English Language Arts and Reading.4.6.D

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The student is expected to

create mental images to deepen understanding;

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.

During a read aloud, ask students to share what they pictured while listening to a particular section of the text. Expand upon student responses about visual images by asking questions about their mental images.

Possible Questions:

  • What do you imagine it sounds like?
  • What do you imagine it smells like?
  • What did the scene look like to you?
     

Further Explanation

When students create their own mental images while reading, they need to stop, think about, and visualize content to develop their comprehension. Being able to create accurate mental images is a strong indicator that students understand what they are reading.

When students create mental images, they should picture in their minds what they hear or read in a text. Being able to produce accurate mental images is a strong indicator that students understand what they are reading. Students create mental images by using the details related to the senses (i.e., how something sounds, feels, tastes, looks, and/or smells) to visualize what is being described.

Research

Barbe-Clevett, T., Hanley, N., & Sullivan, P. (2002). Improving reading comprehension through metacognitive reflection. (Master theses, 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 sequence. Post-intervention data shows an increased in reading skills along with an increased emotional involvement in reading.