The PRIMALS Compendium of Teaching Resources

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Literacy Compendium Kit

E N G L I S H L E S S O N PL ANS F I L I P I N O L E S S O N PL ANS L IT ERACY S TRATEGIES

Reader-Text Interaction

Taxonomies o f
Reading Comprehension
The creation of m eaning in r eading This guide describes
results f r om t he int er action between t h e taxonomies of reading
r eader a n d t he text. Comprehension comprehension which
c a n vary based o n text a n d quest ion can be the bases for

READER-TEXT
INTERACTION
types. High er o r d er cognitive skills, the types of questions
including, t he ability t o make inferences reachers ask about text.
a n d t o p lan a n d organize
information, c o n t r i b u t e t o
compr ehension o f more complex text
a n d question types a n d are i m p o r t a n t
c om p one n t s of reading. Teachers
gu ide reader-text interactions t h r o u g h
inst r uct ional strategies t h a t they use
a n d r eading g ui da nc e t h a t they
provide.

Table o f Contents:

Background/Research Base 2
Purpose/Benefits 3
Description/Procedure 3
How Teachers Can Make
t h e Strategy Work 6
Applications Across
t he Cur riculum 6
 Reader-Text Interaction

Taxonomies of
Reading Comprehension

Background / Research Base

The core of reading is comprehension.

Comprehension involves thinking. As there are
various levels of thi nking (Bloom & Krathwohl,
1956; Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001), so are there
various levels of comprehension. Higher levels of
comprehension obviously include hi gher levels
of thinking, commonly called HOTS (higher-order
t hinking skills).

The levels of thinking Bloom's T a x o n o m y o f L e a r n i n g

shown in the Bloom (New Vers ion)

{
taxonomy are reflected
Higher-Order Thinking

in the models of
C rea t i n g
reading comprehension
developed by several
Increasing Difficulty

stalwarts of reading Evaluating

education.
Analyzing
According to William
Gray (1948),
Applying
“reading is
conceived … as a
complex activity of Understanding
four dimensions: the
perception of Remembering
words,
clear grasp of meaning, (Anderson & Krahwol, 2001)
thoughtful reaction,
and integration.”

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Arthur Gates (1949) suggested Purpose / Benefits
that “reading should be
developed as a complex
1. Teachers can use taxonomies of
organization of patterns of reading comprehension as a
higher mental processes . . . to framework for structuring
embrace all types of thinking, comprehension questions about texts,
evaluating, judging, imagining, as well as in structuring assessment
reasoning, and problem questions.
solving . . . In every case, the
2. The kind of questions teachers ask
reading act involves application.”
determine the kinds of answers
they received. Teachers must learn
Nila Banton Smith (1969) to construct questions that call
mentions four comprehension for higher levels of thinking. This
categories: literal comprehension, kind of comprehension instruction
interpretation, critical reading, must be done in all levels of the
and creative reading. reading program, from pre-school
to adult levels.
Thomas Barrett’s (1972)
3. When students are aware of the
taxonomy (in Heilman et al, dimensions of reading comprehension,
1986) has five levels: literal they know where to look for
comprehension, reorganization, answers to questions about the text,
inferential comprehension, and they themselves can ask
evaluation, and appreciation. questions along different levels,
Reorganization requires the helping them to be active, strategic,
reader to analyze, synthesize, and metacognitive readers (see
and/or organize ideas and Question-Answer Relationships or
information explicitly stated. It QAR in this volume).
includes such tasks as Description / Procedure
classifying, outlining,
summarizing, and synthesizing. Hermosa (2002) merged the models
The last level deals with the described above into a taxonomy she
psychological and aesthetic called Gray-Gates-Smith & Barrett’s
impact of the text and includes Dimensions of Reading Comprehension
emotional response to literary shown below. Each of the dimensions
techniques, forms, styles, and are briefly explained.
structure.

LEVEL V Creative
Reading

LEVEL IV Integration (Application t o Self / Life)

LEVEL III Evaluation (Critical Reading)

LEVEL II

Interpretation LEVEL I

Literal Comprehension
Dimensions of Reading Comprehension
(Based on t he Gray, Gates, Smith & B arret t models)

Reader-Text I n t e ra c t i on | Taxonomies o f Reading C o m p re h e n s i o n 3

