EDRG 3321 ch3

When children read they make a connection and have an understanding of what they read. Most students have background knowledge or a past schema where they can build off of past events to get a better understanding of what they read. When a student reads a book where they do not have any prior knowledge they will do poorly in an assessment. If a child from Maine was given a set of books to read about Texas rodeo season, they could not make a connection because they would lack schema to understand the concept.

As teachers we should try to give children books which will match all of their interest which will ensure a successful reading. We can see what the student knows about the reading and what the student's still need to know. By discussing the material it helps our students bridge the gap.

Having students retell stories is a really fun way to see what students have gained from what they have read. it is also a good tool to evaluate a students comprehension. We can ask students what they think would happen next, or ask them who a certain character reminds them of, What did they like about the story, and what they did not like.