Becky Marder

EDUC 6400
Materials Analysis 2
A. Vocabulary Instruction
1. Description: Briefly describe the approach to teaching vocabulary used in these
materials. What types of teaching/learning activities are suggested in the
teacher’s manual or student materials?
i. Different words have different utilities for teaching (Beck, 2002). Most
researchers agree that teachers should focus on teaching Tier 2 vocabulary
(Beck, 2002). This is because Tier 2 vocabulary is appropriately complex,
but not domain-specific, so it has a general utility (Beck, 2002). These
materials use Tier 2 vocabulary found within the text: apparent, emerged,
impulse, retrieved, and sullen (Lesson Plan, p.33). All of these words can
also be used outside of the context of this specific text. Additionally, this
curriculum introduces Tier 3 vocabulary words which “refer to concepts
that need explanation,” and academic vocabulary (Kucan, 2012, p. 363).
Academic vocabulary can be further categorized as domain-specific
academic vocabulary and general academic vocabulary (Baumann &
Graves, 2010). Domain-specific academic vocabulary is “the content
specific words used in disciples like biology, geometry, civics, and
geography” and general academic vocabulary is the “broad, all-purpose
terms that appear across content areas but that may vary in meaning
because of the disciple itself” (Baumann & Graves, 2010, p. 6). The
student workbook even defines academic vocabulary and how and why it
is useful to students (workbook, p. xiii). For example, the words climax,
conflict, parallel episode, plot, resolution, and subplot are taught at the
beginning of the lesson (Student textbook, pg. 2). These words are Tier 3,
domain specific words because they are exclusively used in the domain of
literacy. The curriculum also teaches the words “proposition” and
“support” in teaching about the structure of informational text (Student
textbook, p.29).
ii. One approach this curriculum uses is to teach morphological problem
solving. Using morphology to understand words can “strengthen
vocabulary acquisition, inform spelling choices, improve word reading,
and support reading comprehension” (Pachecho & Goodwin, 2013, p.541).
Research has shown that students can use knowledge of morphemes to
deduct the meaning of three additional words for every new word that is
learned (Pachecho & Goodwin, 2013). In this lesson, there is direct
instruction about the utility of Latin roots (Lesson Plan, p. 35). It is first
introduced by the teacher during the lesson. The teacher is instructed to
explain how some of English words relate to Latin words and their
meanings. The information given by the teacher is echoed and expanded
on in the student textbook and student workbook (Textbook pp. 27-28;
Workbook, p.5). This page in the textbook explains how English derives
from Latin and then explains the Latin derivations of the students’ five
vocabulary words.
 iii. One of the important tenets of teaching vocabulary is understanding how
to assess it (Kucan, 2012). Teachers need to create assessments that focus
on the students’ depth of knowledge about a word (Kucan, 2012). I do not
believe that these materials assess depth of knowledge of vocabulary
words. Assessments include matching words to definitions, using words in
a sentence, and a cloze passage (Teacher Lesson Plan, pp. 37, 40). These
assessments do not require students to think deeply about the words or use
them in multiple contexts. Accurate assessment should use multiple
questions about each word (Kucan, 2012).
iv. Kucan (2012) explains the idea of an “energized verbal environment”
where “words are not only noticed and appreciated, but also savored and
celebrated” (p. 361). Teachers need to create a deliberate environment
where curiosities about words are encouraged (Kucan, 2012). It is the
teacher’s, and the curriculum’s, job to build “instructional sequences that
focus directly on word meaning” (Kucan, 2013, p. 363). This curriculum
adequately immerses students in the target words. The words are
introduced across all three materials, and the information is consistent
across the three. First, the teacher introduces the target words and gives a
short definition (Teacher Lesson Plan, p. 33). Then, the words are
reviewed before reading so that students can spot them in the text and
understand their context within the story. The words are also bolded
within the text. Context needs to be provided for a word in order for it to
be properly understood (Kucan, 2013). Also in the textbook, the
definitions of key vocabulary words are shown at the bottom of the
reading. Similarly, in the student workbook, the definitions are displayed
in the margins. Repeated exposure is one of the tenets of good vocabulary
instruction (Blachowicz, Fisher, & Ogle, 2006). Additionally, in the
student textbook, some words that are not explicitly taught have
definitions included in the footnotes. This is an example of Graves,
Baumann, Blachowicz, Manyak, Bates, Cieply, and Guntun’s (2013)
“brief explanation.” These are words that have clear cut definitions that
can be addressed while reading.
