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Improving Reading - Student Presentation

This document outlines an approach called "Three Steps to Reading Success" to improve reading comprehension. It involves: 1) Pre-reading by looking at text features and asking questions. 2) Active reading using symbols to check understanding, and rereading difficult parts. 3) Post-reading by answering initial questions, reflecting on understanding, and whether using the steps was helpful. The approach aims to make students more active readers by consciously applying comprehension strategies, especially for challenging texts. Explicit instruction in strategies can help readers overcome difficulties and perform better in assessments.

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309 views

Improving Reading - Student Presentation

This document outlines an approach called "Three Steps to Reading Success" to improve reading comprehension. It involves: 1) Pre-reading by looking at text features and asking questions. 2) Active reading using symbols to check understanding, and rereading difficult parts. 3) Post-reading by answering initial questions, reflecting on understanding, and whether using the steps was helpful. The approach aims to make students more active readers by consciously applying comprehension strategies, especially for challenging texts. Explicit instruction in strategies can help readers overcome difficulties and perform better in assessments.

Uploaded by

api-237916393
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 22

Becoming a better

reader
Improving
reading
comprehension
at St Michaels
College

Today in LEAP

You will reflect on your own reading practices.

You will be introduced to the Colleges new


approach to the teaching and learning of reading
comprehension: Three Steps to Reading Success.

You will have your first try at the Three Steps


process.

READING COMPREHENSION will be the focus for


our LEAP classes for the rest of Term 3. Challenge
yourself to become a better reader.

Everyday
reading

Activity: Think about the reading you do in

class, at home, and in your everyday life.


Write a list of at least ten types of written

texts you encounter almost every day. (A


written text can be anything from a poster to
a novel; from words on a TV screen to a
menu in a restaurant.)

Some typical, everyday


written texts
At school

Email
Student Planner
Teacher notes on
Whiteboard

Text-book

Website

Posters in classroom or
schoolyard.

Elsewhere

Moodle/OwnCloud
resources on iPad

Street signs

Menu board at Maccas

Computer game

TV news

Facebook/instagram

Mobile phone texts

Bus timetable

What makes reading a


challenge?
Activity: Now write a list of some

of the problems or challenges you


encounter or have encountered
with some of the things you read.
Look back at your list of typical

texts and think about those that


are most difficult. What makes
them difficult?
The challenge might be the text

itself or it might be you or your


environment.

Examples of things that


make reading challenging
Me or my
environment

The text itself

Big words
Unfamiliar words

Tired

Too much noise

Too much on my mind

Its boring

Its hard work

Poor lighting

Too many words!


Unfamiliar topics
Confusing layout

Concentrating/focussing

Your own reading toolkit


Activity:

What do you
tend to do
when you
encounter a
challenging
or difficult
text?

Typical responses to
difficult texts
Positive

Negative

Give up

Look up the meaning of


words I dont know

Say its too hard

Pretend I understand

Concentrate harder

Ask someone for help

Guess what it might


mean

Make excuses

Read over it again

Reading requires effort


If you are encountering more problems with

reading comprehension as you have moved into


high school it is important to know that you can do
something about it.
Reading is like anything the more you do the

better you get.


To understand what you read requires even more

than time it requires the active use of


comprehension strategies, particularly with
challenging texts. It requires thinking about what
you read and how you read.

The three-storey
intellect
While some forms of reading are not

particularly demanding, reading for


comprehension or understanding takes
us out of first-storey thinking
(gathering) up into second-storey
(processing) and even third-storey
(applying) thinking.
When we read we respond to, interpret,

infer, critique, analyse, evaluate,


imagine, predict and much more.
After reading we often have to respond

in a creative and/or critical way.


