How to Increase Students’ Reading Comprehension by Making Connections

Summary

In this video, Allison, a literacy specialist, explains the three key types of connections—text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world—that students can make to improve their reading comprehension. She discusses how these connections enhance understanding by linking the text to personal experiences, other texts, and real-world events. Allison provides practical strategies for teaching these connections, such as modeling during read-alouds, using anchor charts, and guiding students with specific prompts. While text-to-self and text-to-text connections are more accessible for younger students, text-to-world connections can be more challenging but are vital for developing broader comprehension skills.

Takeaways

• 😀 Text-to-Self connections help students relate to the text by recalling personal experiences, making it easier for them to understand the content.
• 😀 Text-to-Text connections allow students to link ideas across different texts, helping them identify similarities and deepen comprehension.
• 😀 Text-to-World connections require students to connect the text to real-life events or social issues, although this can be more challenging for younger students.
• 😀 Starting with Text-to-Self connections is easier for younger students because these connections are more immediate and tangible.
• 😀 While superficial connections (e.g., 'the book has a dog, I have a dog') are easy to make, deeper connections should be encouraged to improve comprehension.
• 😀 Modeling is a crucial strategy for teaching students to make connections. Teachers can demonstrate their own connections to the text during read-aloud sessions.
• 😀 Non-verbal signals like hand gestures (e.g., 'this means me too') can allow students to make connections without interrupting the lesson.
• 😀 Anchor charts help reinforce the habit of making connections during independent reading and small group work by displaying visual reminders of the connection types.
• 😀 Text-to-World connections can be facilitated by providing students with kid-friendly news articles or media to relate to the content.
• 😀 For students who struggle to make connections, teachers can use guiding questions like 'Has this ever happened to you?' or 'Does this remind you of any other book we've read?'
• 😀 Teachers should celebrate when students make meaningful connections by acknowledging their efforts and reinforcing the connection type (Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text, Text-to-World).

Q & A

What are the three types of connections that help students with reading comprehension?

The three types of connections are: Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text, and Text-to-World. Each type supports students' understanding of a text by connecting it to their own experiences, other texts, or the world around them.

Why is Text-to-Self considered a good starting point for teaching connections?

Text-to-Self connections are considered a good starting point because they are generally easier for students to make, especially with younger readers. These connections involve relating a personal experience to an event or character in the text, which tends to be more intuitive for students.

What is a common challenge when students make Text-to-Self connections?

A common challenge is that students may make superficial connections, such as saying they both have a dog because the text mentions a dog, without linking it to a deeper understanding of the text, such as predicting what the character might do or feeling empathy for the character's experience.

How can teachers encourage students to go beyond superficial Text-to-Self connections?

Teachers can prompt deeper thinking by asking guiding questions like, 'How does your experience with a dog help you understand how the character might feel about their dog?' This encourages students to reflect on how their connection enhances their understanding of the story.

What types of connections are involved in Text-to-Text connections?

Text-to-Text connections involve making comparisons between two different texts. Students might notice similarities in topics, characters, events, or plots. Teachers can guide students by pointing out patterns or similarities between the texts.

What is an example of a Text-to-Text connection?

An example of a Text-to-Text connection would be when a student reads a poem about falling leaves and connects it to a previously read book about changing seasons, recognizing the similarity in theme between the two texts.

Why are Text-to-World connections often challenging for younger students?

Text-to-World connections are challenging because they require students to connect the text to real-world events, social issues, or current affairs, which can be difficult for young children who may not have had exposure to such topics or may not yet fully grasp global issues.

Can you provide an example of a Text-to-World connection?

An example of a Text-to-World connection is when a student connects a story about a family struggling to make ends meet to a real-life news story about a family affected by a fire, demonstrating an understanding of how the text reflects real-world issues.

What are some strategies teachers can use to facilitate students in making meaningful connections?

Teachers can model making connections during read-alouds, ask guiding questions, create anchor charts with examples of different types of connections, and use non-verbal signals to encourage students to share their connections without interrupting the flow of the lesson.

How can anchor charts help students with making connections while reading independently?

Anchor charts can serve as reminders for students by visually displaying examples of Text-to-Self, Text-to-Text, and Text-to-World connections. These charts help reinforce the importance of making connections and provide concrete examples to guide students during independent reading.