v. Kucan (2013) also discusses the necessity of student-friendly definitions.
In this curriculum, students are given simple, one word or phrase
definitions of their target vocabulary (workbook, p.5; lesson plan, p.33;
textbook, p. 28). The definitions are digestible and applicable.
2. Research based practices? Briefly, describe research based best practices relating
to:
i. Vocabulary instruction
1. There are many suggestions by many different researchers about
how to teach vocabulary. One of the most common themes is that
students need to develop word consciousness and be constantly
surrounded by words (Graves et al., 2013; Kucan, 2013;
Blachowicz et al., 2006). Some vocabulary knowledge can come
from incidental learning, so it is important that teachers choose
rich and complex texts to read to their students (Blachowicz et al.,
 2006). Dictionaries can be a helpful tool for learning new words,
but vocabulary also needs to be specifically taught in classrooms
(Graves et al., 2013; Kucan, 2013). When teaching vocabulary,
phonology, orthography, morphology, and syntax must all be
addressed (Kucan, 2013). These domains of vocabulary can be
taught through varied language experiences (Graves et al., 2013).
2. There are specific best practices around teaching vocabulary. First,
a teacher must give the definition of the word in kid friendly terms
(Graves et al., 2013; Kucan, 2013). Then, the students need to see
the word in multiple contexts, be exposed to the word multiple
times, engage in discussion and active processing around the new
word, and review the vocabulary words (Graves et al., 2013;
Blachowicz et al., 2006). Specific ways teachers can accomplish
this is to display the word for students to use in the classroom,
pronounce the word and have students practice their pronunciation,
use various forms of the word, and utilize a variety of activities
(Kucan, 2013). Graves et al. (2013) propose that there are three
different ways teachers can instruct vocabulary: powerful
instruction, brief explanation, or infer meaning. Which strategy
teachers use will depend on the word, it’s use in the text, and the
students’ prior knowledge. Furthermore, Kucan (2013) said that
students need to engage in meaningful, engaging activities and be
assessed in a way that gauges depth of knowledge about the
vocabulary words. Blachowicz et al. (2006) suggest that teachers
can utilize semantic mapping where kids vocalize the relationship
between words as meaningful, engaging vocabulary activity.
3. Lastly, many researchers agree that understanding word learning
strategies and how and when to use them is key to learning
vocabulary (Graves et al., 2013; Pachecho & Goodwin, 2013;
Blachowicz et al., 2006). One word learning strategy is
understanding morphology. Students can use morphological clues
to understand the meaning of new words (Pachecho & Goodwin,
2013; Blachowicz et al., 2006).
ii. Selection of words for vocabulary instruction
1. There are many different word lists in the research that teachers
can use to inform their instruction (Graves et al., 2013). There is a
lot of research suggesting that teachers should focus on Tier Two
words in instruction (Graves et al., 2013). Tier Two words are
“those that have ‘high utility for mature language users and are
found across a variety of domains’” (Graves et al., 2013). Kucan
(2013) further defines Tier Two words as the words that are most
often encountered in books, words that students most likely have
some background knowledge to understand, words that appear
across content areas, and words that are important for
comprehending texts. Beck (2002) is a good resource for a
comprehensive understanding of how to select Tier Two words.
