Rethinking Reading Comprehension

Hi Literacy Lovers,

In this week's episode, we talk with researcher Hugh Catts.

We can't get enough of this quote:

"I had come to recognize that the field’s general approach to reading comprehension was shortsighted. We were treating reading comprehension as if it were a single construct that could be measured with one or more general reading tests and improved with a short-term intervention... But reading comprehension is not a skill someone learns and can then apply in different contexts. It is one of the most complex activities that we engage in on a regular basis."

With that in mind, let's rethink reading comprehension together.

 We are so glad you are here to learn with us! 💙

 

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Read This... 

In this recent Op Ed: “Confronting 5 Damaging Educational Myths", Robert Pondiscio challenges the idea of reading comprehension as a skill and even says, "When someone calls reading a skill, challenge them." Why? Because of the role KNOWLEDGE plays in comprehension!

"...building knowledge systematically over time and across subjects is boring and unappealing compared to shiny concepts like discovery learning; tossing aside a set, effective curriculum in favor of projects and activities feels liberating, engaging, fun to teach, and thus more effective. Even though knowledge development and implementing well-designed curricula with fidelity are far more successful approaches to the classroom, they feel constrained and limiting compared to the things we prefer doing. In this way, we invest ourselves in any number of false ideas about teaching and learning."

Mentioned on the Podcast

A list of all of the amazing resources mentioned in this week's episode! 

• Rethinking How to Promote Reading Comprehension | American Federation of Teachers by Hugh Catts 
• Why State Reading Tests Are Poor Benchmarks of Student Success by Hugh Catts
  

Lori Recommends

Access High Quality Curriculum Materials

If you're an educator who doesn't have access to high quality curriculum (HQC) yet, request to see materials. My biggest learning in Baltimore came when it was possible to SEE the knowledge building in the texts and tasks of HQC. After all, knowledge is power! Click here to contact Great Minds about Wit & Wisdom ELA materials for K-8  (click download curriculum review) or Geodes books for K-2. 

Melissa Recommends

The Writing Revolution Courses

I took The Writing Revolution Courses about a year ago, and they are WORTH IT! I learned a ton, and it helped me make sense of how to apply what is introduced in the book to my classroom. I would highly recommend the K-2 specific course for concrete ways to apply the strategies with younger students!

Thanks for reading, Literacy Lovers! 

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