STRATEGY TOEFL
READING COMPREHENSION
STRATEGY
1. Monitoring comprehension
Students who are good at monitoring their
comprehension know when they understand what they read and when they do not. They
have strategies to "fix" problems in their understanding as the
problems arise. Research shows that instruction, even in the early grades, can
help students become better at monitoring their comprehension.
Comprehension monitoring instruction teaches students to:
·
Be aware of what they do understand
·
Identify what they do not understand
·
Use appropriate strategies to resolve problems in comprehension
2.
Metacognition
Metacognition can be defined as "thinking about
thinking." Good readers use metacognitive strategies to think about and
have control over their reading. Before reading, they might clarify their
purpose for reading and preview the text. During reading, they might monitor
their understanding, adjusting their reading speed to fit the difficulty of the
text and "fixing" any comprehension problems they have. After
reading, they check their understanding of what they read.
Students may use several comprehension monitoring strategies:
Identify where the difficulty occurs
"I don't understand the second paragraph
on page 76."
Identify what the difficulty is
"I don't get what the author means
when she says, 'Arriving in America was a milestone in my grandmother's
life.'"
Restate the difficult sentence or passage in their own
words
"Oh, so the author means that coming
to America was a very important event in her grandmother's life."
Look back through the text
"The author talked about Mr. McBride
in Chapter 2, but I don't remember much about him. Maybe if I reread that
chapter, I can figure out why he's acting this way now."
Look forward in the text for information that might
help them to resolve the difficulty
"The text says, 'The groundwater may
form a stream or pond or create a wetland. People can also bring groundwater to
the surface.' Hmm, I don't understand how people can do that… Oh, the next
section is called 'Wells.' I'll read this section to see if it tells how they
do it."
3. Graphic and semantic organizers
Graphic organizers illustrate concepts and
relationships between concepts in a text or using diagrams. Graphic organizers
are known by different names, such as maps, webs, graphs, charts, frames, or
clusters.
Regardless of the label, graphic organizers can help
readers focus on concepts and how they are related to other concepts. Graphic
organizers help students read and understand textbooks and picture books.
Graphic organizers can:
·
Help students focus on text structure "differences between fiction and
nonfiction" as they read
·
Provide students with tools they can use to examine and show relationships
in a text
·
Help students write well-organized summaries of a text
Here are some examples of graphic organizers:
Used to compare or contrast information
from two sources. For example, comparing two Dr. Seuss books.
Used to order or sequence events within a
text. For example, listing the steps for brushing your teeth.
Used to chart the story structure. These
can be organized into fiction and nonfiction text structures. For example,
defining characters, setting, events, problem, resolution in a fiction story;
however in a nonfiction story, main idea and details would be identified.
Used to illustrate the cause and effects
told within a text. For example, staying in the sun too long may lead to a
painful sunburn.
4. Answering questions
Questions can be effective because they:
·
Give students a purpose for reading
·
Focus students' attention on what they are to learn
·
Help students to think actively as they read
·
Encourage students to monitor their comprehension
·
Help students to review content and relate what they have learned to what
they already know
The Question-Answer Relationship strategy (QAR)
encourages students to learn how to answer questions better. Students are asked
to indicate whether the information they used to answer questions about the
text was textually explicit information (information that was directly stated
in the text), textually implicit information (information that was implied in
the text), or information entirely from the student's own background knowledge.
There are four different types of questions:
"Right There"
Questions found right in the text that ask
students to find the one right answer located in one place as a word or a
sentence in the passage.
Example: Who is Frog's friend? Answer:
Toad
"Think and Search"
Questions based on the recall of facts
that can be found directly in the text. Answers are typically found in more
than one place, thus requiring students to "think" and
"search" through the passage to find the answer.
Example: Why was Frog sad? Answer: His
friend was leaving.
"Author and You"
Questions require students to use what
they already know, with what they have learned from reading the text. Student's
must understand the text and relate it to their prior knowledge before
answering the question.
Example: How do think Frog felt when he
found Toad? Answer: I think that Frog felt happy because he had not seen Toad
in a long time. I feel happy when I get to see my friend who lives far away.
"On Your Own"
Questions are answered based on a students
prior knowledge and experiences. Reading the text may not be helpful to them
when answering this type of question.
Example: How would you feel if your best
friend moved away? Answer: I would feel very sad if my best friend moved away
because I would miss her.
5. Generating questions
By generating questions, students become aware of
whether they can answer the questions and if they understand what they are
reading. Students learn to ask themselves questions that require them to
combine information from different segments of text. For example, students can
be taught to ask main idea questions that relate to important information in a
text.
