Learning Opportunity
Enhancing Reading Comprehension Success Series
Facilitator: | Brigitta Goerres | ||||||||||
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Date: | This is a multi-day event.
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Cost: |
No Charge |
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Location: |
Virtual |
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Session Code: | 25-LI-051-CARC | ||||||||||
Focus: | English Language Arts & Literacy |
Target Audience
Teachers
About this Learning Opportunity
Day 1:
1. Reading Comprehension Success: An Introduction
As teachers we ask, “How can I improve my students’ achievement in reading comprehension?” Students ask, “How can I get better at reading comprehension?” This session describes how to categorize reading comprehension questions into 5 reading skill categories allowing teachers and students to identify which skills require improvement. With a focus on grades 4 to 6, 7 to 9, and 10 to 12, we will show how to unpack each skill and determine the alignment to curriculum outcomes. Often reading comprehension is a focus in English language arts classes however, the skill categories are imperative for success in all subject areas. The session will provide teachers with a pathway of how to increase student achievement with Reading Comprehension while easing the stress and anxiety students often experience when faced with writing these assessments.
The types of questions on Reading Comprehension assessments require specific skills which fall into five categories:
• Identify and Interpret Ideas and Details
• Interpret Text Organization
• Associate Meaning
• Make Connections
• Evaluate
During this session teachers will review assessment questions which are linked to each skill; understand and practise aligning assessment questions to specific skills; and write assessment questions that assess each skill category.
Day 2: Teaching Reading Comprehension Success – Identify and Interpret Ideas and Details Skill
The types of questions on Reading Comprehension assessments require specific skills. The skills can be categorized into 5 areas. During this session the focus will be on the Identify and Interpret Ideas and Details Reading Comprehension Skill Category. We will identify this category of question type, understand how to have students recognize this question type and go through several strategies on how to instruct students to improve performance. Teachers will take away helpful resources on annotation and locating and interpreting details.
The session will focus on understanding the curriculum outcomes aligned to this skill in our ELA Program of Studies, provide instruction strategies to teach and improve student performance for this skill, and methods on how to assess students’ success and mastery of this skill.
Day 3: Teaching Reading Comprehension Success – Interpreting Text Organization Skill
The types of questions on Reading Comprehension assessments require specific skills. The skills can be categorized into 5 areas. During this session the focus will be on the Interpreting Text Organization Reading Comprehension Skill Category. We will identify this category of question type, understand how to have students recognize this question type and go through several strategies on how to instruct students to improve performance. Teachers will take away helpful resources on understanding writer’s craft and expected literary devices per grade level.
The session will focus on understanding the curriculum outcomes aligned to this skill in our ELA Program of Studies, provide instruction strategies to teach and improve student performance for this skill, and methods on how to assess students’ success and mastery of this skill.
Day 4: Teaching Reading Comprehension Success – Associating Meaning Skill
The types of questions on Reading Comprehension assessments require specific skills. The skills can be categorized into 5 areas. During this session the focus will be on the Associate Meaning Reading Comprehension Skill Category. We will identify this category of question type, understand how to have students recognize this question type and go through several strategies on how to instruct students to improve performance. Teachers will take away helpful resources on strategies for using contextual clues to determine meaning of words and retaining vocabulary knowledge.
The session will focus on understanding the curriculum outcomes aligned to this skill in our ELA Program of Studies, provide instruction strategies to teach and improve student performance for this skill, and methods on how to assess students’ success and mastery of this skill.
Day 5: Teaching Reading Comprehension Success – Making Connections Skill
The types of questions on Reading Comprehension assessments require specific skills. The skills can be categorized into 5 areas. During this session the focus will be on the Making Connections Skill Reading Comprehension Skill Category. We will identify this category of question type, understand how to have students recognize this question type and go through several strategies on how to instruct students to improve performance. Teachers will take away helpful resources how to determine main ideas and themes for students and recognizing big ideas.
The session will focus on understanding the curriculum outcomes aligned to this skill in our ELA Program of Studies, provide instruction strategies to teach and improve student performance for this skill, and methods on how to assess students’ success and mastery of this skill.
Goals:
• To increase student achievement on Reading Comprehension Assessments.
• To alleviate the stress and anxiety students often experience with these assessments.
• To equip teachers with strategies and resources to enhance their students’ reading
comprehension skills.
Skill Categories:
The following five areas of reading comprehension skills will be explored:
1. Identify and Interpret Ideas and Details
• Understand and recognize question types within this category.
• Learn instructional strategies to improve student performance.
• Receive resources on annotation and interpreting details.
• Align curriculum outcomes with teaching methods and assessment
practices.
2. Interpreting Text Organization
• Identify and understand questions related to text organization.
• Explore strategies for teaching this skill.
• Gain insights into the writer’s craft and literary devices appropriate for
each grade level.
• Review curriculum outcomes and assessment methods for mastery of this
skill.
3. Associating Meaning
• Recognize question types that require students to associate meaning.
• Learn strategies for using contextual clues and vocabulary retention.
• Align teaching methods with curriculum outcomes and assess student
success in this area.
4. Making Connections
• Identify questions that ask students to make connections within texts.
• Explore instructional strategies to help students determine main ideas and
themes.
• Review curriculum outcomes and develop assessment methodologies to
gauge student mastery.
5. Evaluate
• Identify questions that ask students to Evaluate in addition to one of the
other Reading Comprehension Skill Categories.
• Explore instructional strategies to help students respond to Evaluate
questions.
This session addresses the LQS competencies
- 2. Modeling Commitment to Professional Learning
- 4. Leading a Learning Community
This session addresses the TQS competencies
- 2. Engaging in Career-Long Learning
- 3. Demonstrating a Professional Body of Knowledge
About the Facilitator

Brigitta Goerres
I have been involved in education for over 35 years. I have had the good fortune of starting my career as a classroom teacher with the Elk Island Catholic School District immediately after graduating from the University of Alberta majoring in both English and Social Studies. I continued my career working with the Ministry of Education as an Exam Manager in the Assessment Department and from there worked for a decade as the Executive Director of Curriculum... Read more »