Comprehension: The Key to Successful Reading
(Grades K-3) / Flex Course
PDI Course Number: 70T02 / UCSD Course Number: EDUC41474
Course Description
Do you have students who read all the words correctly and then have no idea what they just read? This online course focuses on improving students’ comprehension skills. The course begins by offering three different options for assessing comprehension including retelling, cloze procedure, and miscue analysis. Then, teachers are introduced to a wealth of strategies that can improve and support a reader’s comprehension. Strategies presented include: anticipation guides, DRTA, guided reading, and reciprocal teaching. Teachers will also learn how to effectively formulate comprehension questions across a variety of different levels. Teachers will understand the role that text structure plays and how it impacts students’ comprehension. Finally, teachers will understand how vocabulary affects comprehension. This course is worth 3 ⅓ semester units/5 quarter units (50 hours of training) from UC San Diego Extension. For detailed information on university credit, click here.
"Content provided valuable information on current practices and strategies utilized for reading comprehension in the lower elementary grades. It could be used immediately in the classroom. The format was easy to follow and understand from beginning to end." - Carolyn Leslie
This course is worth 3 ⅓ semester units or 5 quarter units of graduate-level credit from UC San Diego.
You have up to one year from the date you are enrolled to complete a flex course.
Print our customized course approval form to share with your school district.
- Focus on Comprehension: Putting Research into Action
- Levels of Comprehension
- Introduction to the Common Core Reading Standards
- Assignment #1: Write an autobiography
- Test #1
- Assessment Through Retelling
- Cloze Procedure and Maze Technique
- Miscue Analysis
- Assignment #2: Article reflection
- Test #2
- Pre-Reading Strategies
- Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA)
- Questioning Levels and Techniques
- Assignment #3: Share your expertise
- Test #3
- Anticipation Guides
- Text Structure
- How Vocabulary Affects Comprehension
- Test #4
- Early Readers
- Struggling Readers
- Guided Reading
- Test #5
- Focus on Nonfiction Literature
- Reciprocal Teaching
- Using Literature to Engage and Inspire Young Readers
- Assignment #4: Write two DRTA lessons
- Assignment #5: Course Reflection
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