Building Vocabulary Using Semantics in the Classroom

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Check out EdWeb+Net! Access the entire Science of Reading series in any sequence of your choice! Part 1 – 5 Ways to Improve Foundational Skills Instruction Right Now: Science of Reading in Practice Part 2 – 7 Modifications to Transform Reading Instruction: Science of Reading in Practice Part 3 – Accelerate Language Comprehension with the Strive-for-Five Framework: Science of Reading in Practice Part 4-The Science of Reading in Practice Series: Big Words for Young Readers – Why We Must Start Earlier and How to Do It!

All too often people talk about listening and comprehension and reading comprehension interchangeably, as the same thing. We know as teachers they are very different. Students need explicit instruction and practice with listening comprehension. When teachers are doing read alouds, they are working on listening comprehension and language processing.

Improve Fluency and Comprehension Through Supported Reading

Linked is a strategy in which students first read through a passage, then hear a fluent reader read it back before practicing fluency.

Tips for Supporting Students with Processing Difficulties

Explanation of each tip.

Five Tips for Teaching Comprehension Monitoring

 1) Model think alouds.

    Go through this process when reading aloud to students and say, "that didn't make sense to me.  I am going to read that again".

2) Model and teach comprehension monitoring.

    Read a sentence with students and ask what the sentence was about.  Repeat.  Extend into paragraph level understanding.

3) Teach the "getting the gist" approach.

    This is a scaffolded approach.

Step 1. Find the main idea (who or what) of the paragraph.

Step 2. What is the most important thing about the who or what?

Step 3. Combine the details of steps 1 and 2 to write the gist statement. 

4) Teach summarization.

    Summarize a series of set points in a text while reading or listening.

5) Teach students to be meaning detectives.

    Read a passage with students and have prepared errors in terms of nonsense words or statemets that students have to poinnt out as not being appropriate for the text.

(Wheldall & Buckingham, 2023)

Using Partner Reading and Paragraph Shrinking to Promote Fluency and Comprehension

 Read the process and view the link provided to see students using the procedure.