There are several types of reading comprehension strategies that readers will utilize throughout their lives.

• Using and interpreting text features (graphs, charts, maps, etc.)
• Determining importance or the central idea and identifying key details
• Synthesizing or summarizing complex concepts or processes
• Visualizing
• Making inferences
• Making connections
• Asking questions

Each of these comprehension techniques uses a different set of skills. In this blog we will examine the different comprehension strategies and explore how they help us to fully understand text. Let’s take a look at our first comprehension strategy:

Text Features may include such things as headings, subheadings, graphs, charts, maps, captions, table of contents, index, etc. These features are presented in texts to assist readers in focusing on the important information in the text. One way that text features assist in student learning is through developing schema. When a student reads or views text features during reading of a text it can provide a better understanding of the main text body.

Another reason that text features are so important is that they often alert the reader to focus on a section of the text. When engaged in a text a reader can use a heading or subheading to set a purpose for reading that section.

Text features also present material in smaller sections. This can assist a reader in their learning about unknown material. Utilizing the table of contents, index and glossary can also guide the reader in finding the important information that they need in the text.

By utilizing the many text features found in informational texts students can build schema and gain a better understanding of complex texts.

Check out the Curriculum Connection next week to read more about comprehension strategies!

Sam Williams

Senior Curriculum Consultant

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