As students learn to read and spell, they need a wide range of skills. This is commonly illustrated using a Reading Rope diagram. I love this comparison because it clearly shows all of the different pieces involved in the reading process. It makes it easier for people to understand the complexities of learning to read.
The bottom strands show the “Word Recognition” skills: phonemic awareness, decoding, and sight recognition. In order to determine if students have any gaps in this area, I give all of them a phonics screener. My first year I used a Quick Phonics Screener (QPS), but after that I switched to the Phonics Screener for Intervention (PSI). Students who show a need in this area are placed in Group A. Last week, I wrote about the programs that I use to fill phonics gaps for my Group A students. Read about them here. This week, I’d like to shift my focus slightly and discuss what I do with students who don’t have any decoding gaps.
The top strands are labeled “Language Comprehension” and include skills such as vocabulary, background knowledge, and verbal reasoning. If students do not show a decoding need, I place them into Group B. Since my class is 55 minutes long, I have time to work with Group A for part of the class, then switch to Group B for the other part.
Choose a Comprehension Program
My district is very generous. They provided me and the other secondary reading specialists with several options to choose from. The one I ultimately chose is called ACT! Now from Benchmark Education. It focuses on close reading strategies to dig deeper into the text.
Each unit has 3 passages that follow a theme, such as “Nature” or “Ancient Civilizations.” The passages start shorter and gradually increase in length and complexity. I like that the passages include science and social studies topics that students are likely to encounter in their core classes. It helps them see the purpose of the close reading, as well as transfer skills outside our support class.
Each passage follows the same routine. There are 3 reads of each passage, with a question set after each one. The questions start basic and gradually get more and more complex. This leads to some excellent discussions as we analyze the nuances of the passage. I created this document to use as an anchor chart so that my students can follow along with the process.
At the end of each passage, there is a writing portion. Students write a paragraph based on the passage. I love that there is so much writing involved, because the reading and writing processes are linked. We walk through the process of writing a good, strong paragraph. Students then get an opportunity to read their paragraphs out loud, sharing their thoughts with others.
Have you ever used ACT! Now? What programs do you use in your intervention classes to help students with comprehension? Send me a message to join the conversation!
