Document Type

Book

Publication Date

2007

Department

Education

Abstract

As educators, we seem to have more questions than answers to the complexity of reading. It seems that the more we read, the more we learn; the more we learn, the more we question. Will our prior knowledge interfere or enhance comprehending? What specific words will lift off the page and interact with our experiences? How and when do we maneuver independently through the text? Does this ever happen or do we rely on family, friends, teachers, or colleagues to help us gain or maintain control? Does comprehending look or sound differently to our spouses, our children, our own classroom of students, our friends, and fellow educators? How much support will our students need to understand the concept of comprehension behaviors? How much support will our students need to understand a text or a topic? As teachers, we often address these questions, but somehow, we know the variables that interplay with the reading process outweigh the answers. Posing these questions to colleagues, observing classrooms, and listening to conversations between teacher and student led us to writing this book. [excerpt]

Comments

This is the introduction from the complete book, Comprehension Strategies for Your K-6 Literacy Classroom: Thinking Before, During, and After Reading by Divonna Stebick and Joy Dain.