Ways to Improve Reading Comprehension - Three Steps to Increasing Student Understanding

To gain an understanding of a text, students needdifferent from your best friend? How is the main
to connect it with what they already know. Onecharacter's home (or bedroom) like yours? How is
powerful way to do this is through comparisons.the main character's home (or bedroom) different
Compare the text to another textfrom yours? How would you have reacted
Students compare the key elements of the textwhen..........? What would you have done when..........?
the class is exploring to another text. ComparingWhat would your parents have said about.......?
"Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" with "Compare the text to the world
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" wouldStudents compare elements of the text with the
provide ample opportunity for class discussion andwider world. This can be done by exploring
reflection (characters, setting, main ideas,aspects of the world that are elements of the
stereotypes, language, imagery, mood, andtext. If the setting of a text is a fantasy beach,
paragraph and chapter size).student's research on the environment of real
Compare the text to personal experiencebeaches would help them make a detailed
Students compare the text to their personalcomparison. Similarly, if a text is set in a past era,
experiences. What characters reminded you ofstudent's research on elements of that period of
someone you know? How is the main charactertime would help them make a detailed comparison
like your best friend? How is the main characterwith the present.