 Graves et al. (2013) have further developed a word choosing
strategy they call SWIT. SWIT categorizes words into essential
words “critical for comprehending the text,” valuable words that
have a “broad general utility,” accessible words that are “more
common…words that are not likely to be understood by students
who have limited vocabulary knowledge,” and imported words
which “enhance reader’s understanding” of the selected text
(Graves et al., 2013, p. 336). These categories help teachers
organize their instruction.
2. Pachecho and Goodwin (2013) believe that students need to be
taught roots, prefixes, and suffixes alongside strategies for using
morphological knowledge. Once students know the definitions of
parts of words, they can piece together the meaning of unknown
words (Pachecho & Goodwin, 2013).
3. Blachowicz et al., (2006) recommend the method of reciprocal
teaching where students choose their own words to learn. They
must first be taught how to choose useful words, but once they
have been it can be a very useful word learning strategy
(Blachowicz et al., 2006).
iii. In what ways does this instruction match or diverge from ideas about
vocabulary instruction you have just outlined in a) and b) above?
1. This curriculum aligns with many of the suggestions from
researchers about vocabulary instruction. The curriculum explicitly
teaches morphology, and focuses on Tier Two words that are
applicable in multiple contexts. It also teaches Tier 3 words that
are important for the specific context of the lesson. An area this
curriculum could develop more is in the vocabulary activities and
assessment. The activities in this curriculum are not as authentic or
engaging as many of the researchers suggest. The students are not
asked to use the words in multiple contexts. There are also no
activities that engage the students in discussion about the words.
They are introduced in kid-friendly terms, but that is the end of the
vocabulary instruction. At the end of the lesson, students are asked
to match the words to their exact definitions as introduced by the
teacher and write a sentence about only two of the words. This
does not align with Kucan’s (2013) suggestions about assessing
students in a way that reveals their depth of understanding about
words, nor does it align with researcher’s suggestions to teach
vocabulary words in across multiple contexts.
3. Describe one way you would adapt and enhance these lessons to make them more
powerful for teaching vocabulary. If needed, you can suggest instructional
practices that go beyond those recommended in the materials. Cite research or
theory as a rational for you changes.
i. As stated above, students need to be engaged in active learning of
vocabulary in order to learn the depth of new words (Kucan, 2013). I do
not believe that this curriculum satisfies the best practices laid out above.
 It is unclear from the teacher lesson plan exactly how to discuss the
vocabulary words. It does not state whether there is explicit instruction, or
if students are expected to learn the words just by reading the definitions
in their textbook. It is important to explicitly teach vocabulary words we
want our students to know (Graves et al., 2013). In order to improve this
lesson, I would follow the method laid out by Kucan (2013). The first
change I would make would be to introduce the words in context rather
than as a list in isolation. I think that the book does a good job of
explaining the words in a kid-friendly manner by using a short definition,
usually using a synonym that the students probably know. Next, I would
make sure that the words for instruction are displayed somewhere in the
classroom, probably in the classroom library. Kucan (2013) suggests that
teachers use a variety of activities to reinforce the pronunciation of words,
to help students use various forms of the word, and to provide additional
context. None of this is done in the lesson as it stands. The only activity
the students do to engage with the vocabulary is to match it to the correct
definition and write a sentence about it. Kucan (2013) recommends an
activity where student develop associations between words. Blachowicz et
al. (2006) also recommends semantic mapping where students have to
explain why they made connections between words. Because the words
introduced in this curriculum are rich and I believe these students are at an
age where they can tackle it, I would introduce semantic mapping.
Students would be asked to make a map of all the words they can think of
that are related to a specific vocabulary word. Students would then present
their map to a partner to explain the connections between words. As
challenge or extension, students could create a paragraph using as many of
the words in their semantic map as possible.
