March 2008 Calendar

Research

How many of your students are unaware that they have a comprehension problem? Do they have difficulty understanding math story problems, reading charts and graphs, or following written instructions?

#1

... Sometimes discussion reveals their (the students) misunderstandings about a text or their lack of background knowledge in the subject matter. You can tell they are sometimes not aware that they aren't "getting it," or if they are aware at some level, that they don't know what's causing the problem. Your (the teacher) job is to figure out how to address the underlying causes of the comprehension breakdown.

Applying Research in Reading Instruction for Adults: First Steps for Teachers (McShane, 2005, p.73)

#2

Trend 11

ABE adults' knowledge about reading, or their meta-comprehnsion, is more like that of children who are beginning readers. They are less aware than good readers are of strategies that can be used to monitor comprehension, view reading as decoding as opposed to comprehending text, and are less aware of the general structure of paragraphs and stories. They are aware of the influence of motivation, interest, and prior knowledge on reading. (Gambrel & Heathington, 1981)

Research-Based Principles for Adult Basic Education Reading Instruction (Krudenier, 2002, p.80)

#3

... adults often can understand materials that they cannot read. Using taped readings or reading to learners allows them to work with more difficult, adult-interest texts occasionally, instead of being limited to material they can read independently, much of which may be too simple to require the more advanced comprehension strategies. They can practice the thinking skills ...

Applying Research in Reading Instruction for Adults: First Steps for Teachers (McShane, 2005, p.78)

What are you doing to make your students aware of comprehension strategies? Share some of these ideas with MT LINCS.