What Do We Mean by Comprehension?
· Synthesis
· Internal conversations
· Determining what is important
· Creating a visual image of the text
· Monitoring understanding
As
I read through these books and the article it became clear that the message
regarding teaching reading comprehension is all about thinking. As a teacher
our structured learning time is constantly being challenged by outside forces.
Sometimes it’s school events, field trips, test prep and other times these
challenges manifest in the reader themselves as short attention spans an
apathetic attitude. My students want to know what is on the test? How they can get an A? They tend to resist
the work involved to think critically.
They
have been programmed to regurgitate information through clarification of their
understanding rather than comprehending what the author means (Keene and
Zimmermann) .
Teachers are so pressed for time and high-stakes testing coupled with an
unstable economy have taken a toll on our young students. It is imperative that we stop and model,
question and build upon prior knowledge. There should be time to read and time
to talk (Keene and Zimmermann) everyday!
The
image of the picture frame (Cummins)
struck a chord as I was reading. I began to imagine a picture that I have on my
desk and think what would t he students “get” from this? Would they be able to
synthesize the information and come up with the meaning? The very next day I
had to try. I held up the picture and asked them to describe the details of the
photo. It was easy for them and they were happy to offer their insights on the
smiles, hair do’s and weather. They argued about the face my daughter was
making- smiling, being funny or was she throwing a tantrum? When I asked why I
might have framed this particular picture the answers flowed. “It shows how
happy you are with your family”, “You love it”, and “It captures everyone’s
personalities” It came easily they were able to “look” and “see” (Keene and Zimmermann) . How can I
make that transition to their schoolwork?
I
know that understanding what synthesis is will help students to become more
proficient at using strategies to achieve it. It’s getting them to slow down
and seemingly work harder in the short run
Teaching students to find the valuable or useful
information in informational text is imperative but many students struggle
because they don’t drain the water or know what their purpose is. Creating
opportunities to help students determine purpose and monitor comprehension will
ultimately make reading more rewarding. We owe it to our students to take the
time and create opportunities to model comprehension strategies. As I began
reading through the texts for this class I started by reading the syllabus six
times, underlining assignments and reviewing the rubric. I had a clear picture
of how I wanted to capture the information listed about comprehension from so
many different sources.
I had planned a more graphic representation and started
with a picture frame surrounding a plate of pasta with bubbles floating across
the page representing the main ideas. I eventually mulled the information over
for days and began writing my thoughts and bringing to light the overlaps and
the main points that the sources all cite.
I found that although I was dreading synthesizing all the
information my margin notes, pictures and sense of purpose made the assignment
much easier.
Works Cited
Cummins,
Sunday. Close Reading of Informational Texts. New York: The Guilford
Press, 2013.
Harvey, Stephanie and Anne Goudvis. Strategies That Work.
Portland: Stenhouse Publishers, 2007.
Keene, Ellin Oliver and Susan Zimmermann. Mosaic of
Thought. Portsmouth: Heinemann, 2007.
Richard, L. Allington. "What Really Matters When
Working with Struggling Readers." The Reading Teacher (2013).
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