Comprehension is a Process

In the article by Gill, it lays out a visual representation of how reading comprehension is a process. There are ways in which you can follow the process and different activities you can do. The matrix was very helpful to me because it shows it as three steps and what each component of each step is. Pre-reading is important because you must be able to get the student interested. What are some ways you can get the reader interested in the book? Also a K-W-L chart is a great way to discuss as a group what they already know and then fill out what they want to know and save the learning part for the post reading. This was an easy to follow matrix and of course you can tweak it however you want depending on your students reading levels.

In the article by Pardo, she talks about building and activating prior knowledge. In deaf education this is crucial because many students come in lacking prior knowledge that we may expect them to know. Some students do not have access to the language or may have a different connection to certain words that will enhance their knowledge. It takes a lot of questions and different ways in order to build and activate their knowledge in a positive and meaningful way. Students need to know that whatever knowledge they have already is important and by building on it, it can effect the way they comprehend new knowledge.
What are some ways to activate their prior knowledge of the example: The beach? What could you ask them, how can you get them motivated to learn about it?