Quote: "Comprehension depends on three prerequisites: having adequate background knowledge about the topic and the genre, being familiar with most words in the text, and being able to read it fluently."
Comment: I think this is true, it is diffucult to be engaged in a text when you don't know what it is about, and it is too advanced and incomprehensible to you. I think as a teacher if you can provide material for reading and also prepare students for reading, their level of comprehension will most likely be high. I think making sure students have challenging reading options is important and providing them with enough background knowledge and reading practice would help them to comprehend and hopefully enjoy what they are reading. I think students will be more motivated to read if they are able to comprehend what they are reading, and use that understanding to make connections from the text to themselves, the world and other things they have read.
Question: Should teachers prepare students for reading by giving lessons that provide background knowledge and information about the books that the students are expected to read?
As we discussed in class today, I think we should teach mini-lessons on the information students will be reading in books if it is something they wouldn't know before- such as taxi-cabs. I agree with you that it's important to help our students make connections with the books they read and relate it to themselves so they can better understand what they're reading.
ReplyDelete