Begin by Discussing the 6 W Questions: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How

COMPREHENSION

1. Some students may need to begin withidentifying the topic(what the text is mostly about).Have them count the number of times a word is used in the passage as a concrete way to identify the topic.
2. Other students can begin with identifying the main ideas (the most important points the author makes about the topic in each paragraph).Tell them the main idea is oftenstated in the first sentence of each paragraph, sometimesin the last, and is occasionally embedded in the middle. Model and practice identifying the main idea.
3. After students can identify the topic and main ideas, they are ready for summarizing or paraphrasing. Model how to combine main idea sentences into a summary paragraph. Provide guided practice using materials at their Instructional Levels.

1. Begin by discussing the 6 W questions: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and hoW.
2. Post the 6 W questions in the classroom for reference.
3. Model generatingas many W questions as you can using materials at easier Levels.
4. Scaffold to having students generate a Who question, a What question, a When question etc. using materials at easier Levels.
5. Put the 6 W questions on index cards; students can draw a card and then generate and answer a W question from the card using materials at easier Levels.
6. When students are ready, have them apply questioning to materials at their Instructional Levels.

1. Be sure students understand the need for stopping and fixing up what they do not understand. Talk aloud how good readers do this all the time – including you – especially when the text is unfamiliar or difficult.
2. Review their Comprehension Interviews to determine which fix-ups they already use. Discuss which ones they use, why, and how.
3. Introduce a few others – one at a time and explicitly.
4. Further discuss which ones work best for them.

1. Popular published materials include: Timed Readings, 6-Way Paragraphs, and Endeavor units.
2. Also consider using abridged (shorter versions) and leveled novels, newspaper articles (including News for You and Easy English News), and online blogs.
3. High interest poetry can be used depending on the population of learners: Tupac Shakur, Langston Hughes, Edgar Allen Poe, Minnesota and Midwest poets.
4. Use pre-GED materials so that students are improving their reading ability and working on their personal goal at the same time (motivation).

1. Articles from newspapers often have comparing or contrasting topics.
2. Short Reading Passages & Graphic Organizers to Build Comprehensionby Scholastic Professional Books.
3. Charlesbridge Publishing workbooks:
   Comparing and Contrasting A:~3.0 grade level
   Comparing and Contrasting B: ~5.0 grade level
   Comparing and Contrasting C:~7.0 grade level

1. Check the comprehension section of the STAR Tookit for graphic organizers to download and print.
2. Google “graphic organizers” and you will find many more than you can use!

1. Using only fictional passages may not give a complete picture of a student’s comprehension level. GED students will be reading mostly non-fiction for Social Studies, Science, and often Writing. Therefore, use a mixture of fiction and nonfiction passages for comprehension assessment to get a better picture.
2. Note fiction and non-fiction Mastery Levels and consider the differences when selecting Instructional Levels for modeling, guided practice, or application.

1. The text used for modeling and guided practice should clearly be organized into a fiction or non- fiction text structure.
2. Use shorter, easier selections for modeling and guided practice; assign longer selections at Instructional Levels for application.

Developed by STAR 09/10 Participants and Trainers