B. Fluency Instruction
1. Description: Briefly describe the approach to teaching fluency used in these
materials. What types of teaching/learning activities are suggested in the teacher’s
manual or student materials?
i. Fluency is not an obvious focus in this curriculum. There are only a few
instances in the lesson plan where it suggests that teachers address
fluency. The teacher lesson plan mentions that there is a modified version
of the text included in the curriculum that students can use to practice
fluent reading (p.33). Deeney (2010) suggests that in order for students to
increase their fluency, they need to practice with texts that they can read
fluently. The curriculum also suggests a read aloud to practice fluency
(Lesson Plan, p.36). The teacher chooses a short passage and models good
reading. After, students are encouraged to read the passage in their heads a
couple of times to become confident with the content. Then, they are
asked to use expression and proper rate when reading aloud. They suggest
that this process be repeated for a couple of days. Deeney (2010) and
Samuels (2006) speak to the merits of rereading texts to move towards
fluency. It is important to note that these activities are both labeled as
“additional.” Therefore, in this curriculum, fluency is not seen as a
 priority. It is either seen as a modification for poor readers or additional
practice that should only be used if there is time.
ii. There is a short element in the Student activity book (p. xv) that defines
fluent readers. It says that successful readers are able to read “clearly,
easily, quickly, and without word identification problems.” This definition
leaves out a key part of fluency: prosody. Prosody includes “tone,
inflection, and rhythm that make reading sound like oral language, speech,
drama, or music” (Deeney, 2010, p. 441).
2. Research based practices?
i. What is reading fluency and why it is important?
1. Fluency can be defined as “freedom from word identification
problems that might hinder comprehension…automaticity’ and a
fluent reader as ‘any person who reads smoothly, without
hesitation, and with comprehension’” (Deeney, 2010, p. 440).
Samuels (2006) also states that fluency is situational; it is
dependent on both the readability of the text and the topic of the
text. There are four components to fluency: accuracy, rate or
speed, prosody, and comprehension (Deeney, 2010; Allington,
2006). Accuracy, rate, and prosody are all “vehicles to
comprehension” (Deeney, 2010, p.440). Therefore, if a student is
not a fluent reader, they will not comprehend the text they are
reading (Samuels, 2006). When a student is a dysfluent reader, all
of their cognitive resources are being use to decode the text and
nothing is left to comprehend meaning (Samuels, 2006). When a
reader becomes fluent, resources are freed up to use for
comprehension (Samuels, 2006). Another result of fluency is
endurance. When a reader is able to read fluently, they can read for
longer periods of time (Deeney, 2010).
ii. Briefly, describe research-based best practices for fluency instruction?
1. There are not many paths to fluency (Samuels, 2006). Basically, in
order to become a fluent reader, a student needs to read a lot
(Samuels, 2006; Allington, 2006). Two ways to do this is through
repeated reading and independent reading (Samuels, 2006;
Allington, 2006). Students will generally begin to see an increase
in fluency after four re-readings of a text (Samuels, 2006). One
model of re-reading is to have students read with a partner. One
partner reads while the other acts as the “teacher” and asks
comprehension questions. Then, the partners switch (Samuels,
2006).
2. In order to aid fluency, teachers need to present explicit instruction
in decoding, self-regulation, and comprehension strategies
(Allington, 2006). Allington (2006) argues that students are trained
to be hesitant readers by teachers who constantly interrupt to
provide support. This is usually because poor readers are reading
text way too difficult for them (Allington, 2006). Instead, students
 should be given the opportunity to practice reading with high-
success texts (Allington, 2006).
3. Some other strategies are to read interesting texts, create high
expectations in the classroom, and to engage parents and
caregivers in the reading process (Deeney, 2010).
iii. In what ways does this instruction match or diverge from your
descriptions in b) above and the Class 10 readings on reading fluency
instruction?
1. There are a couple of opportunities for students to practice fluency
with this text, but not as much as the researchers would
recommend. Depending on what the teacher decides to include,
students may have an opportunity to briefly practice rereading the
text.
2. There is only one text, so there is no guarantee that this text will be
high success for all students. The lack of choice in the text also
does not allow students to choose a text that interests them. There a
short definition of a fluent reader and brief instruction on reading
with expression and proper rate, but there is no explicit instruction
in decoding or self-regulation.