 Literal comprehension is the
ability to obtain a low-level type
of understanding by using only Could this really happen?
information explicitly stated in This judgment is based o n experience.
the text. Answers to literal
questions simply demand that
Does the author provide adequate support for
the reader recall what the text his conclusion?
says. Word
Is he at t empt ing t o sway your opinion? This
recognition is subsumed here. requires analysis a n d evaluation of the
Literal comprehension cannot occur reader’s own knowledge as well as t he author’s
unless the reader recognizes the knowledge a n d intent.
words in the passage.
Interpretation demands a higher Is the information in keeping with your
level of thinking because it involves knowledge of the subject?
understanding meanings that are This requires c omp a ring sources of
inf ormat ion with agreement/disagreement o r
suggested. It includes inference,
completeness/ incompleteness.
defined as “something derived by
reasoning; something that is not
directly stated but suggested in the What part of the story best describes the main
character?
statement of a logical conclusion
This requires judging the relative adequacy of
that is drawn from statements; a different pa rt s of t he text.
deduction; an induction (Rubin,
1982). The reading skills in this
dimension rely on the reader’s
ability to “infer” the answer in one
way or another.
Integration (Application to self and
Evaluation (critical reading) life) stresses reading for use and for
involves readers making a personal values clarification. The reading act
judgment on the text. They can “nears completion as the child uses his
look at the text in two aspects: 1) reading in some practical way . . . (also,
the content or theme: its accuracy, when) his emotions are stirred; his
values, truthfulness, objectivity, attitudes and purposes modified;
recency, relevance; and 2) indeed, his innermost being is involved.”
elements of style or (Gates, 1949).
craftsmanship: the use of Creative reading uses divergent
language and literary devices. thinking skills to come up with new
Questions that require ideas or alternate solutions to those
evaluation include: presented by the writer. At this level,
the reader may also reproduce the text
information in
a different form through dramatization,
oral or musical interpretation,
personal narrative, visual expression,
or written expression (Otto & Chester,
1976).

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ILLUSTRATION OF THE TAXONOMY IN READING INSTRUCTION

The following example shows the questions under the different dimensions
of reading comprehension based on the John Saxe’s “The Blind Men and
the Elephant (Hermosa, 2002). The questions are not exhaustive for a
thorough discussion of the text, but are shown as examples for each
dimension of the Gray-Gates-Smith-Barrett dimensions of reading
comprehension.

THE BLIND MEN AND THE ELEPHANT

by J o h n Saxe

I. It was six men of Indostan V. The Fourth reached o u t his eager hand,
To learning m uc h inclined, A nd felt a b o u t the knee.
Who went t o see the Elephant "What most this wondrous beast is like Is
(Though all of them were blind), m ighty plain," q u o t h he;
That each by observation "'It is clear enough the Elephant Is
M igh t satisfy his mind. very like a tree!"

II. The First app ro ach ed the Elephant, VI. The Fifth, who c hanced t o t o u c h the ear,
A nd hap pen ing t o fall Said: "E'en the blindest m a n
Against his b r o a d a n d sturdy side, At Can tell what this resembles most;
once b ega n t o bawl: Deny the fact who can,
"God bless m e ! — b u t the Elephant Is This marvel of a n Elephant Is
very like a wall!" very like a fan!"

III. The Second, feeling of the tusk, VII. The Sixth n o sooner h a d begun Cried:
"Ho!—what have we here A bo ut the beast t o grope,
So very r o un d a n d s mooth a n d sharp? Than, seizing o n the swinging
tail To me 't is mighty clear T hat fell within his scope,
This wonder of a n Elephant "I see," q u o t h he, "the
Elephant
Is very like a spear!" Is very like a rope!"
IV. The Third ap pro ac he d the animal, VIII. And so these men of Indostan
A nd hap pen ing t o take Disputed loud a n d long,
The squirming tr un k within his hands, Each in his own opinion
Thus boldly u p a n d spake: Exceeding stiff a n d strong,
"I see," q u o t h he, "the Elephant Is Though each was partly in the right,
very like a snake!" And all were in the wrong!

Reader-Text I n t e ra c t i on | Taxonomies o f Reading C o m p re h e n s i o n 5

 SAMPLE READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS FOR EACH DIMENSION
(Text: The Blind Me n a n d the Elephant by J o h n Saxe)

Dimension I (Literal Comprehension)

Who went t o see the Elephant?
Why d i d they wish t o see it?
Which p a r t of the Elephant d i d
each blind ma n t o u c h a n d
feel?
Dimension II (Interpretation)
What kind of men were the six blind men of Indostan? Why d o you say so?
Read aloud the last two lines of the p oem (Stanza 8). What is meant by this part?

Dimension III (Evaluation)

This po em tells a story. What kind of po em is it?
What is the rhyme scheme of each stanza?
What figure of speech is used in Stanzas 2-7?

Dimension IV (Integration)
In what ways ca n people be like the men of Indostan? Explain.
What must people d o before making a conclusion o r decision?

Dimension V (Creative Reading)

List ot he r things t h a t resemble the pa rt s of a n Elephant. Based o n your list,
write a stanza o r two a b o u t o t h er blind men a n d what they t h o u g h t a b o u t t he
Elephant.

