| The primary purpose of reading is comprehension, | | | | comprehension is to have students make |
| or understanding. Unless you comprehend what | | | | predictions about the topic prior to reading. There |
| you read you might as well be reading a different | | | | are many different types of prediction strategies |
| language. | | | | a teacher can use to increase reading |
| Unfortunately, for many students school reading | | | | comprehension. Here is an example of a simple |
| may actually seem like a different language. That's | | | | prediction strategy: |
| okay - by using various teaching strategies | | | | · Create 3-7 statements based on a |
| teachers can greatly increase their student's | | | | reading you have selected to use with your class. |
| reading comprehension. | | | | · Change a few of those statements to |
| Today, more and more teachers realize that | | | | be false statements. |
| reading is not the sole responsibility of the | | | | · Have students predict whether or not |
| language arts teacher. However, many teachers | | | | the statement is true or false before they read. |
| struggle to come up with ways to actually | | | | · After the reading have the students go |
| increase reading comprehension in the classroom. | | | | back and check whether their predictions were |
| The key to increasing reading comprehension is to | | | | correct. |
| tap into students' prior knowledge about a topic | | | | What will this reading comprehension strategy do? |
| before actually reading about the topic. There are | | | | Not only will this reading comprehension strategy |
| many ways teachers can go about tapping into | | | | help students tap into what they already know |
| students prior knowledge such as Venn diagrams, | | | | about a topic, but it will also give students a |
| KWL Charts, and prediction strategies. | | | | purpose for reading. The students will know what |
| 1. Venn diagrams - while Venn diagrams are | | | | to focus on when they read and they will read to |
| usually used after reading as a way to compare | | | | determine if their predictions were correct. |
| and contrast something the students just read | | | | 3. KWL Chart - A KWL chart is a common |
| about, Venn diagrams can also be a great tool to | | | | strategy used among teachers to increase |
| use before reading as a way to increase reading | | | | reading comprehension. The KWL chart stands for |
| comprehension. For example, students can create | | | | Know-Want-Learn. A KWL chart is divided into |
| a Venn diagram on the similarities and differences | | | | three columns and provides a place to record |
| between the North and the South at the beginning | | | | what the students already know, what the |
| of the U.S. Civil War. Prior to the reading the | | | | students want to learn, and what the student |
| students can create their Venn diagram based on | | | | learned once they have read. By giving students a |
| what they already know about the topic. From | | | | few minutes to write down what they know and |
| there the students can pair up and share their | | | | what they want to know before reading, the |
| Venn diagrams to further build on their | | | | KWL chart provides the students a tangible |
| background knowledge. Once the Venn diagram is | | | | structure for enhancing their involvement in their |
| completed the students can then read about the | | | | own reading. The KWL chart prompts students to |
| topic. After the students complete the reading | | | | access prior knowledge, identify their own |
| they should go back and check their Venn | | | | purposes for reading, and reflect and summarize |
| diagram, make corrections, and add any new | | | | text. |
| information. By encouraging the students to think | | | | All three reading strategies (Venn diagram, |
| about the topic prior to reading the assignment, | | | | prediction strategies, and KWL charts) have the |
| the students will increase their reading | | | | common feature of tapping into and building upon |
| comprehension. | | | | prior knowledge as a means to increase reading |
| 2. Prediction Strategies - another way to tap into | | | | comprehension. |
| students prior knowledge and increase reading | | | | |