Knowledge of levels of Reading Comprehension is Important

Question:
Why is knowledge of Levels of Reading Comprehension (i.e., Literal Comprehension, Interpretive Comprehension, Applied Comprehension) important to a teacher, whatever subject he or she may teach? Illustrate, using an example in your own particular situation.

It is important for teachers to know the Levels of Reading Comprehension so they could help their students’ reading skills and abilities. By knowing different levels teacher will understand how to assist students, especially those with special needs, develop their reading skills, attitudes and processes. Reading can help students’ learn about word morphology, meaning and usage. It also allows students to understand and practice their phonics and spelling. Finally, it helps them to write Thus, helping improve their overall understanding of the language.

Reading also gives students better understanding of themselves, their friends, family, society, environment and the world. It offers them more words to choose from, which words to use when they need something or when they want to express themselves nicely to other people. Our librarian from Australia last year used to read books to our elementary students. She would let students repeat what she says at some point in the book like words that repeat most of the time, verbs, adjectives, articles or simply anything she chooses. Students enjoyed those sessions with her every week. Students really got interested in reading that she ended up challenging everyone to a reading contest. One of the students from Canada won the prize after reading 105 books last year.

I have supervised students from kindergarten, elementary, middle school and high school students and I have seen how different age groups and levels of students learn and deal with what they are learning in the classroom, gym and playground. In my multicultural games class, we study a little about geography, culture and language and what games exist in particular country. I usually ask a student to read from a book while other students listen. The question and answer after the reading portion usually is the most interesting because there you will know who are listening or who understood what was read.

I handled summer classes in reading, writing, scouting and science classes and I have seen how reading comprehension is related to the students’ understanding of vocabulary, speaking and writing abilities are also connected to the amount of vocabulary students have. Teachers should know when and how to improve students’ ability to read and understand what they are reading. Stanovich (1986) describes the cumulative effect of poor reading and vocabulary skills. Children who are poor readers usually also lack a wide vocabulary.

There are always reading differences especially in terms of phonics, understanding, word use and a lot more but these differences gradually disappear with teachers’ calculated pedagogy and help. Most students don’t see the differences at all. They see reading as one thing not as a process. They don’t see the details or specifics of what they are doing right away, they see whole act as one. They may hear the differences but they don’t recognize it at first. Teachers should help students understand what they are reading, how they should read it so others will be able to comprehend what they are saying. Reading for memory and retention of knowledge should be repeated frequently. All these needs teachers’ assistance.

New Japanese and Korean students of my school usually have a hard time reading due to differences in phonics, vocabulary and usage. Students’ home language also has an effect on how they pronounce words but this disappears gradually. They are usually quiet for about 3-5 months and start their real verbal interaction with their friends after about 6 months. Some of the smartest students we have started talking in English after a month or two although it’s far from perfect, the good thing is they are enjoying what they are reading and talking about in class especially when their translators (classmates from the same country) are around to help them understand. ESL teachers do a lot of reading, speaking and writing activities in class. There is a lot of time for interaction about a reading or a lot of talk about a particular topic as a follow up procedure after a reading session.

Teachers who keep students’ reading journal usually have a lot of things to say for their students reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling and use of words. They can easily connect their reading lessons to writing spelling in cursive or manuscript styles. I think that comprehension, interpretation, application and even analysis of reading material is directly related to students’ vocabulary store. Without a good foundation of vocabulary, students will find it hard to understand the material easily. Vocabulary knowledge is one of the best predictors of reading achievement (Richek, 2005). Bromley (2004), in a comprehensive review of research on vocabulary development, concludes that vocabulary knowledge promotes reading fluency, boosts reading comprehension, improves academic achievement, and enhances thinking and communication. Thus, the level of reading materials and the appropriate amount of teachers’ guidance for the reading processes are a very important requirement for teaching reading.

I handled summer classes in reading, writing, scouting and science classes and I have seen how reading comprehension is related to the students’ understanding of vocabulary. Speaking and writing abilities are also connected to the amount of vocabulary students have. Teachers should know when and how to improve students’ ability to read and understand what they are reading. Stanovich (1986) describes the cumulative effect of poor reading and vocabulary skills. Children who are poor readers usually also lack a wide vocabulary.

References:
1. http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/research/mcquirter.pdf
2. http://www.ttms.org/content_area_reading/content_area_reading.htm