I found that the information I read in chapter 3 along with Monday's lecture really hit home with the way I comprehend what I've read. Even though I was taught in my elementary school years to write out words (vocabulary) along with their definitions and using the terms in a sentence I didn't learn them as well as I did when I read them in my reading assignments. I found it easier to gather the meanings of the more difficult words by paying closer attention to what was going on in the reading which in turn increased my comprehension of the material I was reading. In regards to letting students pick the books they want to read, I believe that I was fortunate enough to have had teachers in my elementary school years that exercised the same discipline. I always knew if the book I chose was too advanced or too easy for me. Being able to relate what I was reading to my own experiences also helped me better appreciate the books I've read.
I will carry some of the exercises used in chapter 3 to assess comprehension of what my students read. I can appreciate the Read & Retell of Brown & Cambourne (1978) method, having students retell the story after hearing the teacher read aloud either orally or written. I also liked the exercise of having students retell the story in chronological order one student at a time.
When a child is able to comprehend what he/she has read and convey that back to you along with his/ her ideas then you know that their reading is purposeful.
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Hans Christian Anderson
The Steadfast Soldiers, and Snow Queen
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Great blog Armando. I agree with you that when children can retell a story in their own words then you know they comprehended what they read. The use of context clues also helps students in their reading and helps their comprehension.
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