Real-Life Reading Inquiry

For my Real-Life Reading Inquiry assignment, I observed a first-grade classroom reading lesson.  I wanted to explore reading comprehension instruction for early elementary students.  Prior to my arrival, the teacher informed me that during my visit, she would be engaging in whole group reading instruction.  I was eager to observe this lesson.  In this post, I will discuss my observation of two components of reading comprehension instruction, prereading and making connections. 

I first want to describe the way in which this first grade teacher began her whole-group reading lesson.  I walked into the classroom and joined the little first-graders on an oval rug while the teacher began the lesson, sitting in a rocking chair right at the edge of the rug.  Before the teacher introduced the book, she reminded the students that the main theme of the week was “community.”  The teacher then asked, “What does community mean?”  Many little hands went up and, when called on, the students contributed their thoughts.  The teacher was attempting to activate their background knowledge of the subject.  She asked her students what sorts of experiences they had had with people who serve the community.  The teacher explained that police officers work to keep communities safe.   After this brief but important background discussion, she introduced the selection.  She had chosen the book, Officer Buckle and Gloria, by Peggy Rathmann.  The teacher then asked for student predictions saying, “What do we think this book will be about?”  These eager pupils couldn’t wait to state their predictions.  During this introductory period, the teacher implemented prereading activities. 

According to Sharon Gill in her article, “The Comprehension Matrix: A Tool for Designing Comprehension Instruction,” prereading is essential for good comprehension.  Gill’s article explains that prereading can involve asking questions related to the story and leading discussions aimed at activating students’ prior knowledge (109).  At the start of her whole group reading lesson, the first grade teacher I observed did exactly that.  She prepared her students’ minds to better absorb the content of the book as she helped them activate their background knowledge.  Once background knowledge is activated, students can connect with the text more easily and therefore can comprehend the text more deeply. 

I will now discuss one other aspect of the whole group reading lesson.  As the teacher read the text, I observed many children raise their hands and form the letter, “C.”  This motion signaled to the teacher that that child had a connection with the text to share with the class.  Students simply could not wait to share the ways in which they personally connected to the story about Officer Buckle and Gloria.  When called on the share these connections, many students explained that they had dogs similar to Gloria.  One student shared that his dad’s friend was a police officer.  These connections made throughout the reading help children identify with the characters, the plot, and the setting of the story.  If students relate with the text, they will better comprehend the story. 

It was so much fun to see the students hold up “Cs” and listen to them verbalize their connections.  This aspect of the whole group reading lesson aligns perfectly with an article we read for this course.  In “Kindergarteners Can Do It Too!  Comprehension Strategies for Early Readers,” Gregory and Cahill write that making connections, mind movies, and questioning help strengthen reading comprehension in young students (515).  The fact that my observation complemented this article convinced me that this “making connections” strategy is an effective one.  I saw this strategy in practice and it was so encouraging and exciting to witness students’ enthusiasm as they made connections and comprehended the text. 

Throughout my observation, I experienced feelings of joy and excitement.  Students were intrigued by the selection and were fully engaged throughout the entire lesson.  The instructor knew how to capture the attention of her students and ask questions throughout the reading that facilitated comprehension.  In my future classroom, I absolutely want to implement the comprehension strategies proposed by Gregory and Cahill.  I think that connections, mind movies, and questioning are strategies that students will actually enjoy implementing!