Comprehension

  • MS Department of Education: Literacy Focus of the Month – December (Elementary) Comprehension
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EaZjFyffW8
    Close Reading: In this video, the teacher models the steps of a Close Read. This strategy allows students to critically analyze a text that focuses on significant details or patterns to develop a deep, precise understanding of the text’s form, craft, meanings, etc. This and other strategies that support comprehension can be found in the December section of the MDE Literacy Focus of the Month Manual.
  • Content Area Teaching and Learning (Reading Rockets)
    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLxDwKxHx1yJwLLnuIKjZUvJzl8WO-aUL
    This is a series of 39 videos which model some comprehension strategies such as the jigsaw, Think-Pair-Share, and many more. Elementary school teachers are incredibly versatile people. In one school day, a teacher will teach reading, math, science and social studies. Content area lessons require specific techniques and knowledge that help students navigate different types of texts.
  • Anita Archer’s Enhanced Read Aloud
    http://explicitinstruction.org/video-elementary/elementary-video-3/
    Dr. Anita Archer models how embedded vocabulary and comprehension strategies, such as background knowledge and predictions, can be used to enhance a class’ “read aloud” time.
  • Modelling Retell: Dr. Anita Archer
    http://explicitinstruction.org/video-elementary/elementary-video-8/
    Dr. Anita Archer models how to model and practice retelling strategies with first grade students.
  • Summary Writing Using a Frame: Dr. Anita Archer
    http://explicitinstruction.org/video-elementary/elementary-video-6/
    Dr. Anita Archer models how to use a story frame to help first grade students to summarize a story.
  • Cause and Effect: Dr. Anita Archer
    http://explicitinstruction.org/video-elementary/elementary-video-9/
    Dr. Anita Archer models how to use the Think, Pair, Share strategy with third graders to find the cause and effects in a story.
  • Choosing Complex Text (Read, Write, Think)
    http://www.readwritethink.org/videos/choosing-complex-text/video-46.html
    Jennifer Neff shows you the steps she uses to choose a complex text for her first-grade classroom. The first of three companion videos which model the process of setting up and conducting close reading activities.
  • Creating a Close Reading (Read, Write, Think)
    http://www.readwritethink.org/videos/creating-close-reading/video-41.html
    Jennifer Neff models how to create close readings in a primary grade classroom by using Julius, the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes. The second of three companion videos which model the process of setting up and conducting close reading activities.
  • Close Reading with Emerging Readers
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdX2HsDhSE
    Teacher Sharon Alvarado uses Close Reading in her first and second grade combo classroom as a way to gain a deeper understanding of informational text with emerging/beginning readers.
  • Text Dependent Questions (Read, Write, Think)
    http://www.readwritethink.org/videos/text-dependent-questions/video-47.html
    Jennifer Neff models how she uses text dependent questions after a close reading in her primary classroom. The third of three companion videos which model the process of setting up and conducting close reading activities.
  • Primary Literacy Block
    https://mpb.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/cheatl.plr.multiage/primary-literacy-block/
    In this video, teacher Kim Slusher provides insight and advice on teaching in a multi-age primary classroom (Grades 1-3). The literacy block featured is focused around identifying themes in books. The same group of primary students were videotaped at the beginning and end of the school year. In addition to seeing how the lessons progress, the teacher provides insight on teaching students with a wide range of ages and abilities.
  • Engaging Nonfiction Readers (Reading Rockets)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Yi5UfDeY1k
    In Salt Lake City, teacher Margaret Barnes uses a framework called CORI (Concept Oriented Reading Instruction) to teach reading comprehension skills to second and third graders.
  • Students Take Charge: Reciprocal Teaching (Reading Rockets)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My68SDGeTHI
    A Seattle school uses a technique called Reciprocal Teaching that’s designed to improve reading comprehension.
  • Get the Gist – Comprehension Strategy
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNXqMykTbCY
    Demonstration of the Get the Gist comprehension strategy.
    Key concepts:

    1. Using Get the Gist enables students to sort through all of the details in a piece of text, to find the main idea.
    2. When using this strategy, you are creating a gist statement for a piece of text.
    3. A gist statement must include the most important who or what and the most important thing about the who or what.
    4. A gist statement must have 10 words or less.
  • Before, During and After Questions: Promoting Reading Comprehension and Critical Thinking
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd1FlXxpVIw
    Students ask questions pertaining to a text before, during and after reading to build comprehension.
  • Question Chart: Improving Reading Comprehension through Questioning
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psakxRT9hdA
    Students generate and answer questions as they read a story to facilitate deep thinking and comprehension.
  • Sentence Starters: Making Text-to-Self Connections
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDgiZ79KKK0
    Students build essential skills in reading comprehension by using sentence starters to help them make text-to-self connections to books they are reading.
  • Visualize It!: Improving Comprehension through Visualizing Comparisons
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZNfHwEFJlw
    As a comprehension strategy, visualizing helps students understand the true size of new objects by comparing them to familiar objects.