C. Comprehension Processes and Readers’ Diverse Backgrounds
1. Description: Analyze some of the main schema that students need in order to
comprehend Broken Chain by Gary Soto. Draw a map showing some of the key
elements of that schema (similar to the ones we created in Class 14). On you map,
indicate which elements are explicit in the text, and which elements are implicit
and must be inferred or filled in by students.
i. **Implicit marked with I and Explicit marked with E
2. Students from Culturally Diverse Backgrounds: Broken Chain tells the story
of adolescents living in an urban, U.S. city. Consider the cultural and personal
experiences that students from diverse backgrounds may bring to this text –
particularly those who are relatively new immigrants to the U.S.
i. Briefly describe a specific group of students whose cultural experiences
may differ from those of the characters in Broken Chain. Given the
personal and cultural experiences, which parts of the text would you
predict might cause comprehension difficulties? Why?
1. This text represents a very specific cultural group, so there are
many children with whom this text may not connect with. Because
I have personal experience with this group of children through my
work at my practicum sight, I would like to focus on children from
a Kurdish background. Nashville has recently seen a rapid increase
in the number of people from Kurdistan as they flee from turmoil
in their home countries. I believe that one part of the text that
would cause significant comprehension difficulties would be
Alfonso’s relationship with his dad. Kurdish culture is incredibly
family-oriented, so it may be a struggle to comprehend why a
father may be “sullen” towards his children or call his son rude
names such as “sissy.” Another part of the text that may cause
comprehension issues is the discussion about Halloween. Kurdish
families may not yet be familiar with more traditionally American
holidays such as Halloween. If this story is read at a time of year
when these children have not yet experienced Halloween in the
U.S., the concept of dressing up in costume and walking around
may cause confusion. Lastly, recent immigrants from dangerous
countries may struggle to understand the freedom that the children
have in the story. If they come from a country stricken with war, it
may have been a very dangerous place to live. If that is the case, I
imagine that those students did not have the ability to hop on their
bike and ride alone to the park such as Alfonso does. Instruction
around this text may need to be an explicit discussion about the
concept of neighborhoods and how often parents trust their
children and their neighbors enough that they will allow them to
venture from home.
ii. For the same student group, give an example of a part of the text where
students could easily use cultural experiences to make inferences needed
to comprehend the text. Explain your reasoning.
1. I think that much of the culture of being a teenager is not
dependent on a specific background. Students of all backgrounds
can understand having a crush and wanting to look attractive. I also
imagine that many students can comprehend having possessions
(in this case, a bike) that their siblings want to borrow. Most
children with siblings can identify with the feeling of not wanting
to share something that is important to them.
 2. One thing that I think specifically children of families that recently
immigrated can relate to are the issues in the text surrounding
money. Sadly, it is a rather common occurrence that families who
arrive as refugees in the United States arrive with little money.
These students may identify with portion of the text where Alfonso
asks for braces. They can use their own cultural experiences to
infer that growing their own vegetables, shopping at Penneys and
Kmart, and using coupons may mean that the family does not have
a lot of access money. They could then use this information to
infer that braces are expensive and that is why Alfonso’s mom
asks, “Do you think money grows on trees?”
3. Best Practices Extension Lesson: How could you support the student group you
describe in #3 above in building the schemas needed to comprehend this story?
i. Provide a brief description of an extension lesson and the materials that
would be used to support children in building background knowledge
needed to comprehend the story.
1. I am choosing to create an activity to introduce the holiday of
Halloween to the students so that they can better understand the
girls that Alfonso’s brother interacts with in the story.
2. First, I would introduce Halloween in a schematic grouping. To do
so, I would show the students a bunch of pictures that represent
different holidays that the students may be familiar with. Together,
we would decide what to title this group of pictures – holidays! I
would then add a picture that represents Halloween and explain
that Halloween is a holiday just like the ones we are familiar with.
