The Reading Comprehension Blueprint

From explicit vocabulary instruction and sentence structure to background knowledge and text structures, The Reading Comprehension Blueprint: Helping Students Make Meaning from Text by Nancy Lewis Hennessy introduces instructional strategies and examples alongside research. The text is filled with key questions which allow teachers to reflect on best practices and plan effective instruction. Hennessy also provides lesson plan guides and checks for understanding. 

As Hennessy introduces the components of comprehension instruction, flexibility is key. Teachers must understand reading and the reading process to organize, scaffold, and adapt to students’ needs. The framework and sample lessons provide insight and resources to support students throughout comprehension lessons. While each chapter dives into research, examples, and reflection opportunities, the appendices provide graphic organizers to support your instruction. 

Independent reading comprehension is the goal, but students will benefit from – if not require – explicit instruction to reach it. Consider the following and the impacts on vocabulary and comprehension. 

1. Your word choice: Incorporate words into your communication and instruction that allow students to grow in their oral language vocabularies. Remain conscious and purposeful, and embed new words in concrete and multi-sensory activities or experiences.
2. Your instructional routines: Be intentional about setting routines. Students will be motivated and empowered, and your instructional environment and routines will enable them to participate effectively.
3. Develop a shared language: Based on your explicit instruction, as well as your teacher-student talk and shared reading, students will begin to incorporate new vocabulary and comprehension strategies based on your engagement, modeling, and monitoring of shared language.
4. Model, model, model: Thinking aloud helps students “see” how you’re approaching the text and applying strategies. Many teachers develop and reuse repetitive phrases or questions, so students can access and begin to make connections on their own.
   • “That’s an interesting word! I wonder what it means. Let’s look more closely (at the context clues, morphemic structure, or dictionary definition). 
   • “I have a question. [Who… What… When… Where… Why… How… What if…]
   • Because of ___, I know ___.
5. Graphic organizers: Consider the purpose for reading (content-related learning and new instructional strategies). What support can you provide to help students structure this new learning? This structure, or organization, of new learning – and the experience of reading, discussing, making connections, and transferring into the graphic organizer – allows students to further develop comprehension strategies. Students also incorporate multiple modalities (see it, say it, hear it, write it)
6. Expressions and products: How are students expressing themselves related to the new learning? How are students demonstrating new understandings? Perhaps the graphic organizer is the product, but it is powerful to allow students to explain new information in their own words either orally or in writing. This expression allows students to connect varying pieces of information and new learning as the teacher observes and gathers data on each student’s progress toward the instructional goals and objectives.