Do you have students that can accurately decode and answer oral comprehension questions, but struggle with written comprehension questions? Do they have difficulty understanding how to read the questions, knowing what is expected in the answer, or even write something completely off topic? Written comprehension can be difficult at first, especially in elementary school, but it is the next step necessary after students can read and comprehend verbally.
We Can Read and Comprehend, but Now We Have to Write???
When it comes to reading skills, you know that speech, language, and literacy are all connected, and that writing is part of literacy. However, you also know that writing is challenging because instead of students decoding what is in front of them, they have to use their memory and environment to put their own thoughts on paper. This extra challenge can be frustrating for young readers who only learned how to write proper sentences just a short bit ago.
Writing answers to questions is important because students have to show their understanding of texts in multiple ways. It is also how students will complete assignments starting as early as the first grade. How can you help them through this chalenge and have better written comprehension?
What if Your Students Could Answer Written Comprehension Questions?
Good news! Like most things in kindergarten, young readers can be successful with answering written comprehension questions with guided practice and direct instruction on expectations. You just have to insert this into your writing block! The barriers students come across are completely logical and developmentally appropriate. Forming written answers to questions requires different skills than simply choosing the correct answer choice from options provided.
Many students have difficulty decoding or understanding the challenging vocabulary words that are included in these questions. Others don’t understand how to answer the prompt fully using their own words or how to answer in an organized fashion. Sometimes the questions may ask about subject matter that our youngest students have no prior knowledge. By focusing on direct instruction of vocabulary, writing strategies, and visual planning, you’ll set your students up for success. Reluctant and active readers alike will be able to show their understanding of a text through written comprehension answers soon!
1. Teaching Tier II and III Vocabulary
Many students are unable to answer written comprehension questions correctly because they are often expected to read the question itself. The questions often include higher level vocabulary words that students may not be able to decode and, if they can decode them, they still might not be able to understand these unfamiliar words. Teaching this vocabulary is a necessary first step.
Directly instructing students on new words such as describe, explain, retell, and more helps students understand what is expected in the answer. Students need to not only read the word, but also understand exactly what each word means. A question asking a student to describe something is different than one asking them to explain, etc. Exposing primary grade students to these higher level vocabulary words helps build the foundation for the skills they will need as they continue to read and write in upper grades.
2. Use Question Words in Answers
Another barrier to written comprehension questions is that students don’t understand where to start. There are many different ways students could write their answers. An easy strategy I love to teach my students is to use the question words in their answers. By helping students understand that they can rephrase the question in their answer, they can easily form sentences without getting hung up on where to start. For example, if a question is “where was the setting for this story?” I would show students that they could start their answer with “The setting for this story” and then complete the sentence starter with their answer.
3. Graphic Organizers to Develop Answers
A final barrier I often see to my students answering written comprehension questions is that they struggle with being organized. With higher level questions that require multiple parts being answered, students often only answer the first part or maybe don’t go deep enough in their answer to really explain or describe what they need to. I model using graphic organizers in reading and writing lessons so students can use pre-made organizers or easily draw them on the back of their response paper to organize their thoughts and develop better answers. By giving students the tools they need, they can become confident in how to answer questions about stories they have read.
Written Comprehension Takeaways
Written comprehension is a vital part of students’ reading comprehension skills, and using effective strategies is the best way to help your students develop this part of the reading process. Barriers to answering written comprehension questions include challenging vocabulary, not understanding how to answer the question, and not being able to develop an organized answer. By focusing on those challenging question words, teaching how to rephrase the question in their answer, and using graphic organizers, kindergarten students are well on their way to showing their comprehension of a narrative or expository text through writing.
Practice Written Comprehension Successfully Today!
Explicit instruction and guided practice are key in helping your whole class tackle written comprehension. Teach the color coding version of the passages whole group by focusing on vocabulary in the questions, teaching how to find the answers and mark them, and even using graphic organizers. Then, when your students are ready, give them the more challenging reading passage for guided practice and watch them grow!
