Recently, I’ve attended conferences and workshops that support a different way to teach reading comprehension to children; this method moves away from worksheets with comprehension questions and towards more real-world, student-driven instruction and application of the comprehension strategies that all of us use in reading each day.
Based on the book Mosaic of Thought by Ellin Oliver Keene and Susan Zimmermann, the Reader’s Workshop is a relatively new and revoluntionary way to teach reading. I was fortunate enough to see Ellin Keene speak this weekend and I just couldn't wait to share the essence of what I learned with you all!
Rather than depend solely on small reading groups, the Reader's Workshop method blends whole group instruction, small needs-based groups, and individual conferring to guide students through the application of the seven basic comprehension strategies.
What are the thinking strategies that all proficient readers use as they read?
- Determining What is Important - Identifying themes and diminishing focus on less important ideas or pieces of information
- Drawing Inferences - Combining background knowledge and textual information to draw conclusions and interpret facts
- Using Prior Knowledge - Building on previous knowledge and experiences to aid in comprehension of the text
- Asking Questions - Wondering and inquiring about the book before, during, and after reading
- Monitoring Comprehension and Meaning - Using an inner voice to think about if the text makes sense or not
- Creating Mental Images - Implementing the five senses to build images in the mind that enhance the experience of reading
Next time you’re reading, or even as you read this article, notice how much you naturally utilize all or most of these strategies to comprehend the text. Believe it or not, many children may not even know that they are supposed to be thinking as they read! Ask your students if they know to think as they read - you may be shocked by what they tell you!
Last week, I asked a group of my highest third grade readers, 'Did you know that it’s OK not to understand everything you read?" One of them looked at me, surprised, and answered, "It is?!?!" We talked a little bit about how it’s OK and about some of the ways that you can build your understanding when you are confused. I told them that even adult readers, like myself, are confused sometimes when they read. They had no idea. But, I bet it made them feel a little better to know that they don’t have to fake understanding when they read; the best readers question, reread, look for context clues, and more in order to better understand and move through the text.
