| How does one approach the reading | | | | over again in reading comprehension questions. |
| comprehension section on the Nursing Entrance | | | | Words, and statements such as, the author |
| Test? Many for one are unprepared for the | | | | assumed, inferred or the paragraph stated are |
| wealth of reading that is required and the | | | | key to understanding and grasping the questioning |
| computerized method of testing. It can be difficult | | | | methodology. |
| for those who are not computer savvy to | | | | Reading comprehension can be defined as the |
| comfortably navigate from page to another and | | | | level of understanding of a passage or text. For |
| go back to re-read. Time is of course of the | | | | normal reading rates (around 200-220 words per |
| essence in taking any test. The questions are at | | | | minute) an acceptable level of comprehension is |
| best hard to assimilate due to the ambiguous | | | | above 75%. |
| nature of the way that they are asked. This can | | | | Reading comprehension can be improved by: |
| be a stumbling block for those who are not | | | | Training the ability to self assess comprehension, |
| prepared afore hand for the reading | | | | actively test comprehension using questionnaires, |
| comprehension section of the Nursing Entrance | | | | and by improving metacognition. Teaching |
| Test. | | | | conceptual and linguistic knowledge is also |
| Comprehension testing is very useful in improving | | | | advantageous. |
| reading comprehension, not only because it gives | | | | Self assessment can be conducted by |
| the teacher a measure of progress, but it | | | | summarizing, and elaborative interrogation, and |
| supplements the reader's perception of his or her | | | | those skills will gradually become more automatic |
| own ability. Learning readers commonly fail to | | | | through practice. |
| accurately assess their own comprehension. A | | | | For children in K-12 public schools in the United |
| comprehension test can accelerate their ability to | | | | States, building reading comprehension skills to |
| self assess their own comprehension levels as | | | | pass the high-stake tests mandated by the No |
| they progress. However, a poorly constructed | | | | Child Left Behind Laws is a top priority. Many |
| reading comprehension test can deceive the | | | | parents when informed that their children need to |
| learner and disturb progress. Indeed, it has been | | | | build comprehension skills do not know where to |
| found that poorly constructed tests often train | | | | start. Effective reading comprehension is the |
| the reader to mis-assess their own reading | | | | culmination of mastering vocabulary, phonics, |
| performance. | | | | fluency, and reading comprehension skills. The |
| Reading comprehension is best tested using | | | | reading skills pyramid illustrates how these skills |
| carefully constructed questions which quiz natural | | | | are expected to be built in most public schools. |
| or non-concocted passages of text. The questions | | | | Reading comprehension skills separates the |
| themselves can be requests to summarize, open | | | | "passive" unskilled reader from the "active" |
| ended questions; Cloze formats, and carefully | | | | readers. Skilled readers don't just read, they |
| constructed multiple choice questions. | | | | interact with the text. To help a beginning reader |
| The multiple choice format must use questions | | | | understand this concept, you might make them |
| that quiz the overall meanings of the text, the | | | | privy to the dialogue readers have with |
| details and the most important meaning of the | | | | themselves while reading. |
| words. The background of the reader must be | | | | Skilled readers, for instance: |
| taken into account. For example, if an answer is | | | | * Predict what will happen next in a story using |
| general knowledge, then it will not measure the | | | | clues presented in text |
| comprehension of the passage, but the memory | | | | * Create questions about the main idea, message, |
| of that knowledge. Likewise, the questions should | | | | or plot of the text |
| not give clues to the answers of other questions. | | | | * Monitor understanding of the sequence, context, |
| In this way it makes the multiple choice format | | | | or characters |
| hard to devise. Speed reading courses and books | | | | * Clarify parts of the text which have confused |
| generally design their comprehension tests using | | | | them |
| the antithesis of these factors in order to mislead | | | | * Connect the events in the text to prior |
| the reader into believing that their reading | | | | knowledge or experience |
| comprehension has improved with increased | | | | When answering questions on the Nursing |
| speed. | | | | Entrance Test, it is sometimes hard to relate |
| To sufficiently prepare for the type of questions | | | | concepts that seem totally unrelated. This type of |
| that are asked one must practice reading | | | | questioning requires abstract thinking. The |
| passages and answering questions in a similar | | | | questions are designed to test the reader's |
| format. One of the pitfalls that students find | | | | analytical reasoning while at the same time test |
| when taking the reading comprehension, is that | | | | their vocabulary. It is always advisable when |
| they have a hard time assimilating new knowledge | | | | reading to have a dictionary at hand. Other |
| and answering questions that have a high level of | | | | examples of similar reading comprehension tests |
| difficulty associated with them. Dr. Kimmel's | | | | can be found in graduate entrance exam practice |
| software that also includes math preparation | | | | books. Entering into the nursing field will indeed |
| covers the important principals and assists the | | | | require unique analysis skills in many different |
| student in mastering key words when reading. | | | | forms. |
| Certain key words are typically used over and | | | | |