Comprehension is the understanding and interpretation of what is read.
To understand accurately the written material, children need to decode what they are reading and should make connections between what they read and what they know and subsequently think deeply on what they have read and understood.
Levels of Comprehension
There are three levels of reading comprehension are:
- Literal Comprehension
- Interpretive
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Applied Comprehension
We present in the sophistication of thinking hierarchy from the least to the most sophisticated level of reading.
- Least = surface, simple reading
- Most = in-depth, complex reading
Level 1: Literal Comprehension
LITERAL – Literal comprehension is the understanding of information and facts directly stated in the text. It is recognized as the first and most basic level of comprehension in reading. Students can employ literal comprehension skills as defined under – keywords, skimming and scanning to better locate the information efficiently.
| Key Words | Are the content words that carry the most meaning in a text. Students can underline or highlight the key words |
| Skimming | Reading quickly from a text to get main idea. Students can skim read from the text headings and sub-headings, pictures, diagrams, captions, any italicized or bold words, and the first and last paragraphs of the text. |
| Scanning | Locating the particular elements or specific details in a text, such as key concepts, names, dates or certain information in answer to a question. Students can easily scan the text and locate the key words to find the specific information quickly. |
To summarize, Literal is – identifying the information by using the context clues to supply meaning, following specific directions, sequences, identifying stated conclusions and identifying explicitly stated relationships and organizational patterns. These organizational patterns can include cause, effect as well as comparison and contrast. For example:
- What words state the main idea of the story?
- How does the author summarize what she/he is saying?
- Outlining the first paragraph of the story.
- What happened first, second and last?
- How are these things alike? How are they different?
Level 2: Interpretive
Interpretive – An Interpretive or parallel level, the focus shifts to reading between the lines, based on the meaning of the text or the text being studied. It requires readers to piece together pieces of information to form beliefs about the author’s purpose and message. Directing students to recognize these imaginative relationships improves comprehension and reduces the risk of being overwhelmed with the complexity of visual, audible or readable text.
Further to clarify, the Inferential comprehension could also involve interpreting figurative language, drawing conclusions, predicting outcomes, determining the mood, and judging the author’s point of view.
The following questions are usually asked:
1. What does the author value?
2. What is the theme?
3. What effect does this character/event have on the story?
4. How do you think this story will end?
Level 3: Applied Comprehension
Applied comprehension concerns itself with why the author says what he or she says. This high level of comprehension requires the reader to use some external criteria from his/her own experience in order to evaluate the quality, values of the writing, the author’s reasoning, simplifications, and generalizations.
The reader will react emotionally and intellectually with the material. Because everyone’s life experiences are varied, answers to some of the following questions will vary:
1. Could this possibly happen?
2. Is this argument logical?
3. What alternatives are there?
4. Is this a fact or an opinion?
5. Do you agree or disagree with the author?
6. What is the best solution to this problem?
Conclusion, realistic, informal and applied understanding is what makes a competent, strong student. This skill needs to be learned and developed. It just doesn’t happen. He has that idea in mind, and it has been shown that powerful readers make good writers. The continuous exposure of the English language allows for increased vocabulary and knowledge of correct language use. When combined with realistic, informal and applied understanding, it enables writers to express themselves better.
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