What Research Says About Learning, Comprehension Strategies and Reading Development
Learning improves when communication and partnership are
established between students' families and teachers. The home-school is critical in early adolescence, but remains just as important in grades 5-6. Families can support literacy development by providing children with powerful models of literacy behaviors at home and creating home environments that offer a variety reading materials. Developing readers who are supported at home are more prepared for the reading challenges of intermediate and middle grades where texts often become more difficult and the focus from learning to read shifts to reading to learn. The increase in text difficulty can affect readers of all ability. Even a proficient reader may struggle and become dependent when confronted with a complex text. As classroom reading practices shift from guided reading groups to literature circles, students must be able to read and understand independently in order to successfully engage in learning activities and in discussion. To ensure continued success and thoughtful literacy development, students are in need of support from teachers in the classroom and from the family at home, which allows them to engage as active readers, to develop feelings of self-efficacy, and to remain motivated to read and to learn.
Thoughtful literacy is defined as "the ability to think deeply about ideas presented in texts and summarize, synthesize, analyze, and evaluate those ideas" (Allington, 2001, p.90; as cited by Dunston, 2002). Comprehension strategies are used by skilled readers to understand and interpret meaning from texts. The term "texts" is intentionally used in place of books because not all texts that our readers encounter are books. It is important for students to have reading experiences with multiple genres and types of texts. Students improve their ability comprehend a variety of reading materials through being actively involved in the thinking that is required for reading. Active reading requires readers to be both metacognitive and self-monitoring (Meece, Blumenfeld, & Hoyle; as cited by Dunston, 2002). Metacognition is thinking about our thinking; being aware of our thinking processes as we read. Using strategies while reading and engaging in discussions of reading promotes the thoughtful literacy of our students because it helps them think about their thinking (metacognition) and learn about themselves as readers.
Reading widely will help our readers apply strategies across texts and genres to make meaning, which will expand their abilities to engage in different types of reading as required in real life. In addition to expanding the definition of text to include "visual and audio signs, symbols, and images (e-mails, Internet websites, popular cultural texts, and so on) that are interesting and motivating," research recommends that students must have the opportunity to participate in peer-led discussions (Dunston, 2002, pp. 145-146). Discussion has been found to have a positive impact on both reading comprehension and engagement (Dunston, 2002). At school, students have the opportunity to talk about their reading with teachers and peers. By creating an environment outside of school for children to engage in discussions about reading with their parents and family members, we support their development as thoughtful and proficient readers.
The goal of effective reading instruction is empower students with the ability to negotiate reading challenges through use of strategies that help them to understand a variety of texts. In the interest of creating independent readers, in the classroom we teach the strategic actions used by skilled readers, so that when faced with a challenging text our students know how to apply strategies that will help them comprehend, and monitor their understanding. Equally important to teaching the strategies is providing plenty of opportunity to practice their use. Parents often wonder, "What can I do to support my child's reading comprehension at home?" With a short investment of time, you can make an impact on your children's development as independent readers/thinkers and increase their motivation to read through discussions that encourage them to think about how and what they are reading, to formulate new ideas, and to set purposes for reading in real life.
References
Dunston, P. J. (2002). Instructional components for promoting thoughtful literacy learning. In Block, C.C., Gambrell, L.B. &
Pressley, M. (Eds.), Improving comprehension instruction: Rethinking research, theory, and classroom practice (135-151) Newark:
DE: Jossey-Bass.
established between students' families and teachers. The home-school is critical in early adolescence, but remains just as important in grades 5-6. Families can support literacy development by providing children with powerful models of literacy behaviors at home and creating home environments that offer a variety reading materials. Developing readers who are supported at home are more prepared for the reading challenges of intermediate and middle grades where texts often become more difficult and the focus from learning to read shifts to reading to learn. The increase in text difficulty can affect readers of all ability. Even a proficient reader may struggle and become dependent when confronted with a complex text. As classroom reading practices shift from guided reading groups to literature circles, students must be able to read and understand independently in order to successfully engage in learning activities and in discussion. To ensure continued success and thoughtful literacy development, students are in need of support from teachers in the classroom and from the family at home, which allows them to engage as active readers, to develop feelings of self-efficacy, and to remain motivated to read and to learn.
Thoughtful literacy is defined as "the ability to think deeply about ideas presented in texts and summarize, synthesize, analyze, and evaluate those ideas" (Allington, 2001, p.90; as cited by Dunston, 2002). Comprehension strategies are used by skilled readers to understand and interpret meaning from texts. The term "texts" is intentionally used in place of books because not all texts that our readers encounter are books. It is important for students to have reading experiences with multiple genres and types of texts. Students improve their ability comprehend a variety of reading materials through being actively involved in the thinking that is required for reading. Active reading requires readers to be both metacognitive and self-monitoring (Meece, Blumenfeld, & Hoyle; as cited by Dunston, 2002). Metacognition is thinking about our thinking; being aware of our thinking processes as we read. Using strategies while reading and engaging in discussions of reading promotes the thoughtful literacy of our students because it helps them think about their thinking (metacognition) and learn about themselves as readers.
Reading widely will help our readers apply strategies across texts and genres to make meaning, which will expand their abilities to engage in different types of reading as required in real life. In addition to expanding the definition of text to include "visual and audio signs, symbols, and images (e-mails, Internet websites, popular cultural texts, and so on) that are interesting and motivating," research recommends that students must have the opportunity to participate in peer-led discussions (Dunston, 2002, pp. 145-146). Discussion has been found to have a positive impact on both reading comprehension and engagement (Dunston, 2002). At school, students have the opportunity to talk about their reading with teachers and peers. By creating an environment outside of school for children to engage in discussions about reading with their parents and family members, we support their development as thoughtful and proficient readers.
The goal of effective reading instruction is empower students with the ability to negotiate reading challenges through use of strategies that help them to understand a variety of texts. In the interest of creating independent readers, in the classroom we teach the strategic actions used by skilled readers, so that when faced with a challenging text our students know how to apply strategies that will help them comprehend, and monitor their understanding. Equally important to teaching the strategies is providing plenty of opportunity to practice their use. Parents often wonder, "What can I do to support my child's reading comprehension at home?" With a short investment of time, you can make an impact on your children's development as independent readers/thinkers and increase their motivation to read through discussions that encourage them to think about how and what they are reading, to formulate new ideas, and to set purposes for reading in real life.
References
Dunston, P. J. (2002). Instructional components for promoting thoughtful literacy learning. In Block, C.C., Gambrell, L.B. &
Pressley, M. (Eds.), Improving comprehension instruction: Rethinking research, theory, and classroom practice (135-151) Newark:
DE: Jossey-Bass.
