Reading ...Help me!

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Reading Teachers Chatboard

Reading ...Help me!

by Genay Rancorn

Sep 19, 2010

If you give a student a passage to read, then give them a test on it two days later without access to the text, aren't you assessing RECALL only. I was taught that you teaching comprehension strategies and then allow students to use put those into practice.

This is not done at the private school that I am now in The text is old Scott Foresman. I discussed it with our principal and she wondered what the TE says to do (allow students to reread the text as they are taking the comp. test or not) The TE says nothing. What should I do to help the school with this?

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teri On 9/19/10, Genay Rancorn wrote: > If you give a student a passage to read, then give them a > test on it two days later without access to the text, > aren't you assessing RECALL only. I was taught that you > teaching comprehension strategies and then allow students > to use put those into practice. > > This is not done at the ...See More

Sep 19, 2010

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Mae in Texas I agree with Teri. You are assessing recall. Mae

Sep 24, 2010

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Sara On 9/19/10, Genay Rancorn wrote: > If you give a student a passage to read, then give them a > test on it two days later without access to the text, > aren't you assessing RECALL only. I was taught that you > teaching comprehension strategies and then allow students > to use put those into practice. > > This is not done at the ...See MoreOn 9/19/10, Genay Rancorn wrote: > If you give a student a passage to read, then give them a > test on it two days later without access to the text, > aren't you assessing RECALL only. I was taught that you > teaching comprehension strategies and then allow students > to use put those into practice. > > This is not done at the private school that I am now in The > text is old Scott Foresman. I discussed it with our > principal and she wondered what the TE says to do (allow > students to reread the text as they are taking the comp. > test or not) The TE says nothing. What should I do to help > the school with this?

I'd agree and fully that a test two days after a passage is read is testing recall - perhaps as well as comprehension - but two days after reading a passage even if well understood at the time is too long. Kids forget things espcially about reading passages - these reading passages are usually not very interesting reading...

That answered what else are you asking? Does your principal think these tests 'teach' comprehension? Tests are tests - a test based on a reading passage does not teach comprehension in and of itself. It tests comprehension - even if read immediately afterwards, it does demand some recall as well.

What's wanted? That students improve their comprehension of reading? How well do your students decode? A lot of comprehension issues lie in the simple struggle to decode the words.

I'd suggest having your principal read the book "Mosaic of Thought" - sounds like she doesn't know much about comprehending reading.

And I wouldn't use a text if I wanted to foster comprehension of reading. The text alone shuts kids down. Give them instructions on putting something together, give a label from a soup can and ask them to read it and explain it - real exercises awaken the brain to comprehending reading rather than mouthing the words. Scatter poetry through the year - nothing helps with comprehension like poetry because it can mean a million different things all at the same time.

Those passages and the follow-up tests lead kids to believe there's only one right answer and then they waste time and brain energy figuring out what the one right answer is. Comprehension of written material isn't a one right answer thing - it's just that we make simple tests that try to suggest that it is.

Sep 29, 2010

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