Comprehension

1. How can I assess children's comprehension skills?

Asking children the questions provided in the Story Lessons allows you to informally assess their skills as they read. Each question is labeled with the comprehension skill it addresses. Story Follow-up lessons have children complete a Student Book page that checks their understanding of the story just read. Also after children finish a Student Book, you can use the Progress Test to assess specific comprehension skills.

2. How can I give children additional practice with comprehension skills and strategies?

With a Ten-Minute Tuck-In activity included in many of the Story Follow-up lessons, you can have children practice summarizing and retelling the story just read. When children read Superkids Library Books, you can follow up with discussion and an activity that checks comprehension. In addition, children can continue developing listening comprehension with recorded readings on CD and books you read aloud.

3. How can I help children who are struggling with comprehension?

First take time to identify why they are having difficulty understanding what they're reading. Some children aren't able to comprehend because they are not yet decoding words smoothly. Work on blending with them. Other children may need you to spend more time building background and vocabulary before they read each story. During guided reading, explicitly model comprehension strategies and skills using additional Think-alouds. As children read aloud, remind them frequently to ask themselves if they understand and give them lots of guidance in using appropriate fix-up tips.

4. By the end of first grade, should children have mastered all the strategies and skills taught?

No. Developing comprehension strategies and skills is a gradual process. Children should begin to monitor their own comprehension and use fix-up tips independently, but they will need support even at the end of More Adventures of the Superkids. Similarly, children should be able apply comprehension skills, but may not recognize when to use them independently. Continue encouraging students to use strategies and skills.