Reading comprehension is the understanding of what we read. The more background or prior knowledge (schema) a reader has before their reading experience, "the more the reader takes away from it." Teachers need to expand their students "repertoires." As students expand their reading skills, the teacher is able to expose his/her students to reading selections that are more challenging.
Teachers can build reading comprehension by 1) activating or supplying prior knowledge; 2) guiding student reading; 3) reinforcing concepts; and 4) encouraging critical thinking and inquiry. A teacher can supply or activate prior knowledge through discussions or within the lesson plan prior to the reading which can help the student to improve their understanding of the story. Giving students a purpose to read is a form of guided reading. This is achieved when the teacher leads a discussion, provides experiences and/or shows objects that relate to the story before the actual reading. This can entice students to want to read. If a student is not familiar with words or the concept of what they are reading, it is the job of the teacher to work with the student and explain and/or correct their misunderstandings. Teachers need to be able to ask high quality questions that go well with the "needs and abilities" of all learners, because it is a crucial part of teaching comprehension.
Diane Stanley, author, says it well, "A child who reads good books will prosper. She will develop her vocabulary, increase her knowledge, and come to understand others better." Comprehending what you read is very important, even more so for a teacher to be able to help his/her students build that comprehension.
The importance of a reader's schema prior to their reading is as important as the response we give to a book. Chapter 4 states that everything about us from "who we are, our past experiences with literature and the world, our interests, the books we've read, the places we've been, the people we've known, our ages" infulences our response.
Readers, and especially young readers, respond most readily to literature as an embodiment of human personalities, human situations, human conflicts and achievements. The life situations and interests of students [are] more often seen as the bridge between them and books. Louise Rosenblatt
I like this comment, because I remember reading several books in middle school that I felt I could relate to at that time. It could have been a situation I remembered being in, a character I connected with, a memory of my childhood or a feeling I had felt before in a certain situation.
There are so many different ways to respond to books that we read. A response can be shared through drama, art, writing, talking, etc. The summary at the end of the chapter states, "Responses are the rooting of lifelong loves of literature. When we feel, sense, and respond to books, we are making memorable book connections that are the foundation for future reading." This statement made me realize how the response to what we read impacts our desire of reading.
I found another great website http://www.jacketflap.com/. JacketFlap has the world's largest database of information on children's book publishers. The searchable database helps writers most optimally find the publishers that are publishing new authors and that publish titles in the writer's category of work.
On this site I found an author by the name of Christina Garcia who has written four novels: Dreaming in Cuban, The Agüero Sisters, Monkey Hunting, and A Handbook to Luck. In addition, Christina García's work has been nominated for a National Book Award and translated into a dozen languages. Below are two of her children's books.
I Wanna Be Your Shoebox
Because Yumi RuÍz-Hirsch has grandparents from Japan, Cuba, and Brooklyn, her mother calls her a poster child for the twenty-first century. Yumi would laugh if only her life wasn't getting as complicated as her heritage. All of a sudden she's starting eighth grade with a girl who collects tinfoil and a boy who dresses like a squid. Her mom's found a new boyfriend, and her punk-rock father still can't sell a song. She's losing her house; she's losing her school orchestra. And worst of all she's losing her grandfather Saul.
Yumi wishes everything couldstay the same. But as she listens to Saul tell his story, she learns that nobody ever asks you if you're ready for life to happen. It just happens. The choice is either to sit and watch or to join the dance.
Reading Level Ages 9-12
The Dog Who Loved the Moon
Who's ever heard of a dog who would not dance? Unless of course el perrito is lovesick for the moon. Then all you need is a little magic a lot of music and a very special wish. And the moon just might surprise you.
Reading Level Ages 4-8
Diane Stanley, author, says it well, "A child who reads good books will prosper. She will develop her vocabulary, increase her knowledge, and come to understand others better." Comprehending what you read is very important, even more so for a teacher to be able to help his/her students build that comprehension.
The importance of a reader's schema prior to their reading is as important as the response we give to a book. Chapter 4 states that everything about us from "who we are, our past experiences with literature and the world, our interests, the books we've read, the places we've been, the people we've known, our ages" infulences our response.
Readers, and especially young readers, respond most readily to literature as an embodiment of human personalities, human situations, human conflicts and achievements. The life situations and interests of students [are] more often seen as the bridge between them and books. Louise Rosenblatt
I like this comment, because I remember reading several books in middle school that I felt I could relate to at that time. It could have been a situation I remembered being in, a character I connected with, a memory of my childhood or a feeling I had felt before in a certain situation.
There are so many different ways to respond to books that we read. A response can be shared through drama, art, writing, talking, etc. The summary at the end of the chapter states, "Responses are the rooting of lifelong loves of literature. When we feel, sense, and respond to books, we are making memorable book connections that are the foundation for future reading." This statement made me realize how the response to what we read impacts our desire of reading.
I found another great website http://www.jacketflap.com/. JacketFlap has the world's largest database of information on children's book publishers. The searchable database helps writers most optimally find the publishers that are publishing new authors and that publish titles in the writer's category of work.
On this site I found an author by the name of Christina Garcia who has written four novels: Dreaming in Cuban, The Agüero Sisters, Monkey Hunting, and A Handbook to Luck. In addition, Christina García's work has been nominated for a National Book Award and translated into a dozen languages. Below are two of her children's books.
I Wanna Be Your Shoebox
Because Yumi RuÍz-Hirsch has grandparents from Japan, Cuba, and Brooklyn, her mother calls her a poster child for the twenty-first century. Yumi would laugh if only her life wasn't getting as complicated as her heritage. All of a sudden she's starting eighth grade with a girl who collects tinfoil and a boy who dresses like a squid. Her mom's found a new boyfriend, and her punk-rock father still can't sell a song. She's losing her house; she's losing her school orchestra. And worst of all she's losing her grandfather Saul.
Yumi wishes everything couldstay the same. But as she listens to Saul tell his story, she learns that nobody ever asks you if you're ready for life to happen. It just happens. The choice is either to sit and watch or to join the dance.
Reading Level Ages 9-12
Who's ever heard of a dog who would not dance? Unless of course el perrito is lovesick for the moon. Then all you need is a little magic a lot of music and a very special wish. And the moon just might surprise you.
Reading Level Ages 4-8
I agree with you. Students will respond better to a book that they can relate to. I too remember reading a book in middle school that made an impact on me because I felt so much like one of the characters in the book. To this day, I still remember that book and how it made me feel. So it is very important to have good books and a variety of books in your classroom.
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