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Use Informal Check-Ins to Monitor Reading Comprehension

Tags

ELA: Reading K-8 Strategy

Skills

Working Memory Attention Verbal Reasoning Abstract Reasoning

Use Informal Check-Ins to Monitor Reading Comprehension

If your student's reading comprehension is below grade level

Teach It!

  1. Objective: Informal check-ins after a student finishes a book will give students opportunity to reflect and strengthen summarization and analytical reading skills. It will also allow you to monitor comprehension.
  2. In the Classroom: Open up a conversation about the book using open-ended questions focused on what the student liked about the book, such as a favorite part or character. What was your favorite part of the story? Which character(s) did you like and how did they play a part in the story? What was an interesting problem in the story? How was it resolved? Also have students discuss books they have read with each other. If one student is interested in a book, have him talk about it with a student who has recently read the book.
  3. Parental Support: Guide parents how to open up these informal discussions at home. Stress that they should avoid making this interaction feel formal or like schoolwork. Rather, use the opportunity of a finished book to open a casual conversation about whether their child liked it, why or why not, and what the book was generally about.
  4. Web Resources: If your student is interested, you can find websites of book reviews by and for kids to see if children their age share their views. Bookopolis is one good option.

Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!

Sometimes students are eager to finish a book, without giving much thought to it when they finish. The extent to which students slow down their reading on encountering inconsistent information is a significant predictor of comprehension (Comprehension Instruction, Research-Based Best Practices, Block & Parris) Providing an opportunity for informal reflection can help them take away key information and consolidate their learning without reading feeling like a chore. It also enables adults to gauge whether or not students are fully comprehending what they read.