What do good readers do?
This is a difficult question for any person to answer, as reading comprehension is an invisible process for the most part. A struggling reader cannot see the reading comprehension strategies a strong reader uses when reading. Struggling readers can’t see their classmates re-read, make personal connections, visualize, or make inferences. As a teacher, it is important to make such processes visible in the classroom. Educators must model reading strategies, allow collaborative discussions about reading, and provide opportunities for repeated practice of making meaning of texts.
Recently I read Kylene Beers’ text “When Kids Can’t Read: What Teachers Can Do - A Guide for Teachers 6-12” in an attempt to better my teaching practices surrounding reading.
Beers lists practical, easy to integrate pre-reading, during reading, and after-reading strategies that educators can implement in their own classroom. She draws on over 20 years of personal experience as both a teacher and reading specialist to share what she has learned and shows teachers how to help struggling readers with:
- comprehension
- vocabulary
- fluency
- word recognition
- student motivation
See the following Google Doc for my detailed notes on this textbook.