[NIFL-4EFF:2048] Re: Reading Comprehension Strategies and EFF

From: j ransone (jransone2@jcplin.org)
Date: Sun Feb 17 2002 - 18:59:13 EST


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From: j ransone <jransone2@jcplin.org>
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Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:2048] Re:  Reading Comprehension Strategies and EFF
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Hi all,

Mary stated she was "looking for information on reading comprehension
strategies taught within the EFF framework."

I'd like to share the most powerful reading comprehension strategy we have
used. It involves metacognition or, in this case, teaching a student to
monitor his own comprehension.  I first learned this from Judith Rance-Roney
of Lehigh University.  She refers to the process as metacomprehension.

Basically it is a "think aloud" with a student where you are the
comprehension monitor.  It goes like this.

1.  Tell the student that you are going to teach him, by modeling, things
that good readers do to be sure they understand what they are reading.

2.  Have the student choose a selection to read for the exercise.

3.  Talk through pre-reading with questions such as: "Why did you select
this piece?"; "What do you think it will be about?"; "Why do you think
that's what it will be about?"; etc.

4.  When you feel the student has accessed his prior knowledge about the
subject, begin reading.  As the student comes to an unfamiliar word make
comments and ask questions like:  "What do you think xyz(insert word)
means?"; "Let's reread the sentence, maybe that will help us understand
xyz.";  "Did that help? Do you think you know what xyz means now?";  "Let's
keep reading, maybe it will make sense later."

5.  Continue reading the selection, pausing to be the comprehension monitor
when you feel the student is unsure or in unfamiliar territory.

As the student becomes comfortable with the process he begins to take over
the responsibilities of the comprehension monitor. Aloud, at first, in order
for you to assess the learning.  The goal is for the comprehension
strategies to become automatic and unconscious for him.

What makes this an EFF friendly activity?  First, the student chooses the
article which will be used as the context for the activity.  Second, when
you look at the components of performance for the Read with Understanding
standard, they can all be addressed during an exercise of this type.  There
is a great article called, "Developing Metacognition" on ERIC.  It is
document number ED327218 and can be found at
www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests.

What metacognition strategies do you use in instruction?  How are they, or
how could they be made, EFF friendly?

Take care,

Jenny

Jenny Ransone
NIFL-4EFF Discussion List Moderator
jransone2@jcplin.org 



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