Vocabulary and Vocabulary and Comprehension of Comprehension of

Narrative and Narrative and Informational TextsInformational Texts

Dr. Elaine Roberts

KWL chart for vocabulary KWL chart for vocabulary instruction for narrative and instruction for narrative and informational textsinformational texts

What do I think I know about assessing and teaching voc for narrative texts? For informational texts?

What do I want to know?

What did I learn?

Vocabulary Vocabulary Fantasy: Caprice, whim, power of invention, flight of the imagination, daydream, whimsy How would you teach the vocabulary for fantasy?

How do you increase your own How do you increase your own vocabulary as a teacher and vocabulary as a teacher and student? student?

Develop a love of words through word play-students discover interesting words and develop word walls. Play word games and crossword puzzles

Teach words they need to know by discussing them and using them in a multisensory way. Encourage use of the words during response to literature.

Teach word parts (affixes-prefixes, suffixes, root words) and use them in writing and activities

Teach authors style and use of words. Provide literature circles, book clubs, etc to use words and learn more about words with dictionary games. Act out words like surprised and stupefied. Create word walls for math and science words.

We learn words through reading, context, reference book use, and direct instruction (Beck and McKeown, 1991).

Teaching the word “brusque” in Teaching the word “brusque” in context. Context clues help with context. Context clues help with vocabulary but are a limited help for vocabulary but are a limited help for pronunciation (DeVries text, p. 158).pronunciation (DeVries text, p. 158).

“What’s wrong with Joan?” Lynn asked.“I don’t know. Why?” Deena replied. “Last night she was so brusque. When I

saw her in the grocery store and asked her how she was, she replied, ‘None of your business!’ and stomped away.”

Formal AssessmentsFormal Assessments

Formal Reading Tests with Vocabulary SubtestsStandardized Achievement TestsITBS and CRCTSATGates-MacGinitie Reading Tests (K-12)MATGroup Diagnostic TestsStanford Diagnostic reading Test (1-12)Iowa Silent Reading test (6-Adult)Nelson Denny Reading Tests (9-Adult) Individual Diagnostic Reading TestsWoodcock Reading Mastery Test (1-12)Durrell Analysis of reading difficulties (K-12)

What Students need to know to What Students need to know to comprehend narrative textscomprehend narrative texts

Finding main ideasPredictingMaking inferencesSetting a purposeSelf-monitoringGenerating visual images

More strategies students need to More strategies students need to know to comprehend narrative know to comprehend narrative texttext

Drawing conclusionsSummarizingRetellingComparing/contrastingInterrelating ideasConnecting background knowledge to new

information

And more strategies to And more strategies to comprehend narrative textscomprehend narrative texts

Understanding characters’ motivesSequencing eventsSelf-questioningAnalyzing text for story elementsSynthesizingRetaining informationElaborating author’s intentUnderstanding purpose

ESSENTIAL Before, During, and ESSENTIAL Before, During, and After Reading StrategiesAfter Reading Strategies

Before reading: Predict, set a purpose for readingDuring reading: Making inferencesSelf-monitoring – When reading teach students to ask

themselves “does it make sense to me?” Graphic organizers help with self monitoring.

VisualizingConnecting prior knowledge to texts

◦ Literacy knowledge◦ World knowledge◦ Life experienceAfter reading:

Finding main ideasDrawing conclusionsElaborating on the author’s intent

Characteristics of Poor ReadersCharacteristics of Poor Readers

DeVries text p. 187 from Richek, Caldwell, Jennings, & Lerner (2006). Reading Problems by Allyn & Bacon.

Focus exclusively on pronouncing words Remembers small, unimportant details Relies too much on picture clues Lacks appropriate background knowledge Has a limited vocabulary Doesn’t recognize failures of comprehension Doesn’t connect prior knowledge to text Has difficulty drawing inferences May lack decoding skills (some poor comprehenders

have good decoding skills)(Drama helps ESL learners who are experiencing

difficulty comprehending text)

Group Activity: Create 2 interesting Group Activity: Create 2 interesting interactiveinteractive class centers based on what class centers based on what you learn. Create a rubric for each you learn. Create a rubric for each center. center.

(DeVries text p. 194-207)Group 1 pages 194-195Group 2 pages 196-197Group 3 pages 198-200Group 4 pages 201-203Group 5 pages 204-205 and top of 206Group 6 pages 206-207 & page 188-189 The Maze test

Good Comprehension of Good Comprehension of Informational TextsInformational Texts

Reads for details Makes inferences readily Visualizes Predicts Brings in appropriate background knowledge Summarizes Self-monitors Possesses a broad vocabulary Engrossed in story Understands metaphors and figurative language Synthesizes Draws conclusions Decodes unknown words automatically Has good memories Develops valid interpretations Integrates relevant text information with background

knowledge

Organization of Expository Texts Organization of Expository Texts (Informational Texts)(Informational Texts)

Chronology or sequenceDescription or enumerationListingClassification or hierarchyComparison/contrastCause/effectProblem/solutionPersuasionAssessment aid: Observation checklists based on

state standards help determine if students understand the organization of informational texts to help with comprehension

Sample Expectation Grid for Sample Expectation Grid for comprehension comprehension

Interactive Group Activity: Create Interactive Group Activity: Create 2 class centers related to what 2 class centers related to what you have learned. Include a rubric you have learned. Include a rubric for each center. for each center.

Group 1 pages 235-238Group 2 pages 239-top of 241Group 3 bottom of page 241-middle of

page 244Group 4 bottom of page241-246Group 5 p. 247-249Group 6 p. 250-252