WEBVTT

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[Music] Welcome to the overview on
Improving K-3 Reading Comprehension.

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"Strong reading comprehension skills
are central not only to academic

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and professional success, but also to
a productive social and civic life."

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"Although our teachers do a good
job of teaching reading skills,

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many of our students still
are not proficient readers.

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I'm worried. What can we do 
to improve instruction?"

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"My third-grade students have mastered
decoding and are fluent readers,

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yet they struggle with making
sense of what they read.

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What can I do to improve
their comprehension?"

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The 2009 National Assessment of
Educational Progress (NAEP) in reading

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in grades 4 and 8, measured student
reading comprehension across two types

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of text: literary and informational.

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The results are discouraging.

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At both grade levels, only one-third
of our students performed

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at or above the proficient level.

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"Schools need to begin reading
comprehension instruction

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in the early primary grades,
rather than waiting until later."

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Building comprehension starting
in kindergarten is essential.

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Research suggests that students
who read with understanding

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at an early age gain access to a
broader range of texts, knowledge,

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and educational opportunities.

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Reading comprehension involves
simultaneously extracting

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and constructing meaning through
interaction with written language.

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Extracting meaning refers to
understanding what an author has stated.

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Constructing meaning refers to
interpreting what an author has said

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by bringing one's background knowledge
to bear on what is being read.

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Reading instruction should provide
young readers with the tools they need

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to understand increasingly
sophisticated texts in all subjects

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from elementary through
the later grades.

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A panel of experts has developed a
Practice Guide offering five important

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research-based recommendations
for improving comprehension:

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1. Teach students how to use
comprehension strategies.

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2. Teach students to identify and use
text structure to understand content.

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3. Guide students through
discussions on the meaning of text.

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4. Select texts purposefully
to support comprehension.

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5. Establish an engaging and motivating
context to teach reading comprehension.

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Based on the guide, Doing What
Works has identified three practices

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to support comprehension instruction in
the primary grades that incorporate

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all of the panel's recommendations.

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Let's take a closer look
at these practices

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and how they can all improve
reading instruction in grades K-3.

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Keep in mind that some of
the practices will need

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to be adapted for the earliest grades.

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First, teach comprehension strategies
using carefully selected texts.

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Good readers use many forms of thinking
and analyzing text as they read.

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The panel identified six strategies
that improved reading comprehension.

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Students should learn how to use
these strategies independently.

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Strategies can be taught one
by one or in combination.

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Because single- and multiple-strategy
approaches both have been found

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to improve comprehension, teachers
can choose the approach they are most

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comfortable with in the classroom.

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Strategies should be taught through
a gradual release of responsibility.

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Teachers should first explain and
model how to use the strategy,

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and then give students increasing
independence in practicing

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and applying the strategy over time.

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Students need early exposure
to different types of text.

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Teachers should introduce students
to multiple genres and select text

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that is rich in depth of
ideas and information,

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has a level of difficulty commensurate
with the students' word- reading

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and comprehension skills, and
supports the purpose of the lesson.

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Next, focus on text structure.

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Help students identify and use a
text's organizational structure

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to support comprehension.

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Typically, instruction in the early
grades is based on narrative text.

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However, it is also important to expose
young students to informational text.

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With narrative texts, teachers
should explain how to identify

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and connect parts of these texts.

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Class discussions should include
questions about the key elements

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of a story, such as setting, characters,
plot, problem, and resolution.

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Using tools such as story maps and
graphic organizers is a good way

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to help students identify and
remember the elements of a structure.

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When teaching students about the
structure of informational texts,

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teachers should start with
familiar ideas or topics,

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and use texts that provide clear,

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easy-to-recognize examples
of the structure.

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Graphic organizers are also used

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to help students organize
expository text information.

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Common tools include Venn, sequencing,
and cause-and-effect diagrams.

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The third practice focuses on
establishing a motivating environment

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to engage students in
reading and text discussion.

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There are many ways teachers
can engage students.

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For example: modeling how reading
helps us learn about the world;

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providing frequent praise when
students complete challenging tasks

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or acquire new skills; giving
students reading choices;

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displaying student work; planning
collaborative learning activities.

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In addition, guiding
students in focused,

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high-quality text discussions helps
them develop a deeper understanding

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of what they read.

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Even students in kindergarten
are capable of having this kind

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of a discussion if they have
appropriate guidance from their teacher.

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Text discussions are most effective
when teachers: - Provide a structure

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that complements the text, instructional
purpose, and readers' abilities

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and grade levels; - Develop questions
that require students to think deeply

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about the text; - Ask
follow-up questions to encourage

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and facilitate conversation;

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- Guide students toward leading
their own small-group discussions.

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The materials on this website
will help you learn more

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about the three recommended
Reading Comprehension practices.

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Here's a preview of what
you'll find on this site.

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Learn more about the practices: Read
summaries of key research studies

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and listen to interviews with experts
talking about reading comprehension

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and its impact on students'
later achievement.

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See how other schools have implemented
the practices: View site videos

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and slideshows, listen to staff
interviews, and review sample materials.

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Do the practices: Use
tools to help you reflect

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on your school's reading
comprehension instruction,

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support classroom teachers,
and improve practice.

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Use the information on the Doing
What Works website to discover new

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and proven ideas for improving
reading comprehension instruction

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for all of your students.

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[Music]