Session 1 Overview

Next Generation Content Area Reading Professional Development (NGCAR-PD)

Next Generation Content Area Reading-Professional Development Logistics

Materials for NGCAR-PD Obtaining credit for PD

Expectations/Goals of participants

Next Generation Content Area ReadingProfessional Development

Unit One: NGCAR-PD Overview and Comprehension Instructional Sequence

Unit Two: Re-engaging the Adolescent Learner

Unit Three: Vocabulary Unit Four: Comprehension

Unit Five: Writing in Response to Reading

Unit Six: Comprehension Instructional Sequence Planning
Handout 1
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OVERVIEW
How would you define reading comprehension?

OVERVIEW
How can reading comprehension be both: a journey? a destination?

Handout 2

Navigation Tool

In Route to a Final Goal

What is Reading?
the process of simultaneously extracting and constructing meaning through interaction and involvement with written language (RAND, 2002, p. 11)

Reading is an active and complex process that involves

Understanding written text

Developing and interpreting meaning; and

Using meaning as appropriate to type of text, purpose,

and situation (NAEP Framework, 2009)

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Reading Is A Complex Activity

A skilled reader rapidly and accurately decodes the words, attaches the meaning to words and sentences, connects text information to relevant background knowledge, maintains a mental representation of what he or she has already read, forms hypotheses about upcoming information and makes decisions based on his or her purpose for reading all

at the same
Carlisle and Rice, 2002
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time.

National Reading Panel On Comprehension

Directly teaching comprehension strategies leads to

improvements in comprehension.
Strategies are most effective when taught in

combination and used flexibly in active, naturalistic learning situations

Teachers can be taught to be effective in teaching

comprehension.
There is a need for extensive teacher preparation to

teach comprehension.

National Reading Panel, 2002

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What the Research Says About Comprehension

Time spent reading is highly correlated with comprehension Effective instruction using high-quality

curriculum materials can increase students comprehension

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Comprehension Strategy Instruction Teacher Actions important for Success

Make explicit connection between strategy and

application in text

Repeatedly state and model the secret to doing it

successfully so students see the mental workings involved

the strategy themselves comprehension

Provide students with multiple opportunities to perform Base assessment on both strategy use and text
(Duffy, in Comprehension Instruction ed. by Block and Pressley, 2002)
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Students need to practice comprehension strategies at the listening level before applying them at the reading level. This occurs through teacher-modeling

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Goal: To provide instruction and supports that will enable every student to:
Read text written at their grade level with good comprehension and fluency
Examples:

Pick up a piece of fiction and read it with enjoyment and good comprehension of plot, characters, and action Read expository, or non-fiction text and grasp the main ideas as well as their connection to supporting details so that new concepts and information are understood and learned.
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Comprehension of your discipline is not something that just happens. Comprehension of your discipline needs to be taught.
(National Reading Panel, 2000)
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In fact, helping students acquire the skills, knowledge, and attitudes required for proficiency in comprehension of content area text is the most important goal, PERIOD.

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Comprehension Instructional Sequence

Step One: Read to Build Deep Comprehension
A. Teacher introduces benchmark(s), sets purpose, asks essential question(s) and reads/thinks aloud using grade-level resource while students mark text as directed. B. Teacher poses written question and facilitates directed note taking. Students read text, independently, in pairs, or small groups and take notes based on question presented by teacher. C. Students compare notes in pairs or small groups and discuss similarities and differences. Teacher facilitates text discussion based on notes and directs students to use text evidence to support responses.

Step Two: Reread and Generate Questions to Deepen Text Understanding

A. Teacher models generation of a complex question based on a section of the text, relating to a broad perspective or issue.

B. Students work individually, in pairs, or small groups to re-read text and generate their own questions.

C. Teacher facilitates text discussion using studentgenerated question(s). Students respond to each others questions, engaging in text discussion.

Step Three: Read to Use Text Evidence to Validate Responses

A. Teacher posts a written question aligned to the cognitive complexity of FCAT and models how the text supports answering the question using a graphic organizer.

B. Students respond to question using the graphic organizer and support their response with text evidence and share their answers.

C. Teacher facilitates discussion, asking students to support their response with text evidence. Students look at original answers and can change their answer based on new evidence or keep their answers the same and add additional information to support their answer.

Handout 3