Reading Research Review: Comprehension Strategies

Reading research done for you

Maybe you need research articles for edTPA or you’re looking to incorporate new strategies in the classroom. Either way, I’ve compiled a list of 3 great research articles that might help support comprehension discussions.

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Each article listed was found using my university’s research database. I have listed the APA citation to help you find the full article if it sounds like one that can support your needs.

Years Later, Comprehension Strategies Still at Work

This article bullet points and explains the various ways explicitly teaching comprehension strategies to students is so important to their ability to comprehend what they read. Keene and Zimmermann point out reading instruction should cause us, as adults, to think about our reading, provide a common language for students and teachers, increase the amount of time spent on comprehension instruction, create more organic modes for discussion, encourage teachers to raise the bar, and focus on teaching how to read instead of teaching the text. 

A major take away is our instruction of comprehension, to be good and accessible instruction, must be adaptable because comprehension strategies are adaptable. We have to be cognizant of how we deliver these strategies to our students and do our best to not present the strategies as a “step one then step two” while reading. Comprehension strategies should not be boxes students check-off when they’ve completed one.

Keene EO, Zimmermann S. (2013). Years later, comprehension strategies still at work. Reading Teacher, 66(8), 601-606. https://doi:10.1002/trtr.1167.

Paraphrasing: An Effective Comprehension Strategy

One way to help students think about reading comprehension as a collection of strategies and not one strategy at a time is to teach paraphrasing. As this article points out, paraphrasing allows readers to put what they read into their own words. In addition, paraphrasing is not retelling what was read, either, since readers are encourage to use their own words to make understandings and not the words of the author.

What is interesting is how the article lays out steps to teaching paraphrasing to students, beginning with modeling the technique. Since modeling can be down with think alouds using a text on the reader’s level, this strategy fits well with my guided reading instruction since students are grouped together based on reading level.

Kletzien, Sharon B. (2009). Paraphrasing: an effective comprehension strategy. The Reading Teacher, 63(1), 73. https://doi.org/10.1598/RT.63.1.7

Is this short list helpful? What type of research are you looking for? Leave a comment below letting me know what you need!

Assessing Comprehension: A Classroom-based Process

This article follows classroom assessment practices in a school district in Wisconsin, focusing on the best ways for teachers to truly assess their students’ comprehension that doesn’t focus on multiple choice questions or high-stakes testing. The teacher of focus, Kelly, demonstrates her strategies for using on-going assessments to track her students’ comprehension. What I really like in the article is the use of a Summary of Comprehension form that breaks down multiple levels of comprehension and ranks the student from 1 (understanding, not yet demonstrating) to 4 (sophisticated understanding). Some areas of focus include literal and interpretive comprehension, critical thinking, word meaning, and multiple other universal reading strategies. 

One way I have used the sticky note idea in my instruction is through “conversations” between classes. Since I use the same guided reading texts for both my reading classes, students post notes (ex: one class blue, the other orange) inside the book asking and answering student-created “thin” and “thick” questions. 

Fiene J, McMahon S. (2007). Assessing comprehension: A classroom-based process. Reading Teacher, 60(5), 406-417. https://doi:10.1598/RT.60.5.1

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