Young Meaning Makers—Teaching Comprehension, Grades K–2

Book excerpt: One of the most critical elements in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is the effective teaching of reading comprehension in the early years. This timely resource provides evidence-based practices for teachers to use as they work to meet standards associated with comprehending complex literature and informational texts. The authors offer a practical model, with classroom applications drawing on the Construction-Integration (CI) model of text comprehension. Illustrating why comprehension is so important in the CCSS framework, the book distills six key principles for meeting CCSS and other high-challenge standards. Chapters show teachers how to build oral language and text comprehension skills with young readers, including selecting texts, organizing materials, scheduling time, and assessing the acquisition of knowledge. Book Features: A practitioner-friendly model for teaching comprehension of informational and narrative texts in the early grades.Guidance for how to create a classroom environment that supports oral language acquisition.Instructional strategies, including teaching children to understand text structures, key details, and main ideas of a story or information text.A standards-based series of formative comprehension assessments. “Read it with the gusto it provides and deserves, and go out into your classrooms and make texts come to life through the magic of understanding!” —From the Foreword by P. David Pearson, University of California, Berkeley “This is a must-read for teachers and educators as they strive to meet the new literacy standards and improve reading comprehension outcomes for their students.” —Linda B. Gambrell, Reading Research Quarterly “The authors start with the most respected theory, add an insightful analysis of relevant Common Core standards, and combine the two with solid, practical instructional ideas. Bravo!” —James W. Cunningham, professor emeritus, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill