Textbook Comprehension &

Questioning Strategies

By: Paula Colatriano

Student’s Comprehension of Science Textbooks

Using a Questions Based Reading Strategy

By: Betty Lou Smith, William G. Holliday & Homer W. Austin

Keywords: college, science, reading strategies, science textbooks, elaborative

interrogation, reading comprehension

TextDefined as meaningful sequences of words

printed on a page.

Why can some people understand it on their first read? Why can’t some people understand it until their third?

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CollegeWhy do we struggle when we first begin?

Students are required to read challenging science text.

Most students are not “trained” to comprehend such dense text

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The FactsCollege students read only a few passages from

science texts as a last resort in studying for an exam.

Students overestimate their understanding

Teachers only see their textbooks as “high quality”

Faculty claims that they are not rightly trained to teach reading strategies

So what do we do???

Reading Comprehension Strategy

1 Question the meaning of a text

2 Summarize the text

3 Predict what the text will state further in the chapter

4 Go back and clarify the confusing text

This is commonly used and very effective because it works with any content subject.

QuestioningEncourages students to elaborate on the

author’s message

Allows student to put the information in their own words

Increased recall learning in middle schools by more then 280%

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Interrogation“Why?” questions have been the most effective

on students comprehension

Focuses the students’ attention on background information

Students summarize what they have learned without realizing

“The more relevant the statement queried using a why question approach, the greater learning outcomes.”

“Why?”The questioning technique has been used and

proven as useful.

Students comprehend and retain more information when answering questions about the text

Every subject can use this strategy

Every grade level can use this strategy

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Ways to Incorporate:Quizzes

Graphic organizers

Verbal discussions

Worksheets

Projects

Experiments

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Article CitationSmith, Betty L., William G. Holiday, and Homer W.

Austin. "Students' Comprehension of Science Textbooks Using a Question Based Reading Strategy." Journal of Research in Sciene Teaching 47.4 (2010): 363-79. Print.

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