comprehension TEKS talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Comprehension skills: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts. The student uses metacognitive skills to both develop and deepen comprehension of increasingly complex texts.

Use observations and running records. Running records allow the teacher to determine what strategies a student is using to help comprehend what she reads. A teacher can observe when students re-read and can monitor when students is using visual cues to support understanding. The teacher needs to be present to observe students when they are asking questions for understanding and using background knowledge to help them understand. While this can also be observed in a whole group setting, one-on-one reading or small-group reading is where the teacher can observe this entire SE in action.

Notes:

  • Anecdotal notes or a checklist are effective ways to track student progress for this SE.
  • If using a checklist, different categories can be included on the checklist. Categories might include using background knowledge, using visual cues (pictures and text structure), checking for understanding, asking questions to clarify meaning, and rereading/fluency.
the part of reading that involves constructing meaning by interacting with text
A visual cue is a distinctive sight feature that triggers a response, especially, a distinctive shape that aids identification of a letter, letter group, or word. In first grade this means students are able to look at words, break the words into parts, and recognize parts of words to assist with decoding. It may also mean looking at pictures to help identify the word by paying close attention to the beginning letters.

Research

What Works Clearinghouse. (2010). Improving reading comprehension in kindergarten through 3rd grade: practice guide summary. Washington, DC: Institute of Education Science. Retrieved from https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/14#tab-summary

Summary: The goal of this practice guide is to offer educators specific evidence-based recommendations that address the challenge of teaching reading comprehension to students in kindergarten through 3rd grade. The guide provides practical, clear information on critical topics related to teaching reading comprehension and is based on the best available evidence as judged by the authors.