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From: "Michelle Black" <michelleb@simplyread.org>
To: <nifl-health@nifl.gov>
Subject: RE: [NIFL-HEALTH:3012] reading comprehension
Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2001 10:18:28 -0400
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Greetings, Jill -- and thank you! You are generous with knowledge that
you've doubtless worked hard to gain.
I could not find an e-mail address in the message excerpted below. Should
one of us want to contact you, how can we get in touch?
Thanks,
Michelle
_______________
Michelle Black
Simply Read
Writing Service
84 Lund Street
Richmond Hill, Ontario L4C 5V9
(906) 770-5678
(416) 889-READ
www.simplyread.org
-----Original Message-----
From: nifl-health@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-health@nifl.gov]On Behalf Of
Jill Dehlin
Sent: Thursday, April 12, 2001 8:13 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-HEALTH:3012] reading comprehension
This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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I have heard from several of you on the listserv who are interested in =
learning more about reading comprehension. Since this literature review =
of mine is still in the works, (and I, myself have a short attention =
span when reading email) I will give it to you in small doses. If it is =
TMI (too much information) please let me know, and feel free to email me =
personally with additional questions or suggestions. =20
I am an RN working on a PhD in educational psychology. I chose to study =
reading comprehension this semester to discover better ways to develop =
health education materials, both written and computer-aided or =
non-linear materials. My goal was to become more familiar with textual =
(text-based) and reader variables that can hinder or help reading =
comprehension of expository text in general and health materials in =
particular. I began this process thinking I could build a better =
mousetrap, when now it seems that I need to help the mouse relate to the =
trap in a more meaningful way!
The literature I reviewed was primarily from the ERIC database, so I =
read this information with my "educational psychologist" hat on, and not =
my nurse's cap.
Here is an overview of what I have found so far. I will add more as I =
re-read and make progress in my final paper.
=20
My rationale for choosing the readings was to answer these questions: =20
What are important factors related to text comprehension?
How do learners relate to text?
What is needed to improve comprehension?
=20
This is what I am finding:
Learner variables are very important to reading comprehension, as are =
textual variables. =20
They key seems to be in finding a good match between the learner and =
text (Not an easy task). =20
=20
*Learner variables* include the following: background knowledge (or =
prior knowledge), reading ability, use of strategies while reading, and =
interest and motivation to read the material.=20
*Textual variables* include such things as font size and style, white =
space, amount of words on the page, bullets, numbering key points, and =
the like; but also includes cohesiveness of the text, content density, =
readability, use of jargon or other terminology, and placement of key =
ideas within the paragraph (local coherence) or with the entire text =
(global coherence). Proper use of these variables help make the text =
more *considerate* to the reader by providing coherence and structural =
cues that act as guideposts when reading.
Thus, reading comprehension is hampered if the reader fails to bring =
adequate knowledge to the text, AND, if textual features impede the =
reader's ability to make connections between new and given information =
(accessed from the learner's prior knowledge).
I believe that the readers on the listserv are primarily interested in =
textual variables, so that is what I will focus on in my next =
installment.
Jill Dehlin, RN
Doctoral Student=20
Educational Psychology
Michigan State University
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>I have heard from several of you on the listserv =
who are=20
interested in learning more about reading comprehension. Since =
this=20
literature review of mine is still in the works, (and I, myself have a =
short=20
attention span when reading email) I will give it to you in small =
doses. =20
If it is TMI (too much information) please let me know, and feel free to =
email=20
me personally with additional questions or suggestions. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>I am an RN working on a PhD in educational=20
psychology. I chose to study reading comprehension this semester to =
discover=20
better ways to develop health education materials, both written and=20
computer-aided or non-linear materials. My goal was to become more =
familiar with textual (text-based) and reader variables that can hinder =
or help=20
reading comprehension of expository text in general and health materials =
in=20
particular. I began this process thinking I could build a better=20
mousetrap, when now it seems that I need to help the mouse relate to the =
trap in=20
a more meaningful way!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>The literature I reviewed was primarily from the =
ERIC=20
database, so I read this information with my "educational psychologist" =
hat on,=20
and not my nurse's cap.
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Here is an overview of what I have found so =
far. I=20
will add more as I re-read and make progress in my final=20
paper.</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>My rationale for choosing the readings was to =
answer these=20
questions: </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial> What are important factors =
related to=20
text comprehension?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial> How do learners relate to=20
text?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial> What is needed to improve=20
comprehension?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>This is what I am finding:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Learner variables are very important to reading=20
comprehension, as are textual variables. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>They key seems to be in finding a good match =
between the=20
learner and text (Not an easy task). </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>*Learner variables* include the following: =
background=20
knowledge (or prior knowledge), reading ability, use of strategies while =
reading, and interest and motivation to read the material. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>*Textual variables* include such things as font =
size and=20
style, white space, amount of words on the page, bullets, numbering key =
points,=20
and the like; but also includes cohesiveness of the text, content =
density,=20
readability, use of jargon or other terminology, and placement of key =
ideas=20
within the paragraph (local coherence) or with the entire text (global=20
coherence). Proper use of these variables help make the text more=20
*considerate* to the reader by providing coherence and structural cues =
that act=20
as guideposts when reading.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Thus, reading comprehension is hampered if the =
reader=20
fails to bring adequate knowledge to the text, AND, if textual features =
impede=20
the reader's ability to make connections between new and given =
information=20
(accessed from the learner's prior knowledge).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>I believe that the readers on the listserv are =
primarily=20
interested in textual variables, so that is what I will focus on in my =
next=20
installment.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Jill Dehlin, RN</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Doctoral Student </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Educational Psychology</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Michigan State University</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></BODY></HTML>
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