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9 Comprehension Strategies Good Readers Use
Activate Prior Knowledge
The learner brings a unique set of experiences and knowledge to reading (schemata).
Determining Important Ideas
Readers identify key ideas or themes as they read.
They distinguish important and unimportant information based on their purpose for reading.
Connections
Readers can make three types of connections:
Text-to-self – relating the text to something personal
Text-to-text – relating the text to another book
Text-to-world – relating text to events going on in world
Drawing Inferences During and After Reading Readers make assumptions based on clues from the text and their own prior knowledge. They “read between the lines” to draw conclusions.
Visualizing
Readers can create pictures or images in their minds based on the text.
Repairing Understanding
Readers used strategies to “fix-up” confusion while they read. Examples: rereading, using context clues, summarize.
Asking Questions
Readers ask questions to clear up confusion, to make predictions, and to wonder about the author’s purpose.
Synthesizing Information
Readers combine new information with what they already know to form a new idea about the text. Readers set aside irrelevant and repetitive information in order to change their thinking about part of the text.
Predicting Readers make an educated guess about what will happen next based on clues from the text and recognize misconceptions.
Strategies to Use Before, During and After Reading
Before Reading
During Reading
After Reading
Questioning (teacher and/or students) and discussing using prior knowledge, textual clues (title, heading, summary)
Teacher-Directed
Questioning/predicting
Role-taking
Playing doubting/ believing
Discussions, retelling (from different points of view), responding to any before
Brainstorming
Using textual clues
Using topic of article
Using key words or concepts
Using an analogy or problem
Students Independently
Make personal connections
Use prior knowledge
Predict/support
/adjust/confirm
Identify confusing parts
Visualize
Self-Monitor for Understanding
Marking or glossing text
Summarize
Synthesize
Taking notes
Writing questions
Partner reading
Keeping a reading journal
Enactments
Debate, panel discussion, dramatization, simulation, role-play
Extended Brainstorming +
Categorizing + Mapping using material from text, topic, key words
Oral Presentation
Demonstrations, talks
Writing
Nonstop; focused or generalized Note making, writing or answer questions, mapping or revising map
Previously made literacy or informational text
Making up test
Previewing the Text
Examining clues to overall setting purposes
Questions
Selecting appropriate reading strategies
Teacher/Student reading aloud
Writing
Non-stop; focused or generalized
Jotting or note making/Questions
Pretests or questionnaire
Reading
Related material
Rereading text from different perspectives
Enacting
Role-play, improvisation, dramatization, debate, etc.
Constructing
Sketching
Drawing
Constructing
Sketching, drawing, building, viewing film, video, etc., on topic reading while writing.
Viewing
Slides, filmstrips, video, film, etc., related to text