Reading Strategies for Reading Comprehension

[pjdobro]

I have a question for all of you who are reading specialists. I am wondering if it is necessary to teach reading strategies for reading comprehension to our dc? Is good reading comprehension something that one automatically attains overtime or does it need to be taught? If so, how should it be taught? I know reading the emerging readers and doing the follow-up questions was excellent for advancing my dc's reading comprehension. We've been doing DITHR this year and I feel their reading level has advanced and so has their ability to think deeply about the answers. It seems to me they can analyze what they are reading and come up with really good thoughts on the books that they weren't able to at the beginning of the year. For example, at the beginning of the year when answering some of the questions in the workbook, I would get the "I don't know" answer from them and now I am getting really well thought out answers. So I know they are increasing in their ability to think more deeply about what they've read. However, we've just done our annual testing and though my dc are both still far above grade level in reading comprehension, neither of them advanced in their reading comprehension in the past year. The tester suggested some other reading strategy guide and I'm wondering, is is necessary? The type of reading that is done on the test is different than what we do on a daily basis. On the test, they read a small passage and then have to fill in a blank with an appropriate word. Here is an example. I'm sure this isnt' word for word, but it is close.

I am ___________. I am standing in front of my friend and he can't see me.

My ds, who is quite a literal and logical thinker, answered "blind" in the following instance. That didn't surprise me too much that he said blind instead of invisible just because invisibility isn't real and he would automatically go for the logical answer. So I'm thinking his brain just turned the second part around and read it that "my friend can't see me" instead of how it is actually written. When I asked him the question orally. He answered invisible. So I know he isn't fully reading the question or fully getting the meaning of the question. I'm not for sure of any that my dd might have missed, but I do know that she didn't do any better this year than last. I don't want to get in the mentality that I have to teach something just because it is on the test, yet I don't want to be missing a key element in reading instruction either. So I am torn as to what to do. Any thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated.

[my3sons]

Patty - I'm glad your dc scored above average in their reading comprehension on their standardized testing. One thing to keep in mind is standardized testing includes more difficult levels of reading each year, so in that sense, your dc's scores really did go "up" because they didn't go "down". Dc often grow in skills in spurts. Some years there is much growth, and others there is not as much. You have seen improvements in their reading this year already by the answers they are giving, and they've only done 1 year of DITHOR. Each subsequent year of doing DITHOR along with all of the rest of the LA plans in the HOD guides will continue to move dc along academically. There is no need to add anything when your dc are already doing so well and scoring above average on their reading within standardized testing. However, if you would like to add something, one of the most research-based way of improving reading comprehension is to listen to books on tape while following along in the book. You can easily add 15 minutes of listening to a book on tape each day, choosing books that are several levels above their reading aloud ability. This will increase their vocabulary, as well as their comprehension. We have found this to be true for our dc. Here is a past thread that may be helpful:
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=5249&p=38480

HTH!
In Christ,
Julie

[raceNzanesmom]

I agree with Julie. If your dc score the same each year- say a 93%- they are improving each year because the test increases in difficulty and they are maintaining the 93. When my oldest was in ps no one ever expected his score to go up (even when it did), and even a slight decrease was considered fine since the skill level was increasing. If your children are scoring in the above average range I wouldn't worry at.all and wouldn't be adding more. They're doing great! WTG mom and kids!

And, ftr, I thought blind too.

[pjdobro]

Thank you both so much for the input. In our case making no progress really is not making any progress. We use the Woodcock Johnson III Achievement test. Unlike other tests, everyone takes the same test and it's the level that you get to before you can't answer correctly that determines your level. So scoring the same is actually scoring the same level and my ds actually had a raw score a little less than last year. However, he still did score at a 4.3 grade level equivalent and we're just finishing 3rd and dd scored up in the 7th grade level again so that is way above grade level. I really think the emerging readers gave them such a boost and that is why they scored so high last year. It's nice to hear that is normal for things like this to go in spurts. Perhaps it will just take a little more time. I'll try the books on tape. We have a couple already that we can try. I'm also going to pay closer attention to their reading and make sure they read to me often, even over the summer, especially ds. I wish Carrie had another level of emerging readers we could do. I loved the comprehension questions and having them all laid out for me.

Angie, thanks for telling me that you thought "blind" to start with as the answer as well. That makes me feel better.

[raceNzanesmom]

Angie, thanks for telling me that you thought "blind" to start with as the answer as well. That makes me feel better.

My smart senior said invisible. Guess you have to read what's there.

Keep doing what you're doing! They're doing fine.