Reading Comprehension: What We Really Do Know!

1. Reading Comprehension: What We Really Do Know! Presentation to the International Reading Association Erin Guarino, Reading Consultant Anna Harris, Curriculum and Instruction Coach Tom Poland, English Teacher Joanne Shulman, Reading Consultant Ellen Stoltz, Chief Academic Officer E

2. Three P’s for Part One…. • PURPOSE: Provide Conceptual Background on Three Reading Comprehension Impediments • PROCESS: Informational Power Point • PAY-OFF: You will conceptualize elements to analyze comprehension struggles with YOUR students • Setting the Scene for Learning

3. ANTICIPATION GUIDE • I know the Three Big Ideas in Reading Comprehension instruction. Yes No Not Certain • I know the basic reasons why my students struggle with reading comprehension and what I can do to help. Yes No Not Certain • Activate Prior Knowledge, Personalize Learning

4. DEFINE: Reading Comprehension • “The process of simultaneously extracting and constructing meaning through interaction and involvement with written language.” • Present Big Idea

5. DEFINE: Reading Comprehension • “Attending to ideas and content by locating and recalling information, by making inferences, decoding, and understanding vocabulary all at once.” • Present Big Idea

6. Let’s Examine the Components… Identify with a partner the key words in the definitions.

7. Let’s Examine the Components…that are Impacted by… Instructional Context Student Learning Characteristics Text Factors

8. Instructional Context Inadequate Instruction Insufficient Exposure and Practice

9. Student Learning Characteristics 1. Inadequate Comprehension Monitoring 2. Undeveloped Attention Strategies 3. Language Difficulties 4. Undeveloped Word Recognition and Memory

10. Text Factors Structure and Organization Length and Task Demands Genre Abstract Concepts

11. Why is this Important to Know? • Connect objective

12. Think of one of your students who may not have had adequate practice with text…

13. Tailor Strategies to Students • INSTRUCTIONAL FACTORS: • Build in sufficient practice (5-25 different exposures!) • Vary the type of presentation, i.e. written text, Power Point, video clips • Vary the type of response, i.e. highlighting, partner reading, writing one sentence or a full paragraph

14. Think of one of your students who struggled with attention and memory…

15. Tailor Strategies to Students • LEARNER CHARACTERISTICS: • Analyze through observing and questioning… Do your students reengage with text after distractions? Can your students define vocabulary to know if they truly understand what the words mean? Are they truly paying attention to the text?

16. Think of one of the texts you use…

17. Tailor Strategies to Students • TEXT FACTORS: Do you need to teach students of any age how to navigate the text, what features to pay attention to and what to ignore?

18. ANTICIPATION GUIDE • I know the Three Big Ideas in Reading Comprehension instruction. Yes No Not Certain • I know the basic reasons why my students struggle with reading comprehension and what I can do to help. Yes No Not Certain • Solidify New Knowledge, Personalize Learning

19. Read it Again! It Makes a Difference! Presentation to the International Reading Association Erin Guarino, Reading Consultant Anna Harris, Curriculum and Instruction Coach Tom Poland, English Teacher Joanne Shulman, Reading Consultant E

20. Four P’s for Part Two…. • PURPOSE: Model strategies to increase reading comprehension for close reading for ALL students • PROCESS: Co-teaching, modeling Effective Teaching Strategies (Peery, A. 2011), hands-on guided and independent practice; DOK Levels 1-3 • PAY-OFF: You will learn strategies to use purposefully with YOUR students; Link to College and Career Readiness for CCSS under Craft and Structure • PAT PAVELKA, NANCY BOYLES: Close Reading Strategies • Setting the Scene for Learning

21. ANTICIPATION GUIDE • When I read closely, I understand 100% of what I read. Yes No Not Certain • When my students read text the first time, they understand 100% of what they read. Yes No Not Certain • Activate Prior Knowledge, Personalize Learning

22. ANTICIPATION GUIDE • I believe I learn more by discussing a favorite book with friends and learn from their thinking. Yes No Not Certain • I know how and when to implement specific comprehension strategies to personalize instruction for ALL students. Yes No Not Certain • Activate Prior Knowledge, Personalize Learning

23. DEFINE: • “Strategies are a means to deepen the reading experience and give students a language to discuss the process of constructing meaning.” ~Keene, E. & Zimmerman, S. (2007). Mosaic of Thought • Present Big Idea

24. IF… We want Pre-K-Grade 12 students to comprehend in literal, critical, and evaluative ways to master State Standards measured by summative assessments THEN… How do we teach close reading to ALL students to ensure deep understanding? • Purpose for Learning and Expected Outcomes

