Reading Comprehension
Literal Response - Reading “the lines”
(students recall explicitly stated facts and/or ideas)
Students
respond accurately to most literal questions by selecting and locating relevant details, locate information using a variety of sources
identify key story elements (setting, characters, events, problem/resolution, theme/lesson) of a narrative text including most relevant details; explain how events are related to the theme; graphic organizers (e.g. timelines, story maps) may be used
identify main ideas and supporting details using graphic organizers (e.g., timelines, charts, webs); summarize key points
Literal Comprehension Response
Skim this part to find ___ (information/topic) and tell me about it.
Summarize what you have found out so far. What key words did you make note of to help you remember?
Where would you begin to construct a timeline to plot the events in this autobiography?
Why is ___ (event/action of character) important to the story?
What message do you think the author is trying to give to the reader?
What were the main ideas in this selection? What did you find out about each of the main ideas?
Inferential/Interpretive Response - Reading “between the lines”
(students connect ideas within the text, demonstrating an ability to identify and understand messages that are implied, but not explicitly stated)
Students
make logical inferences about characters (motivations, feelings or personality), and story events, referring to some relevant textual details; describe relationships between characters and effect on plot or overall theme
interpret relationships among several ideas to draw conclusions (e.g., plot, sequence, cause/effect, problem/solution) or make comparisons; support responses with relevant details
use context clues, prior knowledge, and reference tools (e.g., dictionary, glossary) to explain the meaning of new vocabulary/technical terms; provide obvious interpretations of more subtle shades of meaning, and figurative and descriptive language
interpret text features (e.g. headings, subheadings, captions, font, diagrams, maps, keys/legends, cutaways, graphs) and explain how they help the reader understand the text
Inferential/Interpretive Comprehension Response
Describe ___ (character) at the beginning of the story and at the end of the story. What do you think caused this change?
How did the character’s strengths/weaknesses affect the sequence of events in the story?
How would the story be different if the character had acted differently?
How does the information in this book fit with what you already knew about___ (the topic)? What is the same? What is different?
What does this word mean? What helped you figure that out?
“The sky’s the limit.” was used on page__. What does this expression mean? How else could this have been said?
Show me how you used this key to understand the map.
Look at this photograph and caption. What information do you learn that adds to the words of the text?
How do the text features (e.g. headings, charts, questions...) help you understand what you have read?
Personal/Critical/Evaluative Response - Reading “beyond the lines”
(students make judgments about textual content)
Students
make personal connections: compare/contrast with personal experiences/ relevant prior knowledge and make logical text-to-text comparisons; many connections go beyond the obvious and can be supported with a reasonable explanation
express and support preferences for, and opinions about particular texts, authors, illustrators and genres with specific details/examples
recognize some aspects of an author’s style/technique (e.g., figurative language, dialect, descriptions); explain how this influences the reader’s experience; evaluate author’s effectivene ss by providing relevant examples
respond critically to texts: recognize language used to manipulate, persuade, or control; detect prejudice, stereotyping and bias
recognize purpose, structure, and features of a variety of text forms (e.g. short story, ballad, report, explanation, persuasive, autobiography, science fiction, fantasy)
Personal/Critical/Evaluative Comprehension Response
Which character is most like you? How?
How would you have solved the problem?
What did you already know about this topic? What questions do you still have? Where could you find that information?
Would you recommend this book to someone? Why or why not?
Does the author keep you interested in this story? How?
What does the author do to help you picture this character?
The problem is described by ___ .What do you think ___ would say about it?
Compare these opposing points-of-view. Explain how each author supports their position. Take a stand and explain/defend your point-of-view.
What are some examples of how the author used persuasive language in this piece? What are some similarities and differences between one form/genre and another? (e.g. myths and legends)