Skill--Developing as a Reader
Becoming a better reader will require that you advance your level of comprehension beyond the literal level. What does that mean? Essentially you'll need to focus beyond what authors say to what authors mean. When you're able to do that, you will be ready to respond to what you read with informed opinions and draw additional insights, wowing other students and teachers alike!
Now, to give an idea of where we're going, take a look at the brief descriptions of three levels of comprehension and then try to match the comic strip below to the appropriate level of comprehension.
1. Literal:
Readers determine what the author says recognizing the essential information of the text.
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2.Inferential:
Readers infer what the author means by conceptualizing implied ideas and integrating information into what they already know. |
3. Evaluative:
Readers synthesize information and are able to produce well-supported opinions and respond emotionally to the content and the author's use of language. |
Try to match the comics below with the appropriate level of comprehension above: Literal, Inferential, or Evaluative...
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"Sentencing isn't going as well as I'd hoped."
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INFERENTIAL: Given the actions of the judge, literally throwing the law book at his client, the attorney infers that the sentencing (or determination of punishment) is "not going well."
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"Good news! You've got a book in you just waiting to come out!"
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LITERAL: As the x-ray shows, the patient literally has a book inside of him.
An inferred usage of the line "You've got a book in you just waiting to come out" would suggest that an individual has a good story to tell (in a book)
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"Professor Ferrington and his controversial theory that dinosaurs were actually the discarded "chicken" bones of giant, alien picnickers."
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EVALUATIVE: The Professor synthesizes (puts together) bits of information here, fossilized bones, the remains of picnics, and the possibility of life beyond Earth, in creating his "controversial theory."
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