25. Beliefs about Reading Comprehension • Use Non-Linguistic Representations for Visual Learners

26. Comprehension: The Ultimate Goal • Good Teachers teach Close Reading strategies to improve students' overall comprehension What is Close Reading? • Close Reading is rereading with different lenses

27. Why is this Important to Know? • Close Reading will be required for ALL students • Teachers will need to expand their repertoire of deep reading comprehension strategies • Assessment results will place students in a wider range of skill and knowledge • Connect objective

28. What Does Close ReadingLook Like? • Short texts • Chunk text • Re-read • Underline and circle important words – with a purpose! • Use stickies or the margin to write what the author is saying (the gist)

29. Lightning Bolt!!!

30. Foundation: Equal Partners Semantic Feature Analysis or Degrees of Reading Power (DRP) • Key Words • Signal Words • Similarities • Differences • Pronoun Referents Metacognitive Strategies • Visualizing • Predicting • Making Connections • Summarizing • Questioning • Clarifying PROCESS of READING to Understand Author’s Message PRODUCT of READING to Read Closely

31. Specific Strategies in Close Reading • Read/skim to look for Main Idea • Reread to Connect Ideas • Determine Author's Craft and Structure • Teach Key Words/Phrases- • Teach Signal Words • Teach Patterns Close Reading Steps How I teach this

32. How Can I Teach Key Words?

33. First Read: Key Words • Key Words are important in helping determine the main idea. • This first read is for the purpose of getting the general idea or “gist" of the text/passage. • It will help the student activate prior knowledge on the topic - making comprehension easier • If the student has no prior knowledge, this first read will help create a mindset or schema of the topic. TO DO: Students list key words while they read to help them find themain idea.

34. Second Read : Signal Words • Signal Words help the reader link ideas together. • They tell them something is coming • They are a "signal" to look for something important in the reading. • Signal Words give clues to Author’s Craft • There are four types of signal words: sequence, cause, continuing, change 1,2,3 main idea.

35. Signal Word Examples 1. Lila chased AJ. AJ chased Lila. • Lila chased AJ then AJ chased Lila. • AJ chased Lila after Lila chased AJ. 2. Maggie gave Emily a pencil. Emily was happy. • Emily was happy because Maggie gave her a pencil. 3. Maggie, Lauren, Wiley and Donald are holding hands with each other. 4. There is no school on April 29th, however teachers have to be there.

36. So What Can I Do? • Diagnose areas of concern Example: Student does not understand author’s use of signal words, i.e. then, however, consequently; Student does not understand how sentences or ideas connect • Instruct deeply at the semantic level Example: Teach categories of signal words that connote author’s meaning: sequence, cause, continuing, change

37. Signal Words: Organize them for your Students • SEQUENCE 1,2,3 FIRST LAST • CONTINUING DURING • CAUSE IF, THEN, AS SOON AS • CHANGE DESPITE PROCESS of READING to Understand Author’s Craft and Structure PROCESS of READING to Understand Author’s Craft and Structure…LET’s TRY IT!

38. Third Read : Author’s Craft and Structure • What does the author want the reader to understand from this passage? • Look for important words and their patterns –categorize words to help determine author’s intent, craft, and word choice • What are these important words telling the reader? R.CCR.4

39. Do I, as a teacher, read closely? • As good teachers we must ask ourselves this… • In order to teach it and model it, we need to make sure we do it. • Keep in mind in your classroom - you might not teach all strategies in one sitting -

40. Let’s Personalize Our Learning… • Turn and talk • Think of a read aloud or a piece of text article – something that you do in your classroom – that you can enhance by teaching Close Reading with it • Make it meaningful –teach strategies using text your students can connect to their learning, regardless of subject

41. ANTICIPATION GUIDE • When I read closely, I understand 100% of what I read. Yes No Not Certain • When my students read text the first time, they understand 100% of what they read. Yes No Not Certain • Activate Prior Knowledge, Personalize Learning

42. ANTICIPATION GUIDE • I believe I learn more by discussing a favorite book with friends and learn from their thinking. Yes No Not Certain • I know how and when to implement specific comprehension strategies to personalize instruction for ALL students. Yes No Not Certain • Activate Prior Knowledge, Personalize Learning

43. EXIT TICKET • As a result of participating in this workshop, I now know that________________________________________________________________________________________. • As a result of participating in this workshop, I will be able to __________________________________________ _____________________________________________. • Checking for Understanding and Meaningful Feedback