Table of Contents
List of Videos xi
Acknowledgments xiii
Chapter 1 The Point of Comprehension Is Not Comprehension 7
But What Is Reading? 10
Teaching Students to Comprehend 10
Skilled Readers or Strategic Readers 13
Constrained and Unconstrained Skills 15
Is Comprehension Enough? 17
Chapter 2 Skill in Reading Comprehension 21
Skill in Reading Comprehension 22
Background Knowledge in Reading 24
Knowledge Must Be Organized 25
Knowledge Must Be Conditionalized 26
Knowledge Must Be Transferred 29
The Sounds of Language 31
Sound-Level Instruction 33
Word-Level Instruction 34
Syllable-Level Instruction 35
Rhyme-Level Instruction 35
Phonics: Sound and Print 36
Phonics Instruction 37
Types of Phonics Instruction 38
Fluency in Reading 41
Reading Fluency Instruction 42
Measuring Fluency 44
Vocabulary in Reading 46
Direct and Intentional Vocabulary Instruction 49
Teaching Word Solving 50
Four Principles for Vocabulary Instruction 51
Comprehension Strategy Instruction 56
Inferring 57
Summarizing and Synthesizing 59
Monitoring 60
Conclusion 62
Chapter 3 Will in Reading Comprehension 63
Wilt in Reading Comprehension 66
Dispositions That Underpin Learning 68
Resilience: Emotional Strength 70
Resourcefulness: Cognitive Capacity 71
Reflection: Strategic Awareness 74
Relating: Social Sophistication 80
Creating the Classroom Conditions for Will to Flourish 89
Teaching Practices to Build Choice in Your Classroom 90
Teaching Practices to Build Relevance in Your Classroom 93
Conclusion 99
Chapter 4 Thrill in Reading Comprehension 101
Thrill in Reading Comprehension 102
The Right and the Responsibility of Criticism 105
Fostering Deep Comprehension With Critique 106
Reading Through a Critical Literacy Lens 108
Question the Commonplace in a Text 109
Consider the Role of the Author 114
Seek Alternative Perspectives 116
Goal Setting Through Student-Generated Questions 119
Fostering Creative Thinking 121
Think-Outside-the-Box Questions 121
Taking Action 125
Taking Accurate and Ethical Action 129
Conclusion 130
Chapter 5 Tools for Reading Comprehension Instruction 133
Texts as Tools for Fostering Comprehension 135
Text Readability and Text Complexity 136
Text Readability: The Quantitative Measures 136
Text Complexity 139
The Special Cast of Digital Texts 151
Texts in Primary Grades 154
Making Decisions About Text 156
Tasks as Tools for Fostering Comprehension 157
Direct and Dialogic Instruction 157
Direct Instruction 158
Dialogic Instruction 159
An Instructional Framework That Works 162
Focused Instruction 163
Guided Instruction 163
Collaborative Learning 164
Independent Learning 164
Conclusion 165
References 167
Index 177