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Some students read fluently, but lack strategies to unlock the meaning behind what they read. Comprehension Strategies Intervention provides practice and tools to enhance students’ ability to understand what they read.

The Comprehension Strategies Intervention provides specific lessons in monitoring comprehension, and in using clarification and summarization strategies to enhance comprehension. The introduction of each concept is made memorable with videos for teachers and students. Lessons emphasize both the purpose of each strategy and the process for practicing and using the strategy. Powerful cooperative learning discussion tools are used regularly to engage students and to require students to explain their thinking. Tools for informal assessments of individual student progress in strategy use are provided for teachers. The Strategies Intervention can be used with any reading series, and students can apply the strategies to reading in mathematics, science, and social studies.

With direct instruction and ongoing practice in strategy use, students focus on understanding the author’s entire message when they read. Students learn that good readers are purposeful and active - that they can recognize a lack of understanding and can use a variety of strategies to develop an understanding of the author’s meaning. The Comprehension Strategies Intervention is an excellent supplement when comprehension is an issue for 2nd through 6th graders.

Instructional Materials
The Comprehension Strategies Intervention provides:

  • Teacher Lesson Guide
  • Student Strategy Cue Cards
  • Progress monitoring tools
  • Classroom video to enhance instruction
  • Professional development video to support teachers

Professional Development
Your SFAF Coach builds a partnership with your school through training sessions, on-site coaching, scheduled telephone meetings, quarterly progress reports, and informal telephone support. The professional development provided by SFAF staff is designed to support teachers as they make substantial changes in their approach to classroom instruction.

Initial Training in Clarification and Summarization
Initial cluster training prepares teachers to initiate clarification strategy instruction. One day of on-site training scheduled in the late summer for teachers, assistants, and administrators is shared among clustering schools (up to 40 participants) and focuses on:

  • Information about the role of each of the strategies in comprehension.
  • Processes in instruction, ongoing practice, and assessment.
  • Effective cooperative learning routines.
  • Tools for administrators to monitor student progress and support program implementation.
  • Training teachers to use the instructional materials, to assess and monitor student progress, and to adapt instructional practices to meet the needs of individual students.
  • Additional one-day on-site training during the winter prepares teachers to initiate summarization instruction.

Goal-Focused Achievement Planning
Goal-focused achievement planning sets the stage for success. School leaders and your SFAF Coach develop specific goals and monitor student progress. Each school receives:

  • A half day of School Leader training.
  • Quarterly monitoring of progress toward school-wide goals.
  • Periodic sessions to examine data with leadership and staff to establish targets and interventions for the following quarter.

Ongoing Coaching and Support
As the year progresses, you will have a variety of ways to work with your SFAF Coach to review your progress and refine your goals. Each school receives:

  • Telephone meetings two to three weeks after training to answer questions and troubleshoot.
  • Two on-site support visits over the year to observe students’ strategy use in classrooms, meet with teachers and administrators, review data on student progress, and set new goals.
  • Six follow-up telephone meetings to provide teachers with further training and support for their implementation of the program. The meetings will be held quarterly to answer teachers’ questions and help with troubleshooting, goal setting, and assessment issues.
  • Unlimited, informal telephone support for all staff members.

Next Steps
Do you want to learn more about The Comprehension Strategies Intervention? Please call and talk to one of our staff members at 1-800-548-4998, ext.2372, or fill out the information request form online.


 

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