Why We Wrote This Book In Know Better, Do Better: Comprehension , we show you how processes work in children’s minds when they are reading. And we show you how to use that understanding to create conditions for every one of your students
to experience seamless interactions with texts—texts far more complex and rich than “no spitting.” We want your instruction to grow out of the research on how comprehension actually happens, which is not by having students learn and apply a bunch of isolated strategies. “Reading comprehension” is a term we all use all the time in school. But what is it, really? And how do we ensure that all students achieve it? We wrote this book to answer those questions.
We want your instruction to grow out of the research on how comprehension actually happens, which is not by having students learn and apply a bunch of isolated strategies.
How This Book Is Organized Our discussion is structured this way:
• Part I focuses on the role of knowledge, vocabulary, morphology, and syntax, which, in essence, is an investigation of what lies underneath successful reading comprehension. We examine the importance of those ingredients and how to make sure you’re teaching them in vibrant ways. • Part II opens with a brief road map of the nature of reading comprehension, along with, in Chapter 4, a glossary of essential terms. In Chapter 5, we present the dominant research-based model of comprehension and what happens in the mind as we read. It’s the essential information you need to become an informed and effective teacher of reading comprehension. It also sets you up to make the best use of the practical applications we recommend in Part III. • Part III explains practical approaches to ensure your students’ steady growth in comprehension. Chapters 6, 7, and 8 show you how to make sure everything you do is working to develop students’ mental abilities before, during, and after reading.
And all along the way, we focus on the importance of motivating your students and developing their identities as readers, as well as your own.
11
INTRODUCTION
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs