Reading comprehension ranks high on the list of life-altering skills a student can develop. The ability to comprehend and understand the written word is critical to their educational development. That’s why school leaders consider educators with expertise in reading comprehension as valuable teaching staff members.
While it’s a skill that’s especially important for teachers of younger students, it benefits all K-12 teachers. Reading comprehension is the bedrock of education, providing a gateway for students to understand and interpret information across any subject. Proficiency in reading is closely tied to academic achievement at all grade levels.
By learning how to empower students to absorb and critically analyze texts, teachers prepare their students for academic success and provide them with a skill that will bring pleasure throughout their lifetime.
The Importance of Reading Comprehension for Students
Reading comprehension involves more than decoding complicated words; it also means understanding and interpreting the overall meaning of what is written. Eventually, students develop the ability to analyze texts independently and think critically.
Educators prioritize reading comprehension because of its powerful connection with overall student success. Students who understand written material are better equipped to excel in various subjects, from literature and history to science and math. They develop the capacity to absorb complex information and engage in critical thinking.
Reading comprehension helps students develop skills that benefit them for life:
- Critical thinking - engaging with texts, asking questions, making connections, and drawing conclusions
- Communication - expressing thoughts clearly and confidently
- Independence - approaching textbooks, research, and literary works without apprehension
These skills extend beyond the classroom. Strong readers gain larger vocabularies, communicate more effectively, and express nuanced ideas in both social and academic settings.
What happens in its absence also illustrates the significance of cultivating reading comprehension. Recent test scores have led to concerns among educators, according to EdWeek. Both 4th- and 8th-grade students performed on par with students in the 1990s, and about one-third in each grade could not read at the basic achievement level.
Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies in the Classroom
In addition to benefiting students, teaching reading comprehension also plays an essential role in helping educators foster lifelong learning. Students with high comprehension levels tend to develop a love of learning and view education as engaging rather than obligatory.
Teachers can employ a variety of reading comprehension strategies for the classroom, including:
- Having students read aloud
- Encouraging rereading of difficult passages to build fluency
- Practicing vocabulary development
- Providing reading material that matches students’ skill levels
To teach comprehension successfully, educators need both strong content knowledge and pedagogical skills. Professional development helps teachers refine their approach to literacy instruction and apply proven methods that improve student outcomes.
Online Reading Comprehension Courses for Teachers at FPU
Fresno Pacific University has two courses addressing reading comprehension as part of its catalog of online professional development courses for educators. One is the Content Comprehension: Helping Students Read & Understand course, which helps teachers develop strategies for working with struggling student readers. The other is the Close Reading Strategies course, which teaches educators how to create more active, engaged, thoughtful student readers.
Content Comprehension course
Educators learn how to implement practical strategies that help students succeed with reading comprehension. Teachers can implement these strategies with reading material they already use in their classrooms. Educators taking the course also learn to design activities and create learning opportunities while delivering a standards-based curriculum for their specific discipline.
Close Reading Strategies course
Educators explore the idea of close reading in the classroom for grades 4-12. Topics include rigor, text-dependent questions and text complexity. Students also examine signposts, anchor questions and reading assessments. Educators also examine and create their own Notice and Note model lesson plans to teach to their students and help students become more active, thoughtful, engaged and independent readers.
Both courses are self-paced and offered 100% online. Students can take up to a year to complete each course after enrolling.