Classroom Observation Reading Comprehension
Plotting Effective Teaching of Reading
Comprehension
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?
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
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
©Tamaki Achievement Pathway 2007
What would it look like?
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.
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”.
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.
Plotting Effective Teaching of Reading
Comprehension
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
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?
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
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
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)
©Tamaki Achievement Pathway 2007
What would it look like?
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.
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
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”.
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.
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?