Comprehension

The book states that in order to think while you read, you must:

1. Be able to quickly identify almost all the words
2. Have sufficient background knowledge that you can connect to the new information
3. Be familiar with the type of text and be able to see how the author has organized the ideas
4. Have a mindset that reading is thinking and know how to apply your thinking in comprehension strategies

Making story maps, making graphic organizers, making KWLs, participating in think-aloud's, and participating in literate conversations are great ways to practice comprehension strategies!

With all this in mind I found a great acronym for comprehension strategies!

The acronym "RISE" uses Retelling, Inferring, Synthesizing, and Envisioning/Connecting to make up the comprehension strategies being used. This is a great exercise to follow along with after reading text. Talking about the story is more effective for students than answering simple questions about the story. This makes students think, comprehend, and communicate about the text.

This is a slightly different, and more visual version of the last activity. This activity expands on the connections part of RISE. Making connections and communicating those connections to peers is a great way to enhance comprehension for students. Discussion groups would be a great vessel for this activity.

What other ways can you incorporate comprehension into your classroom?