tool Creating the bookmark Using the bookmark Think-Pair-Share Alternative headings

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Closing thoughts: How do we get students to think about what they read? Prediction games The bookmark Think-Pair-Share Monitor comprehension Questions?

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Resources: Recommended texts Mosaic of Thought by Ellin Oliver Keene & Susan Zimmermann Strategies That Work by Stephanie Harvey Web sites Readingonline.org Readingresource.net Theteacherscorner.org Readingrockets.org