Tackling Texts (and Tests) Across the Curriculum
Informational texts allow students to learn about the world while they learn to read. Students are able to "dive into" real world topics of their interest.
Read, Cover, Remember, Retell
Rereading is an important part of reading informational texts. Good readers reread for many purposes: to entertain, to understand, to think more deeply, and to make sense. Rereading can be used in a plethora of ways.
A good strategy to enhance understanding and support summarizing is Read, Cover, Remember, Retell: Students read a short section, cover it, think about it, and share with a partner. Then go back and reread to do it a second time.
Rereading is an important part of reading informational texts. Good readers reread for many purposes: to entertain, to understand, to think more deeply, and to make sense. Rereading can be used in a plethora of ways.
A good strategy to enhance understanding and support summarizing is Read, Cover, Remember, Retell: Students read a short section, cover it, think about it, and share with a partner. Then go back and reread to do it a second time.
A Recipe for Success: Comprehension Strategies Across the Curriculum
Comprehension needs to be taught all day long. These critical comprehension strategies should be applied across the curriculum:
Comprehension needs to be taught all day long. These critical comprehension strategies should be applied across the curriculum:
- Establish a classroom climate of inquiry
- Fill the classroom with books, books, and more books (include lots of nonfiction at all levels)
- Read aloud from nonfiction
- Time (to read informational texts)
- Conversation (around nonfiction topics and strategies)
- Assessment (build into every lesson)
- Provide visible supports for learning.
Informational texts can give students excitement! Learning about the world around them is something that comes naturally to many students, so incorporating that learning into reading is a step in the right direction. Many students are starved for information about the real world. When they are able to use the texts that support their interests, their reading skills
begin to grow and develop.
Science Notebooks
Science notebooks are a powerful tool for expanding content understanding while modeling strategies for reading and writing informational texts. They provide opportunities for teaching students about graphic organizers like tables, charts, diagrams, and graphs, while also improving comprehension skills. Some strategies to model and apply in science notebooks are:
Notebooks can also be used in other content areas like Social Studies or Math.
Science notebooks are a powerful tool for expanding content understanding while modeling strategies for reading and writing informational texts. They provide opportunities for teaching students about graphic organizers like tables, charts, diagrams, and graphs, while also improving comprehension skills. Some strategies to model and apply in science notebooks are:
- Data Entry
- Summarizing
- Developing Questions
- Applying Skills and Observations
- Writing Hypotheses
- Locating Information
- Identifying Main Idea
- Graphic Organizers
Notebooks can also be used in other content areas like Social Studies or Math.
iMovie for Comprehension
iMovie is a computer program that allows a novice to make a movie. It can be used as a way to teach comprehension strategies. (Other programs will work too. Use what you're comfortable with!) It can provide a concrete use of reading comprehension strategies that can inform conversations about comprehension throughout the year. Comprehension strategies that can be taught using iMovie:
Below is a basic iMovie Editing video, if you are unfamiliar with it and would like to give it a try.
iMovie is a computer program that allows a novice to make a movie. It can be used as a way to teach comprehension strategies. (Other programs will work too. Use what you're comfortable with!) It can provide a concrete use of reading comprehension strategies that can inform conversations about comprehension throughout the year. Comprehension strategies that can be taught using iMovie:
- Visualization (what kind of story the clips tell),
- Sequencing (put clips in order),
- Chunks: Clips, Scenes, Paragraphs, Chapters (compare paragraphs to clips and scenes to chapters),
- Point of View and Flashback (how to order the clips if someone else was telling the story).
Below is a basic iMovie Editing video, if you are unfamiliar with it and would like to give it a try.
Paint Pots of Poetry
"When learners think about the meaning of a poem in cooperative groups, they are exposed to multiple views and usually understand with greater depth." -Barbara Coleman (Chapter 36)
Paint Pots of Poetry are another strategy that can increase comprehension and understanding. This time the content area is poetry. Here's how they work: Place paint sticks in a paint can with questions on them. Possible questions for paint sticks: “What is the big idea of this poem?” “How does the speaker feel about the subject of the poem?” You can come up with whatever questions you would like. Students work in cooperative groups to discuss and explore the deeper meanings of poems.