(Applying)

Developing strategies for


all learners
One of the greatest

causes of poor or limited


reading comprehension is
not knowing what to do.
The St Michaels reading

comprehension initiative is
designed to provide
strategies for all students
in reading everyday texts
and to apply under test

We are calling it:

Three Steps
to Reading
Success

The three steps in a


nutshell
Step 1: Before reading: Look, think,

ask

Step 2: While reading: Focus, check

understanding, reread if you need


Step 3: After reading: Answer,

rethink, reflect

Step 1: Before reading


The aim: To encourage you to stop and think
before you even start reading.
Look at the title, layout, images, captions and even the first paragraph.
Think: From this early look can you determine the main topic of the
text? Write down some thoughts.
Think: What do you already know about this topic or this type of text?
Write dot points about the topic and what you know of this type of text
(for example, what are the typical features of a book review, short story,
newspaper article, web page, textbook, science report, recipe?)
Ask: Based on these early thoughts, devise two questions about the
texts topic that might be answered in your reading. What might I find
out by reading this text?

What might I find out by


reading this text?

Step 2: While Reading


The aim: To encourage you to concentrate on what is in
front of you and become aware of the strategies you can
implement when understanding has not been reached or
texts are too challenging.
Focus: While reading, stop after each paragraph or section to ask, "Did I understand what I
just read?
Check understanding: If you do understand the paragraph, mark it (or write in your
notes) with a plus sign (+) and continue reading.
Reread: If you do not understand the paragraph, mark it (or write in your notes) with a
minus sign (-) and:
- reread the paragraph or section;
- slow your reading;
- focus your full attention on what you are reading;
- underline or write out any words you do not know. Try to work out what they mean.

Lets have a go using this


text: Remember:
Teaching Reading Comprehension
There are many ways that students demonstrate their understandings
of texts. They locate and recall information, draw on the knowledge of
text structures and text organisers, write short reflective responses,
complete multiple choice questions, think deeply and express ideas
verbally, complete descriptions, recognise causal relationships, make
logical connections, interpret graphics and images and identify multiple
points of view and specific details.
Comprehension takes the learner to a new level of active understanding
and insight. It enhances language and vocabulary knowledge. Good
learners use a variety of comprehension strategies simultaneously and,
according to Pressley (2002), they know how to deliberately apply
specific strategies to aid their comprehension, particularly with regard
to challenging texts/information.

Step 3: After reading


The aim: To encourage you to do something with what
you have read. Even when you are reading at home or by
yourself, you can be active rather than passive readers.
In this step you should:
Answer: Based on your reading, record the answers to your
two questions from Step 1.
Rethink, reflect: Finally, reflect on what youve read or
learned by writing a short paragraph. This might be a summary
of the text, your responses to the content or style of the text, or
your efforts in following the Three Steps to Reading Success. Did
you comprehend better when you checked for understanding?
Did rereading a passage enhance comprehension? Did the text
answer your Step 1 questions?

The overall aim

With strategies in place for reading comprehension, you will become


more active in your reading, gain confidence, improve vocabulary,
and be better equipped to deal with reading comprehension in test
situations eg NAPLAN, PAT-R and subject assessment.

When comprehending, learners strive to process text beyond wordlevel to get to the big picture. When comprehension is successful,
learners are left with a sense of satisfaction from having understood
the meaning of a text. Comprehension takes the learner to a new
level of active understanding and insight. It enhances language and
vocabulary knowledge. Good learners use a variety of
comprehension strategies simultaneously and, according to Pressley
(2002), they know how to deliberately apply specific strategies to aid
their comprehension, particularly with regard to challenging texts.
(NSW Education and Training: Teaching reading comprehension.)

How this can help you


Learners who struggle with comprehension possess inefficient
strategies and use them inflexibly. They are usually unaware of
what good comprehenders do and need to be shown how and
when to apply a small repertoire of comprehension strategies.
Providing students with explicit instruction in
comprehension strategies can be an effective way to help
them overcome difficulties in understanding texts (Graham
& Bellert, 2004). The more explicit the comprehension strategy
and self-regulatory instruction, the higher the likelihood that the
learner will make significant gains in comprehension (MansetWilliamson & Nelson, 2005). As learners become more
competent and confident of their comprehension, the less
support they require from the teacher (Duke & Pearson, 2002).

Quick revision
What are the three steps?
How many questions should you ask at Step 1?
In Step 2, what symbols should you use to mark

whether or not you have understood a section of


text?
What are some things you can do if you have not

understood what you just read?


Why is it important to revisit the questions from

Step 1 when you finish reading?

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