Comprehension Plus

What is Comprehension Plus?

Comprehension Plus is a supplemental comprehension program designed to provide first through sixth grade students with the skills and comprehension strategies they need to improve their reading comprehension. The goal of this comprehension program is for students to learn specific reading techniques that create a purpose for reading and a focus for monitoring their understanding of text. Teachers, or well-trained paraprofessionals, deliver the 30-minute lessons twice a week to large or small groups of students. During these lessons, teachers use an explicit instructional approach to explain and model the new skill, provide guided practice on a short passage, and encourage independent practice on a longer passage.

Instruction for Comprehension Plus follows a spiraled approach where specific comprehension strategies are taught, applied through reading and writing activities, and reviewed within and across all levels of the program. Each lesson consists of three parts: Teach, Practice, and Apply. In the “Teach” section of the lesson, the instructor follows the lesson objective and the “teaching tips” that connect the skill to its underlying purpose by explaining and modeling how to use the comprehension strategy. The teacher uses interactive activities to clarify concepts and guide the students in applying the new skill. In the “Practice” section of the lesson, new vocabulary related to the passages, new comprehension skills, and a review of several previously taught strategies are practiced through reading and answering questions about two different passages. A variety of practice formats (multiple choice, question and answer, written responses, and graphic organizers) help the student solidify their understanding of the skill. In the “Apply” section of the lesson, students are asked to utilize the comprehension strategy they have learned to interpret meaning as they read from a variety of genres, then apply the knowledge gained from the reading to produce different written assignments. Every lesson also includes a related phonics activity, strategies to help English Language learners, activities involving multiple modalities, and suggestions for a home-school connection.