The primary purpose in reading is to construct meaning.
Comprehension Considerations for Students with disabilities
How can we best construct meaning with struggling readers? BEFORE READING
Build background knowledge and activate prior knowledge-use props to increase engagement!
Preview text to make predictions prior to reading-picture walks.
Clarify unknown vocabulary using word splash or word web.
Model parts of a K-W-L chart (what the students know, want to know, and learned) See Below for example
DURING READING
Set a purpose for reading
Clarify predictions made before reading-Was I right?
Think Aloud-Use “thinking bubbles” or “talking bubbles” on sticky notes or on a Popsicle stick to connect to the text, characters or author’s point of view. See example below
Directed Listening and Thinking Activity (DLTA)-Asking questions while reading a text in order to make connections to the text, other texts, or their experiences.
Interactive Read Aloud-Both the reader and the audience interacts with the text. While reading, the teacher asks open ended questions, “why” questions, and encourages visualizing (making pictures in your head).
Draw a picture that relates to the character, setting, problem, solution, etc.
Retell the story to a partner
Use pictures or story sentence strips to place the events in order
Write a summary of the story
Ask critical thinking questions including ‘why” and “how.”
Fix-Up Strategies for students with disabilities
"To be successful learners, students need a variety of ways to fix-up their comprehension breakdowns and to monitor their understanding." (Brozo & Simpson, 2007, p. 302) 1. Reread any parts of the text that are confusing. 2. Make pictures in your mind about the text. 3. Look back in the text 4. Refer to visual aids such as pictures, maps or graphs 5. Make connection to text and world
References: •Brozo, W. G., & Simpson, M. L. (2007). Content literacy for today’s adolescents: Honoring diversity and building competence.Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall. Serravallo, J. (2015). Reading strategies book: your everything guide to developing skilled readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heineman. Morris, D. (2014). Diagnosis and correction of reading problems, second edition. New York, NY: Guiliford press. Hoyt, L. (2007). Interactive read-alouds: Linking standards, fluency, and comprehension. Portsmouth, NH: First Hand Heinemann.
Hoyt, L. (2007). Interactive read-alouds: Linking standards, fluency, and comprehension. Portsmouth, NH: First Hand Heinemann. Hoyt, L. (2007). Interactive read-alouds: Linking standards, fluency, and comprehension. Portsmouth, NH: First Hand Heinemann.
There are many reference books to be used in the classroom. The ones I listed here are a few of my go to books. They are filled with research based strategies that work.
Comprehension Connections Bridges to Strategic Reading--Tanny McGregor
Teaching for Comprehension and Fluency--Fountas and Pinnell