Comprehension: Gill and Pardo Articles
I learned so much reading Gill and Pardo's Articles on reading comprehension. Gill stated that many teachers find comprehension a mystery and often focus more on understanding rather than comprehending. Students reported that they comprehended poorly when the text was assigned by teachers, knew little about the topic, the page was dense with few paragraph breaks or illustrations. Readers reported to comprehend well when they had interest in the topic, there was a purpose to read, and they were undistracted by worries, chores, and noise. All of these answers are things that teachers should keep in mind when planning to teach reading comprehension.
The three major factors said to affect comprehension are text, reader, and the situation. Gill's articles described pre-reading, during reading, and post-reading activities. Now looking back on my grade school years I can remember my teacher doing these activities and it really did help me to comprehend the text and connect it to old information. A pre-reading activity might be to ask questions regarding the topic or have the students create a graphic organizer. A during reading activity could be to have the students make predictions as they read. A post-reading activity might be to a create a timeline, map, or newscast concerning the story or topic. Pardo stated that every teacher should know that comprehension is a transaction between the reader and the text and from this transaction meaning emerges. Thinking back to your grade school years, what are some ways that your teacher taught reading comprehension?
I'm so glad you included that students struggle with comprehension when teachers assign books-- such a relevant argument for student choice!
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