Secondary Reading Instruction (Part 1): Teaching Vocabulary and Comprehension in the Content Areas
Because many middle- and high school students have difficulty with reading for content instruction, it is important that teachers teach effective vocabulary and comprehension skills. Teachers who do so will find that their students are better able to:
- Understand the written material associated with different subject areas
- Learn from various types of texts (e.g., textbook, Internet, newspaper)
- Master grade-level content standards
Revisiting Initial Thoughts
Think back to your initial responses to the following questions. After working through the resources in this module, do you still agree with your Initial Thoughts? If not, what aspects of your answers would you change?
Do you think teachers should teach vocabulary and reading comprehension skills within their content areas?
What are the responsibilities of middle- and high school teachers for teaching vocabulary and comprehension skills within their content areas?
What should content-area teachers know about vocabulary instruction?
What should content-area teachers know about comprehension instruction?
When you are ready, proceed to the Assessment section.