What are some other examples of holidays? Students can
contribute examples of holidays from their own cultures. I would
then define Halloween in appropriate terms for the level of my
students. We would watch a related video or read a related book to
further explain the concept. After I feel the students have a grasp
on the definition, I would introduce that a key element of
Halloween is that people wear costumes. I would ask students if
there are any times in their lives when they wore a costume. Are
there any holidays in the students’ cultures where costumes are
worn? That way, students can relate the practices of their culture
with this practice of Halloween. Lastly, we would brainstorm a list
of different possible Halloween costumes. Students can vote for
their favorite costume and we can represent this on a graph to see
which costume wins.
ii. Describe the comprehension strategies you would teach to help students
tackle texts of this type.
1. I would begin by connecting students to the text even before
reading. I really like this curriculum’s use of a Quick Write before
reading to help the readers connect to the character they are going
to read about. Good readers look over the text before reading to
prepare themselves (Duke & Pearson, 2002)
 2. Then, I would use an engaging activity to build schema about the
topic of the text. I would have already read through the story to
determine what kinds of schemata are necessary for the readers and
whether my students already had the base knowledge they needed.
I would then use memorable and engaging activities to build on
their current knowledge base.
3. To tackle texts like this, I would use Beck and Israel’s (2004)
strategies for effective think alouds, specifically asking questions.
Duke and Pearson (2002) recommend that teaching comprehension
strategies begin with explicit instruction, then teacher modeling,
then guided collaborative practice before independent use. After
activating background knowledge, I would introduce the strategy
of asking questions and why it is useful and important. I would
then read the first page aloud and model how I may stop, think,
and ask myself questions about my understanding as I’m reading.
Then, students would read the story with a partner. If students read
with a partner, they can discuss the text and use their combined
schema to better understand the plot. Together, they can practice
asking questions of themselves and of each other.
4. At the end of the lesson, I would use a visual graphic organizer to
show the different elements of the text. Visual representation is
one method for effective comprehension (Duke & Pearson, 2002).
This graphic organizer should have utility across subjects and texts
so that it is not the first time these students have seen and/or used
it.
*Note: Cite research or theory as a rationale for your extension.
D. Comprehension Instruction
1. Description: Briefly describe the approach to teaching comprehension used in the
Holt materials. What types of teaching/learning activities are suggested in the
teacher’s manual or student materials?
i. One approach this curriculum takes is to explicitly teach strategies for
effective comprehension. It begins by teaching the vocabulary for
elements of plot. The textbook and the lesson plan define the terms
climax, conflict, parallel episode, plot, resolution, and subplots (Student
Textbook, pp. 2-3; Lesson Plan, p. 31). The teacher uses the example of a
familiar story like The Three Little Pigs to model how to determine
parallel episodes through mapping (Lesson Plan, p. 32). Using visual
representations to understand text structure is one method to aid
comprehension (Duke & Pearson, 2002). Students can then practice this
strategy in their textbooks using a familiar TV show or movie (Student
Textbook, p. 3).
ii. There is also explicit instruction in the strategy of retelling. The textbook
and workbook outline what it means to retell and why it is important
(Student Textbook, p. 4, 16; Student Workbook, p. 4). Then, students are
given the opportunity to practice the skill in small mixed ability groups
(Teacher’s Manual, p. 35). Each student in the group reads a section of the
 text aloud. Then, their peers ask them to retell the important events in the
section they read.
iii. Before students read the text, they are asked to quick write to connect to
the story (Student Textbook, p. 16). A key instructional practice of
comprehension is connecting what is learned to what is already known
(McMahon, 2008). A quick write in which students are asked to activate
their own personal background knowledge about what it’s like to be a
teenager accomplishes this.
iv. After reading, students are asked topical comprehension questions that are
connected to the text (Lesson Plan, p. 37). The textbook presents questions
that provide an opportunity to think a bit more critically about the text as
well as develop personal interpretations of the text (Student Textbook, p.
