Teaching for Deep Comprehension: A Reading Workshop Approach

Linda Dorn and Carla Soffos describe the process of comprehension as a reflection of the mind—a window into the reader's thoughts. In Teaching for Deep Comprehension they discuss comprehension from a socio-cognitive perspective — specifically, how teachers can use the social context of reading workshop to promote deep comprehension. The book is framed around three guiding questions:Can comprehension be taught?How does a model become a barrier to comprehension?When does a tool become the reason for reading?

Linda and Carla mesh complex theories of comprehension with everyday practical examples in such a way as to help teachers develop a better understanding of what it means to comprehend while reading. The book's appendix contains a wealth of reproducible materials, including text maps, graphic organizers, book lists, and resource charts. Supporting the text is a DVD containing eighty-five minutes of video from a first-grade reading workshop (shared reading, author studies, share time), an adult book discussion, a fourth-grade reading workshop (mini-lesson and literature discussion groups), and other settings.

• The Writing Workshop: Working Through the Hard Parts (And They're All Hard Parts)
• Reading, Writing, and Talk: Inclusive Teaching Strategies for Diverse Learners, K-2 (Language and Literacy Series)
• Disrupting Thinking: Why How We Read Matters
• Apprenticeship in Literacy (Second Edition): Transitions Across Reading and Writing, K-4
• Why Learn History (When It's Already on Your Phone)
• Kids First from Day One: A Teacher's Guide to Today's Classroom
• I Am Reading: Nurturing Young Children's Meaning Making and Joyful Engagement with Any Book
• Culturally Responsive Teaching and The Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students
• Opening Minds: Using Language to Change Lives
• Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children's Learning