Reading Comprehension Strategies

Due to the fast technology, social media age; our students have so much information at their fingertips. I have found that many students lack the ability to deeply think for themselves. They are ill prepared for the harsh tides of careers and college coursework. Technology offers many great things. However, one of the downsides is that many students do not see the benefits of reading. Therefore, many see reading as a "boring" task. Reading comprehension is a learned skill. It requires practice and the ability to delve into material with a critical thinking mindset. As Social Science teachers, we must encourage them to read. Not fast reading just to memorize an answer for a test. But slow, digestive, deliberately active reading. We can create an atmosphere where reading is infused with fun activities that unleash their ability to collaborate with peers, visualize and create works that connect readings to class content with real life. Please watch the student created video above and then scroll down to find 5 activities that will engage students and improve their reading comprehension and perhaps encourage them to engage in self-regulated active reading outside of the school setting.

In addition to these 5 strategies, one may use the tools that are under the vocabulary knowledge section as well. As those can be adjusted to a reading comprehension applicable format.



#1 Two Column Note taking/T-chart:

Two column note taking/T-chart requires active reading. Students must reflect, digest and evaluate what they have read in order to capture main ideas and relevant details. This concept may also be utilize for key vocabulary knowledge within the context of the reading content. I have found it to be extremely helpful to do two column note taking with both main ideas/details and vocabulary in conjunction with one another; but on separate sheets of paper. Many students in your classroom may not have previous experience with this application. Thus, I strongly suggest that you model the concept first, giving direct instruction for your students. Ask the students to fold their paper in half or draw a line splitting the paper in half vertically. Next, model for students how they will set up their paper; separate main ideas from details. This gives them an increased grasp of the material. Landmark Education has great two column chart examples. In a pdf link they give a great two column chart guiding you as to what the role of the teacher vs. student is during this practicum. Please visit their site and check it out for yourself.

http://www.landmarkoutreach.org/publications/spotlight/two-column-method-note-taking

 
#2 Venn Diagram:

  In the middle and high school grades, Common Core calls for the ability to critically think and be able to compare and contrast two or more readings. For example, in U.S. History when covering the topic of the civil war this can come in handy. You can assign accounts/narrative selections from the view point of the north and the south. Have students digest both articles and assign a compare and contrast assignment utilizing the Venn Diagram. Students will then grasp a better understanding of the conflict in an unbiased way, due to reading about accounts from each side. You can even go further and add a compare and contrasting analysis of militia/military organization strategy. You can use this with pretty much any conflict from the colonial battles to present day Middle Eastern  conflicts. Many times we require our Social Science students to produce papers with deep analysis on historical events. This diagram can be assigned as a initial step before writing their papers. Reading Rockets offers more insight into this strategy. I encourage you to check out their website: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/seven-strategies-teach-students-text-comprehension

Reading Rockets has a PDF available for easy download and usage. http://www.readingrockets.org/oldmedia/venn.pdf


#3 Story Boards:

Image found on www.picstopin.com

 Story boards are a great way for students to recall events in a chronological order. It is a visual synopsis/ retelling of what they have read. The drawings/images help attach visual connections which increase their understanding, comprehension in a way that allows them to recall the material they learned in a personal way.  If your classroom has technology access, a good free site to have students create their story is: https://www.storyboardthat.com

If technology is not present you can handout story board templates like one shown below.

 In addition, you can go one step further and make the story board into a collaborative media project. Have students recreate what they have learned as a group. Have them use the storyboard as a draft tool for a short film. Their storyboard becomes the script in which they base their short film on. It is my suggestion, that you require students to turn in their storyboards with their media project. As well, it would be helpful for students to each individually write a quick evaluation on their work. Did they stay close to their initial storyboard, or through the creating process did they change their plans? You can later in a debriefing of this project connect their individual evaluation with historical events themselves. This can be a short discussion on how sometimes in history, a society has one plan but through time that plan changes. You can have students discuss what historical event "plans" changed in the midst of the event. This encourages deep thinking and real life connections in terms of how sometimes we plan for one thing, but something changes and the plans shift.

#4 Debate Activity

In Social Science classrooms, I find that having an impromptu debate creates a great opportunity to relay information and exchange ideas on what they have read/learned. In fact, each side of the debate can prepare their points using the Venn Diagram as shown on comprehension strategy #2. A great idea for an impromptu debate is to the night before, assign students to read two articles that are on two opposite sides of an issue. Have one half of the class read two articles of one type and the other half read two articles of another type. All four articles should be relevant to the same current event or historical issue. Or perhaps pick articles relating to current U.S. policies, stances in foreign relations etc.  This can be in the context of a current event or something from history. Ask the students to have use a graphic organizer of their choice, or a simple list of details from each article. These details must include; synopsis of the article/abstract, similarities and differences between the two selections.

Ask students who read Article A&B to stand on one side of the room and have students who read articles C&D stand on the other side. Then, randomly number each group off 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2 etc. The 1's are pro and the 2's are con. There will be two debates during the class time. The other article group will listen and take notes evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of both arguments.
 

This is a great, hands on activity that really requires active reading and bolsters comprehension skills at the highest level. It as well teaches the students to be able to look at both sides of an argument from a rational space. It allows them to exercise effective defense of ideals without including personal attacks. I would suggest that you for connection purposes example from your own life wherein the ability to confidently state ideas, backed with factual evidence, communicated in a calm, confident fashion. Prior to the debate, it may be helpful to show a video courteous debate and make rules of the debate very clear. Here is an example of a video that could be helpful.

#5 Story Mapping:
Common Core directly correlates ELA with Social Science standards. Story mapping is a Language Articles tool that calls for students to pick apart a story in order to extract key elements, chronology and meaning. The Story Mapping chart approach is a great tool.

This chart can be utilized in Social Science in many ways. If you have an assigned novel that correlates to your history curriculum this can be utilized as an assignment s a means to check for understanding and depth of your students reading comprehension. You can as well modify this chart to be utilized for a specific historical conflict covered by your districts chosen textbook. All that would be needed is some minor modifications to the chart labeling. Remove the "Authors Theme" and in it's place insert "Historical Conflict." Replace "Major Characters" with "Key players in the conflict."

In conjunction with the Story Mapping tool, I find it useful for students to as well create an art piece/drawing depicting their interpretation of the event. This can be drawn by hand or be created on their computers and printed out. Then, it is a great idea to couple students of into a pair-share activity wherein they share their worksheet and their drawing. This allows for a deeper connection with the material.