Content Area Comprehension

1. Content Area Comprehension

2. Objectives • Gain an understanding of the five areas of metacognition • Explore and develop before the reading strategies • Create a content specific anticipation guide • Create a content specific word splash activity

3. Poor Readers: • Think understanding occurs from getting the words right • Do not set goals • Use strategies such as rote memorization • Are often unaware that comprehension has failed • Respond with helplessness

4. Expert Readers: • Are aware of their thinking • Know when they understand • Employ strategies to attain meaning • Use prior knowledge • Set learning goals • Reread, self question, & organize information • Self assess

5. Metacognition “Thinking about your own thinking” • Revolves around 5 areas: • Background knowledge • Purpose setting • Active learning • Organization • Author’s craft

6. 1. Background Knowledge • Integrating new information & prior knowledge is the heart of comprehension • Richer background = richer comprehension • Prior knowledge/mental priming leads to better comprehension

7. Building Background Knowledge • Direct Experience • Going on a camping trip • Virtual Experience • Read about a camping trip • Language interaction-talk about a camping trip • Educational Media-watch a program about camping trip - Marzano, 2004

8. House Activity

9. 2. Purpose setting • Reading for a specific purpose and listening for specific information will influence comprehension and recall • “after reading this chapter, you will be able to….” • “after viewing this video, you should be able to identify…” • “you should be able to evaluate the best way to…”

10. 3. Active Learning • Cornerstones for successful, engaged learning…. • Writing • Instructional conversations • Performance Activity

11. 4. Organization • Learning requires that students transform information by: • Writing • Making charts or graphic organizers • Drawing pictures • Two-column notes (Cornell) • Selective underlining • Concept mapping • Etc.

12. 5. Author’s Craft • Students need to understand the different modes of writing • Non-fiction vs fiction • Expository vs narrative • Persuasive vs informative

13. Traditional Format New Format Before reading strategies Assignment Given During the read strategies Independent Reading After the read strategies Discussion to see if Students learned main Concepts, what they “should have” learned The Lesson Before reading strategies Discussion Predictions Questioning Brainstorming Setting Purpose During the read strategies Guided ACTIVE Silent reading After the read Activities to clarify, reinforce & extend knowledge

14. Before reading strategies Effective readers are active, not passive. They take time before they begin to read to: • Activate prior knowledge • Preview the passage (vocabulary and structure of the text) • Make predictions • Establish a purpose • Generate questions

15. Anticipation Guide Motivates students to think and anticipate what will be happening in the text. • Sets a purpose • Initiates background knowledge • Encourages active learning

16. Anticipation Guide Activity

17. Video

18. Content Area Anticipation Guides

19. Word Splash • Explores word relationships and compares students’ thoughts • Prepares students to process new material in meaningful ways

20. Video

21. Content Area Word Splash

22. Content Literature Using literature in content areas helps students to: • Connect to the content reading • Builds background knowledge • Encourages students to be active readers of content material

23. Handouts • Literature Books • Before the Read Strategy Lessons

24. ESA 3 Contacts Michelle Ommen michelle.ommen@k12.sd.us Diane Olson Diane.M.Olson@k12.sd.us