Amanda Lamb

April 15, 2020

CIRG 653

Module 10
Gunning discusses text structure and comprehension, and Clay discusses knowledge

construction in the module readings. Text structure is essentially how works are organized, and

within their structure, all stories contain setting (where the story takes place), characters (who is

in the story), and plot (story problem/main character’s goals, story events, and resolution to the

problem. Narrative stories are linear and are typically structured around the main character’s

goals. (Gunning, 2016, p. 341) Informational text, on the other hand, is structured differently.

Gunning (2016) states that the author could structure informational text through the following

avenues: enumeration-description (lists details about the topic given), explanation-process (tells

how something works), comparison-contrast (states similarities and differences), problem-

solution (the problem is stated first and followed by a solution), cause-effect (tells how the topic

causes other things to happen) (p. 346). “Often, content dictates structure.,” Gunning (2016)

stated on page 345 Because informational text introduces a more complex logical-scientific style

of writing, it is more challenging to read.

Comprehension is the goal of reading, and Gunning (2016) states questions are great to

facilitate comprehension. They develop concepts, build background knowledge, clarify

reasoning, and guide students to higher levels of thinking (p. 349). Asking questions before,

during, and after reading has different impacts on students. Questions that come before reading

activate prior knowledge and determine the reason for reading. Questions that come during

reading help students understand the text and give the teacher information on whether

clarification is needed. Questions that come after reading help students summarize what they’ve

read (p. 350).

April 15, 2020

CIRG 653

Module 10
To foster comprehension, Gunning (2016) highlights many things educators can do. One

way to foster comprehension is through guided reading. The purpose of guided reading is to help

students of the same reading level learn to use independent reading strategies effectively (p 356).

Another way to foster comprehension is through discussion. This is my favorite way to foster

comprehension in my classroom! I am a big advocate to creating and supporting a positive

classroom community, so talking to each other about what we have read to recall information,

extending the conversation to cover open-ended topics, debating, and linking what we have read

to personal experience is important to strengthening the community we have. Gunning also states

that discussion is a great time to encourage the use of vocabulary words, which is also important

as we learned in module 7; comprehension reinforces vocabulary and vocabulary reinforces

comprehension (p. 359)! Cloze reading is another approach Gunning mentions that I have

implemented before. “Filling in missing words forces a reader to use semantic and syntactic

clues together with symbol-sound information and to predict meaning. It also activates the

reader’s background knowledge.” (p. 367) My students enjoy this approach because it feels like

a game to them; it’s a puzzle they must solve!

Clay’s (2014) chapter on constructing knowledge solidified many thoughts I already had.

Throughout the chapter, Clay incorporated many eloquent writing pieces from students to

showcase that “if our instruction requires each child to shift into a constructive mode of

thinking, to link the current task with personal knowledge, then any competence the child has is

allowed to contribute to the output.” (p. 205) If teachers implement activities that require a shift

to constructive thinking, students can use what they know and feel confident about producing
Amanda Lamb

April 15, 2020

CIRG 653

Module 10
quality work. If a teacher asks students to construct a response, whether they write it, say it, draw

it, or build it, each requires students to “relate link, remember, call up, relearn, monitor, problem-

solve,” and so on. (p. 205) How a child decides to respond should be in their hands.

Promoting students to construct their own responses, however, becomes tricky with

assessment. How can educators make sure they have shown what they know? Story retelling is

one assessment Clay (2014) recommends teachers use. How students decide to show

comprehension is their choice, but they are still recalling the important details. Clay also says

you can ask a standard set of questions during a teacher-student conference or ask students to

write all the information they know about a topic (p. 206). Ultimately, the goal in each

classroom should be to have children link their reading or writing to what they already know. By

leaving the requirement of the finished product open-ended, students can operate in the

constructive mode and utilize writing, voice, art, craft, or other visual presentations to showcase

ability and knowledge. (p. 207)

Encouraging students to “show what they know” through their own knowledge

construction isn’t something I have considered before. Is it wrong or odd to say I didn’t realize I

could do that? I always thought there was this unspoken rule that you create an engaging lesson

then give an activity for students to complete to showcase new information learned. Letting

students decide how they demonstrate their knowledge is a new concept for me. For example,

my students gave PowerPoint presentations before quarantine began on information about China.

Rather than having everyone construct a PowerPoint, I could have left the presentation method

up to students. Who knows what awesome and unique presentations could have been
Amanda Lamb

April 15, 2020

CIRG 653

Module 10
constructed! As I continue teaching, I will encourage individual knowledge construction and

demonstration more in my classroom, starting with assignments. I hope to one day incorporate

student choice of knowledge construction in almost all aspects of the classroom.

References

Gunning, T. G. (2016). Creating Literacy Instruction for All Students. Ninth Edition. Pearson

Merrill Prentice Hall. Pages 341, 345, 346, 349, 350, 356, 359, 367

Clay, M. M. (2014). By Different Paths to Common Outcomes: Literacy Teaching and Learning.

Aukland, New Zealand: Global Education Systems (GES). Pages 205, 206, 207