How Teachers Can Make The “ladder” when interacting with

Strategy Work text. A rule of thumb in
sequencing questions would be
The taxonomy shows classifications to follow the natural and
of reading comprehension processes; spontaneous flow of a
they should not be interpreted to discussion, much like what
mean that thinking follows a linear happens in an ordinary
direction—bottom up, from the conversation (see Gradual
literal to the creative level. In real Psychological Unfolding in this
reading situations, the distinctions compendium.)
Applications Across The
become
Curriculum
blurred and the whole comprehension
process just becomes one unitary Informational texts used in any
act. This principle can be reflected in subject across the curriculum may
the sequence of comprehension be discussed using questions
questions the teacher asks. They do that use the Dimensions of
not need Reading Comprehension. The
to ask questions in linear fashion example below shows questions
from literal questions, followed based on the taxonomy that can
by inferential questions, and so be used for a text in Social
on. Studies or Science.
Indeed, this would be
constricting, since readers go up
and down the
6 T he PRIMALS C o m p e n d i u m o f T eaching Resources | LITERACY STRATEGY GUIDES
Social Studies: Geography and Societies
| Science: Technology and Engineering

TEXT: PREDICTING THE FUTURE (NON-FICTION GRADE 6)

Source: https://www.readworks.org/article/Predicting-the-Future/ References
fedd230b-491c-467b-a9b5-459fda9585cc#!
questionsetsSection:935/ articleTab:content/
Anderson, L.W. & Krathwohl, D.R. (2001).
SAMPLE COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS FOR A Taxonomy of Learning,
“PREDICTING THE FUTURE”: Teaching,
an d Assessing: A Revision of Bloom’s
Dimension I: Literal Comprehension Taxonomy of Educational Objectives.
Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
1. What is Gary Golden’s one passion?
Bloom, B.S. & Krathwohl, D.R. (1956).
2. What a b o u t tra ns po rta tio n excites him the most? Taxonomy of Educational Objectives:
The Classification of Educational
3. One problem with electric cars is t h a t they require Goals. H andbook I Cognitive
very strong batteries. Part of the reason the Domain. NY, NY” Longmans, Green.
batteries have t o be so strong is t h a t cars are so
heavy. What solution does Golden propose f or Gates, A. (1949). The nature of the
this problem? reading process. In Reading in the
Elementary School, Part II of The
forty-eighth yearbook of the
Dimension II: Interpretation National Society
for the Study of Education. Chicago:
1. What is the difference between futurists a n d University of Chicago Press.
historians? Gray, W.S. (1948). Chapter III in Reading
in the high school a n d college, Part
2. What does “inefficient” mean as it is used in
II of The forty-seventh yearbook of
Paragraphs 7-8?
the national society for the study
3. Based o n Golden’s predictions, how ca n of education. Chicago: University of
tra ns po rta tio n systems in the future best be Chicago Press.
described? Heilman, A., Blair, T.R., & Rupley, W.H.
4. What is the passage mostly about? (1986). Principles a n d practices of
teaching reading. Columbus, Ohio:
Charles E. Merrill Publishing Co.
Dimension III: Evaluation
Hermosa, N. (2002). The Psychology
of Reading. Los Banos, Laguna:
1. Cars require a lot of space in cities. What evidence UP Op en University.
from the passage best s upports this conclusion?
Otto, W. & Chester, R. (1976).
O b jective- based reading.
Dimension IV: Integration Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley
Publishing Co.
1. Would you like t o be a futurist? Why?
ReadWorks.org (2014). Predicting the
2. If you are a futurist, what aspect of the future d o you future. Retrieved from https://www.
want t o study about? Explain. readworks.org/article/Predicting-the-
Future/fedd230b-491c-467b-a9b5-
459fda9585cc#!questionsetsSecti
Dimension V: Creative Reading on:935/articleTab:content/

1. Explain in 1-2 p ara gra ph s how communicat ions Rubin, S. (1982). Diagnosis a n d
technology (such as smartphones a n d sensors) correction in reading instruction.
NY: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
could help improve tr ans p ort ati on in the future.
Sup p ort your answer using information from t he Saxe, J.D. (n.d.). Blind men an d the
passage. elephant. Retrieved February 2019
from
2. Choose one of the solutions proposed by Golden f or https://www.allaboutphilosophy.
current tra ns po rtat io n problems. Show the org/blind-men-and-the-elephant.htm
problem a n d the solution t h ro u g h illustrations o r a
problem- solution graphic organizer Smith, N.B. (1969). The many faces of
reading comprehension. In The
Reading Teacher, vol 23, December
2969. 249-59, 291.

Reader-Text I n t e ra c t i on | Taxonomies o f Reading C o m p re h e n s i o n 7