6. Recognizing story structure
In story structure instruction, students learn to
identify the categories of content (characters, setting, events, problem,
resolution). Often, students learn to recognize story structure through the use
of story maps. Instruction in story structure improves students' comprehension.
7. Summarizing
Summarizing requires students to determine what is
important in what they are reading and to put it into their own words.
Instruction in summarizing helps students:
·
Identify or generate main ideas
·
Connect the main or central ideas
·
Eliminate unnecessary information
·
Remember what they read
Effective comprehension strategy instruction is
explicit
Research shows that explicit teaching techniques are
particularly effective for comprehension strategy instruction. In explicit
instruction, teachers tell readers why and when they should use strategies,
what strategies to use, and how to apply them. The steps of explicit
instruction typically include direct explanation, teacher modeling
("thinking aloud"), guided practice, and application.
Direct
explanation
The teacher explains to students why the strategy
helps comprehension and when to apply the strategy.
Modeling
The teacher models, or demonstrates, how to apply the
strategy, usually by "thinking aloud" while reading the text that the
students are using.
Guided
practice
The teacher guides and assists students as they learn
how and when to apply the strategy.
Application
The teacher helps students practice the strategy until
they can apply it independently.
Effective comprehension strategy instruction can be
accomplished through cooperative learning, which involves students working
together as partners or in small groups on clearly defined tasks. Cooperative
learning instruction has been used successfully to teach comprehension
strategies. Students work together to understand texts, helping each other
learn and apply comprehension strategies. Teachers help students learn to work
in groups. Teachers also provide modeling of the comprehension strategies.
EXAMPLE
Reading Comprehension Questions
Questions 1–4 are about the following announcement.
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Student Volunteers Needed!
On Saturday, December 12th, from 10
A.M. until 4 P.M., Carverton Middle School will be holding a music festival in the school gymnasium. The special
event will feature a variety of
professional musicians and singers.
Interested students should speak with Ms. Braxton, the music teacher.
Students who would like to help at the festival must have written permission
from a parent or guardian.
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1. What time will the
festival begin?
A. 10 A.M.
B.
11 A.M.
C.
1 P.M.
D.
2 P.M.
2. In line 2, the
word feature is closest in meaning to _______.
A.
look
B.
keep
C. include
D.
entertain
3. What job will be
done the day before the festival begins?
A.
Making posters
B. Setting up the gym
C.
Cleaning up the gym
D.
Helping the performers
4. Who is told to talk
to Ms. Braxton?
A.
Parents
B. Students
C.
Teachers
D.
Performers
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Questions 5–11 refer to the following
story.
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When Joe explained
why he needed them, everyone was happy to help.
Joe reminded the group to stay quiet as they all went toward the school's basketball court. As Joe had hoped, Bill practicing basketball. He made five baskets in a row without noticing the silent people standing behind him.
“ Hey, Bill!” Joe called out
finally. Bill turned. A look of surprise came over his face.
"I just wanted to
show you that you could play well with people watching you," Joe said. "Now you'll have nothing to worry about for
the next game!"
5. What would be the
best title for the story?
A.
Joe Joins the Team
B.
Practice Makes Perfect
C.
Bill Wins the Big Game
D.
Bill's Basketball Problem
6. In line 6, the
word performed is closest in meaning to _______.
A.
acted
B.
played
C.
moved
D.
changed
7. Why is Bill
upset?
A.
He plays better in practice than he
does during games.
B.
The school yard is not a good place to
practice.
C.
Joe watches him too closely when he
plays.
D.
His team loses too many games.
8. Why does Bill
play well when Joe is watching him?
A.
He is comfortable with Joe.
B.
Joe tells him how to play better.
C.
He does not know that Joe is there.
D.
He wants to prove to Joe that he is a
good player.
9. Why does Joe
decide to gather a group of people?
A.
Because he wants more players for his
team
B.
Because he wants to help Bill feel
less nervous
C.
Because he wants to show them his talent
D.
Because he wants more people to see
the next game
10. At the end of
the story, all of the following people watch Bill practice EXCEPT _____.
A.
Joe
B.
a janitor
C.
a math teacher
D.
the basketball coach
11. Why does the
group have to be quiet when they go to the basketball court?
A.
Because Joe is telling Bill what to do
B.
Because they do not want Bill to know
they were there
C.
Because Bill likes to practice alone
D.
Because the group needs to listen to
Joe’s instructions
Sumber:
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