Focus on Reading Comprehension:
IRA Programs and Resources

Teaching children to read involves more than helping them to recognize the combinations of sounds and letters that make up words. Understanding the meaning of text—words, numbers, and images, in print or digital form—is a no less critical part of what it means to be literate today.

IRA offers many resources that support teaching and learning of effective comprehension strategies. Browse the links below, or use advanced search to identify even more resources. Simply select “Comprehension” under the Topic heading.

Recommended reading

Books and articles

News stories on comprehension, from Reading Today Daily

Position statements

Using Multiple Methods of Beginning Reading Instruction

What Is Evidence-Based Reading Instruction?

Videos/DVDs

Reciprocal Teaching Strategies at Work: Improving Reading Comprehension, Grades 2–6, by Lori D. Oczkus

Online resources

“Understanding the Big Idea,” a Class Acts podcast

“Classroom Practices Promoting Engagement and Achievement in Comprehension,” a multimedia presentation by John T. Guthrie

“Strategies for Addressing Comprehension Difficulties,” a multimedia presentation by Nell K. Duke

IRA’s summary of the U.S. National Reading Panel report

Lesson plans at the ReadWriteThink website

Meetings and events

IRA’s annual convention always includes numerous sessions on comprehension-related topics. The following sessions appeared on the program for the 2007 convention.

Institute 1: “A Comprehensive Look at Reading Comprehension,” Kathy Ganske et al., presenters

Institute 8: “Reducing the Achievement Gap: Latest Research-Based Practices for Vocabulary, Comprehension, and the Use of Classroom Books in Kindergarten Through Secondary School Instruction,” Cathy Collins Block et al., presenters

Institute 12: “Focus on Active Literacy Engagement: Children as Thinkers, Constructors, and Comprehenders,” David Booth et al., presenters

Symposium: “Teaching Comprehension Effectively to All Students,” Diane Snowball et al., presenters

Session: “Showing What They Know: Writing to Learn Across the Early Elementary Curriculum,” Gay Fitzgibbon, presenter

Microworkshop: “Improving Reading Achievement Through Comprehension of Nonfiction Text,” Georgia Thompson, presenter

Other IRA meetings, including the biennial world congress and annual state/provincial and regional conferences, routinely include sessions on reading comprehension.

Community

Two special interest groups—Balanced Reading Instruction and Content Area Reading—work in areas that place particular emphasis on comprehension.

In addition, comprehension is often a focus of discussion on the RTEACHER listserv, a supportive community whose members share experiences, exchange information, and carry on a lively dialogue on issues of literacy teaching and learning.

For more information about reading comprehension, contact IRA’s Public Information Office.