EDRG 3321-Chapter 3

This week in class we learned about comprehension, vocabulary and discussion. We learned how each of these steps are vital in the learning process. Comprehension is the process of understanding and it is very important for a child to comprehend what they are reading. A child lacks comprehension when they are unable to gain meaning from print (their reading). Frank Smith stated that comprehension process is an interaction between visual information and non-visual information. This makes sense because as a child I can recall that I had some difficulty understanding what I was reading, especially math problems. I could not understand what the reading problem was asking. It would take me awhile to fully understand what exactly I needed to do to get my answer. It can be frustrating for a child because they want to understand what everybody else does. We also learned the difference of efferent and aesthetic reading. Aesthetic reading is when a person reads for fun and efferent is when a person reads to gain important knowledge. In Chapter 3, we also learned about vocabulary and it's importance in reading. When a child reads, it is enlarging their vocabulary and word knowledge. Teachers should continue to learn what vocabulary a child knows and what they need to know. Also, teachers should be able to remediate any words or concepts a child may be having difficulty with. This can be accomplished with dramatizing the story. For example, a teacher can use students to act out a story, use props, or puppets. This will allow a student to understand a story better. All students are different and will learn and comprehend a story in their own way. It is important to accomodate each learning style, whether it is visual, auditory or kinesthetic. In this chapter, we also learned about discussions held in a classroom. This meaning that a good discussion is led by the students. The teacher is the facilitator. The chapter explains that a true discussion enables multiple people to talk, to share opinions, to raise questions, and to seek the perceptions of others. These discussions play an important role in the comprehension for students. I completely agree with what the book states. I know that as a child and adult, it helps me understand more clearly when I discuss with others about a reading. I also agree that discussions should be led by students. This allows the teacher to observe what the students understood from a story. Some students may receive a different interpretation than others, but I believe it is useful to hear the ideas of peers. Chapter 3 covered some very important points that are necessary in a classroom. I know that learning these facts will improve my teaching style in the future and will be of use in other areas of my life as well.