Having the opportunity to teach at the elementary level for the last 20 years I have encountered the misconception that a "fluent" reader is a good reader. The ability to read text quickly and accurately is definitely a plus, However, if a reader is unable to attach meaning to the words they are pronouncing they are not proficient readers. In essence a reading without understanding (comprehension) is not reading. The purpose for reading is to obtain meaning from the words that we read.
So, you are probably wondering what is a good reader & how can I help my own children or students to be come successful readers??? A good reader is someone who has a reason or purpose for reading....maybe it is for fun or maybe they are seeking specific information. Successful readers are actively thinking as they are reading. This is actually a complicated process....reflect on yourself as a reader~ what do you do when you encounter a word or concept that is unfamiliar or confusing ...are you asking yourself questions are trying to make connections to the text. There are specific strategies that can propel our students into becoming active and thoughtful readers with a purpose. I will list many or the research based strategies and will follow in future blog entries with definitions and resources for you to use. Comprehension strategies: making predictions, questioning during reading, visualization, using prior knowledge (schema), reading with a purpose, understanding of story structure, inferring ( reading between the lines), and the ability to retell/summarize a story. All of these strategies are so important because they help readers make connections ~~ text to self, text to text, and text to world.
As mentors we cannot expect that these strategies come naturally to all students we must explicitly and systematically teach and model these strategies....and then implement the gradual release so our children move towards becoming independent readers able to comprehend text.
Check out this amazing Reading strategies site ~ Into The Book
http://reading.ecb.org/ it is for both teachers and students. This is one of the most comprehensive and engaging sites for teaching Comprehension Strategies that I have come across. Enjoy!
