Effective Instruction in Reading Comprehension
Webcast: October
25, 2006
The Context for the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat's focus on Effective Literacy Instruction
The government of Ontario has made improvement in publicly-funded education the centrepiece of its mandate. This commitment begins with improved student learning and achievement in literacy and numeracy.
The first step in realizing this goal requires that every student in Ontario develop reading, writing, mathematics, and comprehension skills at a higher level by the age of 12. Progress will be measured by ensuring that by 2008, 75 percent of students reach or exceed the provincial standard.
Effective Instruction in Reading Comprehension
Living in today's information age, students need to be competent communicators who are comfortable interpreting, creating, and using a wide variety of texts for varied purposes in familiar and increasingly complex contexts.
Comprehension is central to effective communication. In order to make meaning, students must understand how language and words work and what strategies they need to utilize as communicators in order to critically analyze, make, or convey meaning. Students need to understand that the skills, strategies, and behaviours they develop are transferable to all content areas within school and beyond school.
The purpose of this webcast is to inspire dialogue, reflection, and action as participants explore critical aspects of effective comprehension instruction. The following questions are provided as a guide for further reflective conversations:
- What does it mean to be critically literate? What does this look like in the classroom?
- What is the content of comprehension instruction and how can I make this learning relevant?
- What is the role of language and word study in the teaching of comprehension?
- What routines/strategies are most effective in the cross-curricular teaching of comprehension?
- How might students be actively engaged in their own learning?
- How can I support my students in developing their metacognitive awareness and independence as learners?
- How can I purposefully integrate and teach accountable talk throughout the school day?
- How will I structure the learning to develop the habits of mind necessary to being a literate global citizen?
"Tomorrow's citizens face greater reading demands than ever before. The written word is no longer restricted to paper form. Children of all ages are bombarded with information from the Internet and other electronic forms of print. The 'E' generation needs to comprehend more than ever before."
Tovani, C. I Read It But I Don't Get It. 2000
Full Webcast |
||
Introduction, Judy Speirs, Executive Student Achievement Officer, Literacy and Numeracy SecretariatLength: 8 minutes |
||
Effective Instruction in Reading ComprehensionLength: 1 hour 17 minutes |
||
Conclusion, Judy Speirs, Executive Student Achievement Officer, Literacy and Numeracy SecretariatLength: 1 minute |
||
Segments |
||
IntroductionLength: 8 minutes |
||
Literacy for the Twenty-First CenturyLength: 3.5 minutes |
||
Making PredictionsLength: 2 minutes | ||
Activating Prior KnowledgeLength: 2 minutes |
||
Shared Reading: Text StructureLength: 4 minutes |
||
Guided Reading: MetacognitionLength: 3 minutes | ||
Individual Conference: Assessment/MetacognitionLength: 3.5 minutes |
||
Strategic InstructionLength: 4.5 minutes |
||
Reading Conference: Text StructureLength: 2 minutes |
||
VisualizingLength: 5 minutes |
||
Read Aloud: Critical Literacy/QuestioningLength: 4 minutes |
||
Accountable Talk: Critical LiteracyLength: 5 minutes |
||
Literary ConversationsLength: 4 minutes | ||
Reading Conference: Critical ThinkingLength: 2 minutes |
||
Reciprocal TeachingLength: 10 minutes |
||
Influences on ComprehensionLength: 3.5 minutes | ||
Language and Word StudyLength: 2 minutes |
||
Language-Rich EnvironmentLength: 4.5 minutes |
||
Learning StationsLength: 2 minutes |
||
Reader's TheatreLength: 2 minutes |
||
Gradual Release of ResponsibilityLength: 2 minutes |
||
Reflection/MetacognitionLength: 4 minutes |
||
ConclusionLength: 1 minute |
||
Additional Materials
Featuring:
Diane Snowball, Author, educator, and founder of Australian and United States Services in Education
Ruth McQuirter Scott, Author, educator and professor at Brock University Faculty of Education, Hamilton Campus
Also Contributing:
Margaret Marion, Program Consultant, Niagara Catholic District School Board
Maria Solomon, Literacy Leader, Niagara Catholic District School Board
For webcast video troubleshooting, please see the Getting Started page.
Share:
Hosted by the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat in partnership with Curriculum Services Canada