26). For example, the textbook questions ask students to connect how their
feelings in the Quick Write relate to the main characters feelings. In
another question, the students are asked to form an opinion about the
greatest challenge the character faced by providing details and an
explanation. In contrast, the questions asked in the lesson plan only
address questions about the plot such as: Why do Alfonso and Ernie fight?
v. In the textbook, students are asked to complete a writing activity which
asks them to draw upon their understanding of the text and extend it
(Student textbook, p. 26). Students are asked to write a letter as Alfonso to
an advice column. In order to do this, students need to comprehend the
subtleties of text and characters to synthesize why exactly Alfonso would
be asking for help, and what he would be asking for help about.
vi. There are some activities at the end of the lesson that also aid and instruct
in comprehension through visual representations and understanding text
structure. Students are taught how to create a character web to show the
clues they take from reading to understand characters better (Lesson Plan,
p. 383). It is organized so that students present the type of clue, what it
means about the character, and the evidence for that claim.
2. Research based practices?
i. List your “top 10” guidelines for comprehension instruction, citing class
readings to support each guideline.
1. Comprehension instruction needs to be balanced. It should include
both explicit instruction in using comprehension strategies and
opportunities for authentic reading (Duke & Pearson, 2002).
2. Comprehension instruction is not just about reading. It also needs
to include opportunities for writing texts for others to comprehend
(Duke & Pearson, 2002).
3. Lessons should progress from explicit instruction of the strategy, to
teacher modeling, to “collaborative use of the strategy in action,”
to guided practice in using the strategy, to independent use (Duke
& Pearson, 2002, p. 209).
4. When students are practicing comprehension strategies, they
should be using texts that are easy for them to decode so they can
 focus entirely on the comprehension strategies (Duke & Pearson,
2002).
5. Effective comprehension strategies include: predicting, think-
alouds (Block & Israel, 2004), visual representations,
understanding text structure, summarizing, and questioning (Duke
& Pearson, 2002).
6. “…vocabulary and comprehension are inextricably linked” (Duke
& Pearson, 2002, p. 224)
7. Teachers need to include not only instruction on how to use a
strategy, but also when to use a strategy (Duke & Pearson, 2002;
McMahon, 2008; Block & Israel, 2004).
8. There are different levels of comprehension (literal, interpretive,
critical) and different strategies should be used for each level.
Therefore, comprehension instruction should include which level
of comprehension the strategy supports (McMahon, 2008).
9. A key strategy of comprehension is blending existing knowledge
with new knowledge (McMahon, 2008).
10. Comprehension instruction is especially important for English
language learners and struggling readers (Block & Israel, 2004).
ii. In what ways does the Holt instruction match or diverge from your Top 10
list and the research based best practices described by Block & Israel
(2004), Duke & Pearson (2002), and McMahon (2008)
1. The curriculum matches some of the research based best practices,
but there is room for improvement. One way is that it provides
explicit instruction in comprehension skills. The skills used are text
structure, summarizing, and using visual representations such as
graphic organizers. Some other comprehension skills that could be
included are predicting and questioning. Along with strategy
instruction, there are opportunities for authentic reading of the text.
Students read the text with the teacher, independently, and with
their peers.
2. Because there is only one text for all students, it is hard to say
whether this text is appropriate for practicing comprehension
strategies for all students. Every student should be using a text that
is appropriately decodable for them (Duke & Pearson, 2002), so if
every student is using the same text it is unlikely that it is an
appropriate level for all.
3. Since comprehension includes combining existing knowledge with
newly learned knowledge (McMahon, 2008), I think a strength of
this curriculum is that is asks students to connect with the story
using a quick write before reading. Therefore, their prior
knowledge is activated.
4. I believe that the biggest way this curriculum could improve would
be to include instruction about when to use each strategy
presented. There is comprehensive and explicit instruction in how
to use the strategies, but there is no instruction in when to use the
strategies and in what way they are most effective.
 References

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