What Do You Know About Reading Comprehension Strategies That Others Might Not Know?

Engaging students in reading comprehension requires a dedicated amount of time each day. However after students have been introduced to the strategies, had lots of practice using these strategies, they can be integrated into other subjects and activities for the day.


I have found that the best resource for understanding the importance and complexity of reading comprehension strategies has been the book, Mosaic of Thought, the Power of Reading Comprehension Instruction by Keene, E. and Zimmerman S. It gives a great break down of the 7 reading comprehension strategies. Reading this book gave me the insight of the importance of creating an environment in your classroom, regardless of age, ability level, or experiences, that fosters ongoing discussion about reading and thinking about reading. I also found that Making Meaning, a reading curriculum supplement is a good starting resource for creating that environment in your classroom. It comes with books, lessons, and ideas for teaching students from the beginning of the year how to think and share about books they are reading.

According to Mosaic of Thought each strategy should be taught in isolation and should be taught for several weeks. This gives students a chance to be introduced, exposed, and lots of practice before moving on to another strategy.