Supporting Students Who Struggle With Comprehension of Text: Using Literature Discussion Groups in Grades 3–6

Mediating Complex Texts in the Upper Grades

“…Teaching students to be strategic, as opposed to just teaching strategies, promotes students' ability to transfer strategic behaviors across texts and contexts (Aulls, 2002 ;Palincsar & Brown, 1986 ). Second, focused instruction efficiently moves students toward targeted learning goals (Henderson & Dorn, 2011 ). Through ongoing, formative assessments, effective teachers calibrate their instruction to enable students to assume increasingly challenging tasks (Applebee & Langer, 1987 ).…”

“…As students engage with cognitively challenging texts, teacher mediation will often be necessary. For example, teacher readalouds followed by students re-reading of key sections, chorally, with a partner, or independently, can prepare students to respond to text orally or in writing (Henderson & Dorn, 2011 ;Kuhn, Groff, & Morrow, 2011 ).…”

“…Instead, we must seek alternative interventions that support individual reading needs and help students acquire the linguistic and conceptual knowledge that anchor new learning (Henderson & Dorn, 2011 ). Such interventions require instructional actions that also develop students' skill and strategy knowledge, even as they navigate texts that expand world knowledge.…”