"When learners think about the meaning of a poem in cooperative groups, they are exposed to multiple views and usually understand with greater depth." -Barbara Coleman (Chapter 36)
Paint Pots of Poetry are another strategy that can increase comprehension and understanding. This time the content area is poetry. Here's how they work: Place paint sticks in a paint can with questions on them. Possible questions for paint sticks: “What is the big idea of this poem?” “How does the speaker feel about the subject of the poem?” You can come up with whatever questions you would like. Students work in cooperative groups to discuss and explore the deeper meanings of poems.
Math + Books = A Winning Combination!
Both fiction and nonfiction literature offer a variety of opportunities to explore comprehension of mathematical concepts.Below are some examples of books and math lessons:
Below are links for each of the books on amazon.com. Click on the book cover for a brief description.
Both fiction and nonfiction literature offer a variety of opportunities to explore comprehension of mathematical concepts.Below are some examples of books and math lessons:
- Counting is for the Birds by Frank Mazolla Jr.: Have students create a counting book
- Two of Everything by Lily Toy Hong: Math activity- In/Out Game
- G is for Googol by David M. Schwartz: Math activity-"Alphabet Time" Game (Students come up with words starting with each letter in the alphabet relating to geometry.)
- Measuring Penny by Loreen Leedy: Math activity- Just My Size (Students estimate the length of objects around the room. Groups measure the objects, and discuss.)
- Tiger Math by Ann Whitehead Nagda: Create individual data markers for class graph
- Probability Pistachio by Stuart J. Murphy: Make fair and unfair spinners for the class. Discuss the results after spinning.
Below are links for each of the books on amazon.com. Click on the book cover for a brief description.
Inquiry Curriculum: What is it, and how can it support comprehension?
"An inquiry curriculum takes children's questions as the central concern in classroom life." -Cathy Tower (author of Chapter 38)
Inquiry curriculum doesn't rely solely on a single text (like a science textbook). Students investigate many different texts and engage in many communication systems.
Inquiry Process and Comprehension: Critical Steps
"An inquiry curriculum takes children's questions as the central concern in classroom life." -Cathy Tower (author of Chapter 38)
Inquiry curriculum doesn't rely solely on a single text (like a science textbook). Students investigate many different texts and engage in many communication systems.
Inquiry Process and Comprehension: Critical Steps
-
- Indentify purposes for reading/inquiry
- Build background knowledge
- Engage in critical questioning
- Express learning through multiple communication systems (art, drama, language, dance, music, or math)
- Indentify purposes for reading/inquiry
Comprehending Standardized Tests
This is a topic of concern and relevance for most teachers. Standardized tests are part of what our students have to do, and it's important that they're prepared for them. They need to be able to "comprehend the tests." Some strategies to prepare students for test comprehension are:
This is a topic of concern and relevance for most teachers. Standardized tests are part of what our students have to do, and it's important that they're prepared for them. They need to be able to "comprehend the tests." Some strategies to prepare students for test comprehension are:
- Have students study the genre of “Test.” When students learn to apply strategies to test taking, the content of individual passages becomes less of a hurdle. When students are familiar with tests, beginning at an early age, they become easier. Don’t spend a lot of time on “drill and kill,” rather assist students with skills like “what makes a good test taker,” etc.
- Consider stamina for testing. The average test for reading comprehension in 3rd grade takes 60-70 minutes to complete.
- Read tests with a different purpose, and model the thinking of a good test taker.
- Model the language of tests, and study lots of questions. Help students become familiar with tests, so they become easier to understand.
- Have students write test-style questions, or play Beat the Teacher.
References
L. Hoyt, (2005). Spotlight on comprehension: Building a literacy of thoughtfulness. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann.
(Part 6, Chapters 31-40)
L. Hoyt, (2005). Spotlight on comprehension: Building a literacy of thoughtfulness. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann.
(Part 6, Chapters 31-40)