Comprehension-What Did You Read?

Have you ever read a book, a sign, or some sort of writing and automatically understand what you read? How about reading something and not understanding so you needed to read again? This feeling of understanding and not understanding something is called comprehension. As we get older, we take reading as something we commonly do, but it takes a few steps for us to reach this point. For this week’s topic, we will discuss comprehension and how that affects our reading skills.

According to Gail E. Tompkins (2017),”Comprehension is the goal of reading; it is the reason why people read. Students must understand what they are reading to learn from the experience; they must make sense of the words in the text to maintain interest; and they must enjoy reading to become lifelong readers” (Tompkins, 2017). This is important because to be able to understand this blog, our favorite book, or a random read; we must know how to comprehend what we are reading. If we cannot comprehend, we will not know what we have read or what significance it has. For young students, learning how to embrace what they are reading is crucial because they have not yet mastered the skill. Learning to comprehend takes time and much practice to automatically understand it-even then, it may take a few re-reads to do so. In due time, however, one can comprehend the material in front of them with much ease than before.

To make sure students are able to comprehend effectively, educators must take into consideration that students already come with background knowledge and experiences. Students will relate more to a book that is similar to their lives, rather to one that is not. This gets students to think more critically about a book they read because they are already familiar with it. When students read books that may not be similar to what they know, that is where some students struggle to connect or comprehend what they are reading. As students begin to read, effective teachers make sure students can successfully decode words, know the vocabulary, and use fluency properly. Just like any school subject, once students begin to understand, some do well on their own, and others may need that extra assistance. Those who are “strategic readers are more likely to comprehend what they are reading. Struggling readers, in contrast, are frustrated; they don not understand what they are reading, do not like to read, and are not likely to choose to read in the future” (Tompkins, 2017). This is why it is essential as effective teachers to create strategic activities for students to comprehend comprehension. After much practice and guidance, students will take note and be able to understand perception and the importance of it.

Since many students struggle with their reading comprehension, effective teachers need to create strategies to help students build and strengthen their comprehension skills. Whether it be through individual one on one time, small group intervention, or giving students various oral and written examples, students will appreciate that support to understand comprehension. Various strategies of reading comprehension, such as using "connection strategies, drawing inferences, determining importance, evaluating, monitoring, predicting, questioning, repairing, setting a purpose, summarizing, and visualizing" (Tompkins, 2017) is important. Effective teachers need to make sure to explain throughly every one of these steps, and how using every single one adds on to understanding comprehension. When students know how to use these levels in their reading, they can self-check and make sure they are understanding what they are reading with themselves or with others.

As students become more comfortable using these reading comprehension strategies, they will become effective readers. This becomes reflective in their reading, writing, and speaking skills because since they understand what is in the text, they can easily express it in their work. As students become more familiar with it, they are able to read and understand higher level text and get more knowledgable about the material they are learning about. Once that comprehension skill is set, students will have a life-skill that will be with them the rest of their lives. This allows them to use that skill with other people and connect, communicate, and socialize with others whether it be in an academic, work, or social setting.

Thank you for reading! See you next week on next week's blog!

-Melissa