To become good readers, most students will develop skills that enable them to de-code and comprehend the text they are reading. Teachers can assist students by providing explicit, intensive, and persistent instruction. When delivering explicit comprehension strategy instruction, the teacher chooses strategies that are closely aligned with the text students are reading. The teacher models and "thinks aloud" about what a given strategy is and why it is important. The teacher also plays a key role in helping students to learn how, when, and where to use the strategy, and gives students opportunities to apply the strategy on their own.
Modelling is followed by students applying their strategies in practice, guided by the teacher, who works with students scaffolding on how and when to use the strategy themselves. As students read, the teacher provides feedback and engages them in discussion. One of the most important features of explicit instruction is the teacher's gradual release to students of responsibility for strategy use, with the goal that students apply strategies independently. Our step by step guide for implementing explicit instruction will help you refine your teacher practice in the classroom.
Modelling is followed by students applying their strategies in practice, guided by the teacher, who works with students scaffolding on how and when to use the strategy themselves. As students read, the teacher provides feedback and engages them in discussion. One of the most important features of explicit instruction is the teacher's gradual release to students of responsibility for strategy use, with the goal that students apply strategies independently. Our step by step guide for implementing explicit instruction will help you refine your teacher practice in the classroom.
Explicit Instruction of Comprehension Strategies
NB: Regardless of the strategy being taught, the process of explicit instruction remains the same.
Step 1: Select a text
Texts can range from easy to challenging. The criteria for text selection should focus on text usefulness for teaching a particular strategy or set of strategies, student interests and connections to literacy themes. If the text is challenging use ‘read-aloud’ when modelling.
Step 2: Explain the strategy
Focus on the two questions:
What is it?
Why is it helpful/necessary for comprehension?
Provide examples to assist this explanation and wherever possible make connections to students’ background
knowledge and prior learning.
Step 3: Model the strategy
Read a section of the text aloud and use a Think Aloud and a visual (symbol, chart, etc) to share ideas with students.
NB: Think Aloud involves orally explaining precisely what is triggering thoughts and how it is affecting understanding.
Explain thinking so that students have a clear idea of the cognitively active process readers experience. If a strategy requires a written or sketched response, model that during this step.
Step 4: Guided support
Read the next section of the text aloud and ask students to work with a partner to apply the new strategy.
Discuss the response from paired students and read aloud another section of the text.
Step 5: Independent practice
Monitor as students work independently within the whole group. Either continue reading sections of the text
with reduced teacher support or invite students to read independent texts on their own. Regardless, students
independently use the strategy. Differentiate instruction by providing scaffolding for those students who need more support (through further modelling or guided support), and by releasing the task to those students who are ready to use it. The goal is to ensure that students know the strategy and the process for using it. Ultimately students develop a range of strategies that they can use as needed when they are reading on their own.
Step 6: Reflect
Ask students to reflect on how using the strategy helped them to understand the text. Invite them to share their
reflections in small groups or with the whole class. Discuss how they can use the strategy when they are reading on their own.
How can we use Questioning to improve reading comprehension? Watch this video for some handy hints!!
Classroom Posters!
This reading comprehension poster provides an explicit, colourful and supportive visual tool that can be displayed in the classroom to provide students with that easy to access resource they can use as a reference point.
reading_comprehension_posters.jpg | |
File Size: | 178 kb |
File Type: | jpg |
Comprehension Strategy Check-list!
A valuable tool for beginning and emerging teachers that provides a detailed evidenced based checklist for teachers to use in the classroom. This resource provides an excellent tool that can be used for assessment of learning and insights for reflection on student learning styles and student progression in developing reading comprehension skills. Click on the link to access!
A valuable tool for beginning and emerging teachers that provides a detailed evidenced based checklist for teachers to use in the classroom. This resource provides an excellent tool that can be used for assessment of learning and insights for reflection on student learning styles and student progression in developing reading comprehension skills. Click on the link to access!
comprehension_strategy_checklist.pdf | |
File Size: | 76 kb |
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Reader Bookmark!
Help students engage in using comprehension strategies by providing access to an easy to use bookmark that provides young readers with a learning resource that scaffolds their development. Students will love colouring in the bookmark which will help teachers meet student needs in busy classrooms. Your students will love it!
Help students engage in using comprehension strategies by providing access to an easy to use bookmark that provides young readers with a learning resource that scaffolds their development. Students will love colouring in the bookmark which will help teachers meet student needs in busy classrooms. Your students will love it!
reader_bookmark.jpg | |
File Size: | 147 kb |
File Type: | jpg |
KWL Chart!
Try using our KWL Chart to help stimulate student thinking about their reading material. An easy to use tool that gets great results in the classroom.
Try using our KWL Chart to help stimulate student thinking about their reading material. An easy to use tool that gets great results in the classroom.
kwl_chart.pdf | |
File Size: | 45 kb |
File Type: |