©Tamaki Achievement Pathway 2007

Classroom Observation Reading Comprehension

Plotting Effective Teaching of Reading

Comprehension

What would it look like?

Text and non text focus

o Citing the specific text –

author/purpose

o Make connections text to text

(intertextual)

o Directing student back to text

o Activating prior knowledge of

that text-remember when we

did…

o Relevant

o What is our purpose for reading

this text?

Discuss the cover and pictures throughout book.

Relate the pictures to experiences the students

have had.

Relate to other texts that have been read.

Discuss the author‟s purpose for writing this

story. Link with other stories written by the same

author.

The text is relevant to the students.

Draw parallels to other texts, characters, plot,

genre, using Venn diagrams

Promote interaction with the text.

Word map vocabulary. “Golden” sentences.

Make predictions of what it is about, what might

happen etc.

Vocabulary questions (Teacher)

o What clues does the text give

you about this word?

o Can you think of another word

(synonyms)?

o Is there something about part of

the word that gives you a clue?

o Can you make up your own

definition from the text? Does it

make sense?

o Have you seen/used this word in

another way?

o Good vocabulary questions

should link to checking for

evidence?

o Judicious use of dictionary

Teacher has pre read the text and introduces new

vocabulary. List words.

Target specific questions to particular students.

Use correct language eg synonyms

Predict the meaning of a word and then confirm

using dictionary.

Use pictures as clues.

New words should be “past the ear and past the

tongue”

Open ended questions.

Teacher knows what language feature they want

to focus on and gets students to find examples in

the text.

Use vocabulary in context.

Look at context / content use of vocabulary.

Teacher gives feedback / feedforward when

students are working on vocabulary.

Students contribute to discussion

Say the word – “You say that word”, “What

would make sense”, “Can you compare it back”,

Think about the word”.

Vocabulary elaboration (Teacher)

o Synonyms – restate things in

another way

o Word families – word derivation

o Cultural knowledge of where the

word has come from

Build word bank of synonyms.

Write sentence with a gap – “Can you think of

another word?”

“Can you see a word inside that word?”

“What do you know about that word?”

“Where have you used that word before?”

Use of a glossary (Journals often have them)

Link to students‟ culture.

What are the key or concept words to hang text

on?

Invite discussion about words eg. In Maori we

say……. Etc.

©Tamaki Achievement Pathway 2007

Plotting Effective Teaching of Reading

Comprehension

What would it look like?

Extended talk (Teacher/ Student)

o Discussing nuances of meaning

o Links to incorporation

o Relevant reference to prior

experiences

o Incorporates the „teachable

moment‟

o Encouraging student to student talk

and bringing ideas back to main

group

o Examples are clearly linked back

Students relate or compare experiences.

Students talk and question each other and teacher.

Don‟t get hung up on time and use the „teachable

moment‟.

Teacher shares their personal experiences.

Teacher values talk.

Refer back to text, other text or experience to link

understanding.

Encourage reflection – sharing circle, group

response, reporting back.

Use I/ we think…… statements.

Encourage asking questions, sharing ideas and

justifying ideas.

Checking and Evaluation (Teacher,

Student)

o Show me in the text

o Were we right when we made that

prediction?

o Why do you think that?

o Where is the evidence (More than

just text, an inference is made from

own experience)?

o Have we achieved our purpose for

reading this?

Finding proof. “Find the sentence that tells us

that”.

Discuss fact or opinion, author‟s version etc.

Encourage students to check own prior

knowledge against the text.

Reflect on the focus, learning intention, success

criteria.

Ask open ended questions to justify.

PMI with justification

Incorporation by Teacher (use of

student’s linguistic, cultural resources)

o Relates to children‟s experiences –

similarities and differences

o Understands the linguistic

differences in languages

o Links to family titles e.g. uncle,

auntie (cultural inclusiveness in

families/relationships)

o Connections can include pop

culture

o Doesn‟t make assumptions

Teacher checks own assumptions about vocab (eg

stove / oven)

Encourage good relationships - teacher prepared

to listen and encourage students to take risks and

ownership.

Ensure teacher and students are “on the same

page”.

Talk about words.

Understand students‟ “lingo”.

Prompt awareness (of strategy use)

o What strategies have we used?

o Reminders about previously used

strategies

o Where might we find help?

o What the purpose of the lesson is?

o Reminders about conventions of

text

Teacher encourages active reflection /

participation.

Narrow focus / strategy – returning to it

throughout lesson.

Teacher models or explains the process of finding

help using re-running, syllabification, using

context, using dictionary, questioning etc.

Highly informative feedback

o Related to the learning intention

o Specific to the task / learning

o Emphasising what is important

o Feed forward specific not general

o Evaluative against success criteria

(progress towards meeting learning

intention)

Learning Intentions are visible, specific and

referred to often.

Success Criteria – what are we focusing on? Did

you achieve this? What is the next thing we need

to do? What do we do next time?

Students take ownership.

Students help with forward planning.

Self evaluation – What didn‟t you get? What do

we do next time?