Grouping students
There are benefits to students working on their reading comprehension strategies in whole-class settings, in small-groups, in pairs and individually. Grouping students allows the teacher to cater for the different learning needs of students, allows students to interact and learn collaboratively, allows the teacher to observe the students' and also allows the teacher to work closely with students at different times.
Working with the whole class
Working with the whole class can be particularly beneficial when introducing a text and also when the teacher is introducing or demonstrating a comprehension strategy. When the teacher is modelling a comprehension strategy to students, a whole-class setting will allow for discussion and varied questioning. Reading a text aloud to the class can also be a good experience for many students because students are able to enjoy the book irrespective of their own reading comprehension level.
Reading comprehension strategy activities that could be undertaken in a whole-class setting include:
- Building up students' background/semantic knowledge of a text or topic.
- Sizing up the text by looking at the structure, the cover, the title, the contents, etcetera.
- Making predictions about the information included, what the story will be about, what will happen in the end, etcetera.
- Discussing the genre of the text.
- Introducing and defining key vocabulary to students.
- Teacher modelling of inferring and questioning.
- Modelling the monitoring of comprehension by discusses individual pages.
- Discuss the issues that arise from the text or the topic of the text.
- Discuss the text and topics from different points of view.
Working in small groups
Small-group work can be beneficial to students in that groups can be divided according to students' comprehension levels and learning needs if appropriate. Grouping students according to the 'abilities' of students' allows the teacher to target their instruction more specifically. However, grouping students with varied abilities can also be beneficial in that students are able to assist one another and will come across different viewpoints. Group work is also beneficial for the teacher as they are able to work closely with one group while other groups are still working effectively.
Reading comprehension strategy activities that could be undertaken in a small-group setting include:
- Floor-storming and brain-storming about different topics, concepts and characters.
- Categorising information, topics and characters.
- Concept mapping.
- Re-creating a scene or event from a text with a performance.
All of the above activities could then be shared with the rest of the class.
Working in pairs
Pair-work is often helpful for students as they are able to discuss their thoughts with one other person. It gives each student a good chance to both speak and listen to other students for a significant amount of time. Student-to-student teaching can also occur during pair-work, which benefits both the 'teacher' and the 'student'. Students could be at similar reading levels or at more diverse levels.
Reading comprehension strategy activities that could be undertaken in pair-work include:
- Inferring and discussing thoughts on what a text might be about.
- Making predictions.
- Creating quizzes and games to monitor comprehension.
- Classify and categorise information, topics and characters of texts.
- Construct 3D models of characters, scenes and settings of texts.
Working individually
When students work individually they are encouraged to take responsibility for their work and to concentrate on their own thoughts, responses and questions about the text. Working individually also means that students are able to focus on details of the text they are reading.
Reading comprehension strategy activities that could be undertaken individually include:
- Completing and creating cloze passages to monitor comprehension.
- Re-order a jumbled text to monitor comprehension.
- Match illustrations with pieces of text or words to monitor comprehension. Students could also draw their own illustrations to convey their understanding.
- Summarise the text or a section of the text being read.
- Construct diagrams or other types of timelines of events in a text.
- Order information in order of importance to the reader.
- Create a storybook on the topic of the text, or a certain scene, or a certain character of the text.
- Retell or rewrite a part of the text from a different viewpoint.
- Research for information on a particular topic or character related to the text.
Working with the whole class
Working with the whole class can be particularly beneficial when introducing a text and also when the teacher is introducing or demonstrating a comprehension strategy. When the teacher is modelling a comprehension strategy to students, a whole-class setting will allow for discussion and varied questioning. Reading a text aloud to the class can also be a good experience for many students because students are able to enjoy the book irrespective of their own reading comprehension level.
Reading comprehension strategy activities that could be undertaken in a whole-class setting include:
- Building up students' background/semantic knowledge of a text or topic.
- Sizing up the text by looking at the structure, the cover, the title, the contents, etcetera.
- Making predictions about the information included, what the story will be about, what will happen in the end, etcetera.
- Discussing the genre of the text.
- Introducing and defining key vocabulary to students.
- Teacher modelling of inferring and questioning.
- Modelling the monitoring of comprehension by discusses individual pages.
- Discuss the issues that arise from the text or the topic of the text.
- Discuss the text and topics from different points of view.
Working in small groups
Small-group work can be beneficial to students in that groups can be divided according to students' comprehension levels and learning needs if appropriate. Grouping students according to the 'abilities' of students' allows the teacher to target their instruction more specifically. However, grouping students with varied abilities can also be beneficial in that students are able to assist one another and will come across different viewpoints. Group work is also beneficial for the teacher as they are able to work closely with one group while other groups are still working effectively.
Reading comprehension strategy activities that could be undertaken in a small-group setting include:
- Floor-storming and brain-storming about different topics, concepts and characters.
- Categorising information, topics and characters.
- Concept mapping.
- Re-creating a scene or event from a text with a performance.
All of the above activities could then be shared with the rest of the class.
Working in pairs
Pair-work is often helpful for students as they are able to discuss their thoughts with one other person. It gives each student a good chance to both speak and listen to other students for a significant amount of time. Student-to-student teaching can also occur during pair-work, which benefits both the 'teacher' and the 'student'. Students could be at similar reading levels or at more diverse levels.
Reading comprehension strategy activities that could be undertaken in pair-work include:
- Inferring and discussing thoughts on what a text might be about.
- Making predictions.
- Creating quizzes and games to monitor comprehension.
- Classify and categorise information, topics and characters of texts.
- Construct 3D models of characters, scenes and settings of texts.
Working individually
When students work individually they are encouraged to take responsibility for their work and to concentrate on their own thoughts, responses and questions about the text. Working individually also means that students are able to focus on details of the text they are reading.
Reading comprehension strategy activities that could be undertaken individually include:
- Completing and creating cloze passages to monitor comprehension.
- Re-order a jumbled text to monitor comprehension.
- Match illustrations with pieces of text or words to monitor comprehension. Students could also draw their own illustrations to convey their understanding.
- Summarise the text or a section of the text being read.
- Construct diagrams or other types of timelines of events in a text.
- Order information in order of importance to the reader.
- Create a storybook on the topic of the text, or a certain scene, or a certain character of the text.
- Retell or rewrite a part of the text from a different viewpoint.
- Research for information on a particular topic or character related to the text.