Capturing Comprehension: Crafting
Curriculum for Critical Reading and Reasoning
John Beach, Department of Human
Services and Counseling, The School of Education
Abstract
National assessments of reading continue to indicate poor
performance for inferential and critical comprehension. A synthesis
of the research and methodology options offers a foundation for a
stronger curriculum than is currently in place in most schools.
Students need to move from reading to reasoning as they encounter,
engage with, and evaluate texts. This analysis yielded a matrix of
comprehension dimensions and user-friendly mnemonics for conducting
the business of comprehending texts effectively that may be used to
guide both teachers and students.