comprehension TEKS talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Comprehension skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student uses metacognitive skills to both develop and deepen comprehension of increasingly complex texts.

Introduce students to a text they will be reading. Based on the text illustrations, vocabulary, title, subtitles, and photos, students should generate questions that will help them understand the text. These questions can be generated based on the students’ schema, knowledge about the author, and knowledge of other texts they have read.

As students read, stop at various check points and ask students to generate new questions. The questions may include What will the character do nextWhy did the character do ___? Encourage students to answer some of their previous questions. After reading, have students note which questions were not answered in the text as well as new questions they have.

Note:
If students have unanswered questions, consider sharing those questions during a whole class discussion.
 

Further Explanation

This assessment measures students’ ability to generate and communicate specific questions as they read. The sophistication of the questions students generate will provide an indication of their level of understanding and the quality of their interactions with the text. The goal is for students to think beyond the text and use strategies they have learned to gain information and deepen understanding. When students consider questions before, during, and after reading, they will likely pay more attention to the details in the story.

When students ask questions about a text before, during, and after reading, they are thinking beyond the text and applying what they know to what they read. For example, before readers begin a a book, they may look at the cover or the pictures and ask, "Why does this character look sad?" This type of question helps students comprehend character feelings as they read.
having knowledge about a subject, word, or task

Research

1. Larson, L. C. (2010). Digital readers: the next chapter in e-book reading and response. The Reading Teacher, 64(1), 15+. Retrieved from https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A237732988/PROF?u=tea&sid=PROF&xid=fe8547d6

Summary: This is a classroom study, with the results focused upon two second grade students' response to an ebook recommended for grades 2–4. The study examined five categories of response, including understanding based upon retelling, character identification, questioning, answering, and response to the text. The study considers the benefits of reading a digital text over standard texts, considers implications for the classroom, and guidance to teachers in the use of digital texts.

2. Barbe-Clevett, T.,  Hanley, N., & Sullivan, P. (2002). Improving reading comprehension through metacognitive reflection. (Master these,.Saint Xavier University).
Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED471067

Summary: This research reports on a plan for increasing 6th grade students' reflection and comprehension skills. The reflective process was developed through four interrelated activities taught in a specific, scaffolded sequence. Post-intervention data shows an increased in reading skills along with an increased emotional involvement in reading.

3. Daniels, E., & Steres, M. (2011). Examining the effects of a school-wide reading culture on the engagement of middle school students. Research in Middle Level Education, 35(2), 1–13. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ951779.pdf

Summary: In this study, middle school educational leadership identifies reading as a priority. Students were given choice over what they read and time to read on their own. Student engagement increased because reading was a school priority, but creating time and space to read was meaningless for students who didn't have easy access to books at home. In response, teachers amassed books and created a reading network for students. The results were increased student engagement and the belief, among students, that reading mattered.