{"id":43,"date":"2017-08-22T12:37:24","date_gmt":"2017-08-22T12:37:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/elementary-education\/?page_id=43"},"modified":"2017-09-19T15:35:46","modified_gmt":"2017-09-19T15:35:46","slug":"comprehension-of-texts-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/americanboard.org\/Subjects\/elementary-education\/comprehension-of-texts-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Comprehension of Texts"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u2b05 Previous Lesson<\/a>\u00a0Workshop Index<\/a>\u00a0Further Reading \u27a1<\/a><\/div>\n

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Comprehension of Texts<\/h1>\n

Objective<\/h4>\n

In this lesson, you will learn comprehension strategies for the interpretation and analysis of literary texts, including how to identify meaning, structural elements, themes, and genre. We’ll start by looking at some organizational schemes that writers use to convey information most effectively.<\/p>\n

Previously Covered<\/h4>\n

At this point, you should be familiar with some common organizational structures authors use to convey information, including cause and effect, compare and contrast, problem and solution, sequencing, classification, and generalization. You should also be aware that informational text makes use of a lot of visual elements, such as charts and graphs that students must be able to identify and interpret to fully understand a particular text.<\/p>\n

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\u201cEveryone\u2019s Doing It\u201d<\/h3>\n

We mentioned at the beginning of this module that our culture is one of information and one has to be able to absorb an extraordinary amount of information on a daily basis. Whether it\u2019s through print, radio, television, or the web, every waking moment is, essentially, an opportunity for someone to tell you or sell you something.<\/p>\n

Students, like all of us, must be able to quickly recognize common types of unreliable information if they\u2019re to make informed decisions about their lives and the world around them.<\/p>\n

Earlier we discussed several organizational structures authors use to convey information. Authors often use persuasive techniques within these structures to build an argument for or against a particular topic or idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Technique<\/th>\nDefinition<\/th>\nExample<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Bandwagon<\/strong><\/td>\nAttempts to convince you to do or believe something because everyone else does.<\/td>\nThe smartest shoppers motor on over to Big Tire.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Testimonial<\/strong><\/td>\nAttempts to convince you of worth because someone famous endorses a product or idea.<\/td>\nAldous Huxley for Soma…<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Emotive<\/strong><\/td>\nUses words or images that appeal to the reader’s or viewer\u2019s emotions. The appeal may be to positive emotions, such as success, or to negative ones, such as fear.<\/td>\nWhat would you do in the event of an emergency? Would your family be protected? Buy SaneSafe.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Everyday People<\/strong><\/td>\nOrdinary people convince you they can be trusted because \u201cthey\u2019re just like you.\u201d<\/td>\nAs a teacher, I use a lot of chalk\u2014and if there\u2019s one that\u2019s dependable, it\u2019s Super Chalk.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rich and Famous<\/strong><\/td>\nThis technique suggests that you can be like the attractive, wealthy people who use this product.<\/td>\nOf course you\u2019re worth Money-Suds!<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

One way to teach students to identify persuasive language is to have them examine the logic of a particular idea or argument and use graphic organizers to evaluate the reasoning.<\/p>\n

Once Upon a Time…<\/h3>\n

The poet Muriel Rukeyser once said, \u201cThe universe is made up of stories, not of atoms.\u201d Though scientifically inaccurate, the sentiment behind Rukeyser\u2019s words is true enough: our realities are constructed from stories\u2014historical, cultural, and personal narratives\u2014that help us define ourselves and understand the world around us.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s a fable about a little girl attempting to visit her grandmother or an epic sonnet that details the journey of a fictional hero, narrative texts convey stories that ignite our imaginations and give us insight into thoughts and feelings beyond our own experience.<\/p>\n

Comprehension strategies encourage careful reading that allows a student to interpret narrative texts beyond literal meaning. By asking questions before, during, and after reading, students are able to make connections between their own life and the life of the story. Summarizing and making generalizations supported with examples from texts encourages deep processing that is essential to developing language skills.<\/p>\n

Learning to interpret story elements such as plot, theme, characterization, setting, and point of view will help students understand the building blocks of a story and allow them to identify how an author uses structure and language to convey meaning across a wide variety of genres.<\/p>\n

Take a look at the chart below to review some key terms before we discuss these story elements in further detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Element<\/th>\nDefinition<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Plot<\/strong><\/td>\nThe sequence of events that take place in a story. There are five components to plot: conflict, rising action, climax, denouement, or falling action, and resolution.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Theme<\/strong><\/td>\nThe underlying message of the story. Theme is closely related to main idea but is usually more global in scope. Characterization, plot, setting, and point of view all contribute to a story\u2019s theme(s).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Character<\/strong><\/td>\nCharacterization is made up of three elements: appearance; personality, and behavior.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Setting<\/strong><\/td>\nTime and place. Details that describe setting might include weather, time of day, location, landscape, and even furniture. All of these things can contribute to the understanding of a scene.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Point of View<\/strong><\/td>\nPoint of view refers to the narrator of the story. The most common points of view are first-person, third-person limited, and third-person omniscient.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

What Makes a Story?<\/h3>\n

At the heart of every story is the plot, or skeleton\u2014the sequence of events that takes place from beginning to end. There are five components to plot:<\/p>\n