Teaching reading comprehension is a must. Kids need to know that recognizing and saying the correct words is only PART of reading. Comprehension is the other side of the coin. Making meaning of the text is the ultimate goal of reading.
Reading Comprehension Articles
Over the last few years, we’ve posted quite a few comprehension articles and printables. I’ve shared from my experience as a classroom teacher, reading tutor, and homeschooling mama. Here are some you may enjoy below.
- Reading Comprehension Strategies: Reading Equals Thinking
- Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies {Fix-Up Strategies}
- Struggling Readers Need to Develop “Thoughtful” Literacy
- Reading Comprehension Strategies {10-week series}
- Before they Read: Connecting: Supporting Comprehension and Fluency Before Reading
- 5 Days of Teaching Text Structure to Readers {fiction and nonfiction}
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Included in the list below are books for teaching reading comprehension that have been read and underlined and revisited multiple times by me OR that have been suggested to me by other colleagues and professional reading teachers. Most explain comprehension from a classroom perspective, giving classroom examples, but don’t let that fool you into thinking you can’t use the ideas as a tutor, parent, or homeschooler. I certainly have!
Books for Teaching Reading Comprehension
Reading with Meaning by Debbie Miller is one of the first books I read on reading comprehension {I have the 1st edition}. If you are teaching young readers, say Pre-K through 2nd grade, you will find practical ways that you can teach reading comprehension plus definitions for each strategy that are perfect for younger kids. I love the book lists the end of each chapter, too.
7 Keys to Comprehension by Susan Zimmermann is a GREAT book that I highly recommend for parents. It goes through each strategy and explains it in easy-to-understand terms. It avoids the teacher-y terms that so many other books use. If you’re a new teacher {or even seasoned teacher} and need help for teaching comprehension, I also recommend this book for you!
Strategies that Work by Stephanie Harvey & Anne Goudvis was the second book I read about teaching reading comprehension. Again, it comes from the classroom perspective, but it has some fantastic ideas for 3rd grade through middle school.
Summarizing, Paraphrasing, and Retelling by Emily Kissner is a FANTASTIC read for teachers, parents, and tutors of kids in the upper elementary grades and middle school. I devoured it from cover to cover when I was first learning about text structure. I have also had the privilege of having Emily Kissner write a guest post on This Reading Mama!
Comprehension Connections: Bridges to Strategic Reading by Tanny McGregor is not one that I have personally read, but I have heard such great things about it. The thing that impressed me the most is how he takes the strategies and breaks them down into what he calls a “launching sequence.” Starting with using concrete experiences, he teaches students using concrete examples that kids can connect with. He moves through a series of lessons until kids are using that strategy with text. I would imagine this launching sequence would be great for any student, but especially struggling students or those with special needs.
The Art of Teaching Reading by Lucy Calkins is a long read. And it isn’t completely all about reading comprehension. But it is a GOOD read. This is one that I read while I was still a classroom. It challenged and transformed some of my reading teaching methods. I would recommend this book to anyone, but it would probably be most helpful to classroom teachers and reading tutors. And just in case you’re wondering, I also read Lucy Calkin’s The Art of Teaching Writing and it was equally as good, if not better.
Improving Comprehension with Think-Aloud Strategies by Jeffery D. Wilhelm is another book I’d recommend to parents and classroom teachers alike. A think-aloud is when you take a piece of text {that you’ve planned ahead} and you model a comprehension strategy or two with the passage. Think-alouds help our thinking become “visible” so kids can hear the thoughts in our head and know how to use a certain strategy. Love this book!
Bringing Words to Life by Isabel Beck is not necessarily a book about comprehension strategies, BUT if you think about it, vocabulary is HIGHLY related to reading comprehension! And Beck’s book is the best I’ve read on teaching vocabulary. It is OFTEN referred to in other books. I’ve even referred to it for teaching vocabulary with my own kids.
Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning by Doug Buehl is a newer one that I was introduced to this year. And just because it says, “classroom strategies”, don’t dismiss this one as a tool for at home instruction or tutoring! In it, you’ll find ready-to-go graphic organizers and strategies for comprehending fiction and nonfiction. I would recommend this one for upper elementary and middle school kids.
The Forest and the Trees by Emily Kissner is another great read for older students {4th grade and above}. Her focus is helping reader identify the important details authors include in texts that will help them comprehend better. She has found that many readers often pay attention to unimportant details and this interferes with comprehension.
And if you’ll allow me to add…
How to Choose “Just Right” Books by Becky Spence {that’s me} is a book I wrote in response to the many emails from parents. It is not completely about comprehension, but does explain the comprehension strategies. It even has a handy list of questions we can ask kids to dig deeper into their comprehension of text. You can purchase the PDF here.
If you’re looking for books to help you model comprehension strategies, find them here!
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~Becky