I think that an underlying problem with reading comprehension amongst students is that they are indeed literate, but they don't know how to actually read. Good readers predict, visualize, question, and connect whatever text they are analyzing and unfortunately, I don't believe this issue is being addressed fairly. In my experience classes where heavy reading material is assigned as homework, many students lack the desire to complete these assignments; this may come from a variety of factors that include but are not limited to a)difficulty with vocabulary b)lack of background knowledge on the subject c)and the absence of a well trained comprehension strategy. With this in mind, how would you tackle these issues in the classroom? As a history teacher, I would introduce topics in class prior to assigning any primary source documents and other material in order to set the groundwork for my students. History and language are intertwined but this can provide a problem when certain terms are unfamiliar to students. A quick lesson on key words and phrases from a particular era would prove to be beneficial for both my students and myself. With reading comprehension, I would introduce a framework where students are taught history specific analytical skills such as sourcing, contextualization, close reading, and corroboration. Students who lack these abilities lack the ability to reinterpret the information into a modern context. Students are taught to regurgitate information but are rarely encouraged to stop and think about what they're reading about. In a classroom that values grades over critical thinking, we lose sight of readings main objective: comprehension skills. What I found fascinating in Lee's report was the fact that she described traditional history courses as being taught at a basic master narrative manner and i'm inclined to agree. An educator must create lesson plans where students are actively engaged with the text. But how does one do that when you must reach every student in the classroom? The comprehension disparity amongst students can be astronomically immense and the ramifications of failing to engage both the A+ student and the F student can be damaging to their literary development. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goYfQ3qSreE
This video examines the true cost of failing to teach our students reading comprehension.
