Improving Comprehension in the Classroom: 5 Strategies for 2019

Improving Comprehension in the Classroom: 5 Strategies for 2019

The ability to comprehend what we read is a crucial skill in our lives. In school, it is essential for academic success, and in the professional world, it is a necessary tool for achieving career goals. Despite its importance, many students struggle with comprehension, and teachers are faced with the challenge of improving this skill. Fortunately, there are several strategies that teachers can use to help their students develop strong comprehension skills.

1. Vocabulary instruction

Vocabulary knowledge is an essential aspect of reading comprehension. The more words a student knows, the better they can understand the text they are reading. Teachers can help their students learn new words by explicitly teaching them the meanings of unfamiliar words encountered in reading. They can also encourage students to use context clues to infer the meanings of words they do not know.

2. Teach comprehension strategies

There are several comprehension strategies that teachers can teach their students, such as making predictions, summarizing, asking questions, and visualizing. These strategies help students to engage with the text, decode the meaning, and retain the information. By showing students how to use these strategies, teachers can improve their comprehension skills.

3. Read aloud

Reading aloud can help students develop comprehension skills by modeling fluent reading and providing an opportunity for discussions about the text. Teachers can also use this strategy to model how to identify key details, make predictions, and ask questions about the text. Providing an opportunity for students to read aloud themselves can also be useful, as it allows teachers to monitor their comprehension and provide support as needed.

4. Use graphic organizers

Graphic organizers are visual tools that can support comprehension by helping students to organize their thinking about the text. Teachers can use graphic organizers such as Venn diagrams, webs, and maps, to help students to summarize information, compare and contrast ideas, and identify cause and effect relationships.

5. Increase text complexity

Reading more complex texts can also help students to develop their comprehension skills. As students encounter new vocabulary, unfamiliar concepts, and challenging text structures, they learn to apply their comprehension strategies more effectively. By gradually increasing the text complexity throughout the year, teachers can help their students to become confident, independent readers.

In conclusion, improving comprehension skills is essential for all learners. By implementing the above strategies, teachers can support their students in developing comprehension skills that will benefit throughout their academic and professional lives.