For part two of our “Tuesday Tidbit” structured literacy series, we’ll discuss powerful reading comprehension strategies for older striving readers.
Effective reading comprehension is essential for academic success, and older striving readers often benefit from targeted strategies to enhance their understanding and engagement with texts. Here are several practical comprehension strategies designed to support older students in becoming more proficient and independent readers.
1. The "Back-Up and Re-Read" Strategy
Sometimes readers reach the end of a page or chapter and realize they’ve missed the essence of the story. To address this, introduce the "Back-Up and Re-Read" strategy. Teach students to recognize when they’ve lost track of the text, encourage them to go back and re-read passages to regain comprehension. Start by modeling this process aloud with a text, showing how backing up and re-reading can clarify confusing sections. During independent reading sessions, remind students to use this technique to stay on track with their comprehension.
2. Summarizing Texts
Summarizing is a crucial skill for verifying understanding. Encourage students to retell the main events of the text to consolidate their comprehension. Begin with a mini-lesson on summarizing, explaining that it involves distilling the most important aspects of the story. Use a model text to demonstrate how to create a summary. Have students write summaries of their books and share them with peers for feedback, focusing on clear, concise retelling of the main points.
3. Using Writing to Reflect on Texts
Writing can be a powerful tool for deepening comprehension. Encourage students to use reading journals for regular reflections on their reading. Provide "Reading Response Stems" to guide their reflections, such as "I wonder…" or "I noticed…" Students can jot down their thoughts and reactions throughout independent reading time. This practice helps students process and articulate their understanding of the text, promoting deeper engagement and critical thinking.
4. Visualizing Texts
Visualization helps readers create mental images of the text, enhancing memory and understanding. Teach students to visualize scenes from their reading by focusing on detailed descriptions and using their prior knowledge. During reading sessions, ask students to select a passage rich in detail and create a visual representation or “mind movie” of it. They should include relevant quotes and their own interpretations of the text in their illustrations. This activity encourages students to engage more vividly with the text and improves retention.
5. Asking Literal Questions
Asking questions about the text is a key strategy for enhancing comprehension. Introduce students to "right there" or literal questions—questions with clear, straightforward answers found directly in the text. Model how to generate and answer these questions using a sample text. Have students write their own literal questions during reading and discuss their answers with peers.
This practice helps students focus on important details and reinforces their understanding of the text.
By incorporating these strategies into your reading instruction, you can support older striving readers in developing essential comprehension skills. Regular practice with these techniques will help students become more confident, independent readers, capable of tackling increasingly complex texts with greater ease and understanding.
Check back next week for Part 3: Decoding and Spelling Interventions for Older Readers. In the meantime explore our Educator Toolkit for more tips and resources!