Lessons · Teaching · decoding times language comprehension
Decoding times language comprehension
Reading comprehension is decoding multiplied by language comprehension, so a zero in either one is a zero overall and a weak one caps the whole thing.
Hone is a place to practise a career, one idea a day. This is one of its lessons, written out in full and free to read without an account.
What it is for
Two readers both fail the comprehension paper. One cannot get the words off the page. One reads it beautifully and does not know what half the words mean. They need opposite lessons, and the only way to tell them apart is to measure the two parts separately.
How to think about it
Test decoding on its own, by having them read aloud. Test language comprehension on its own, by reading a passage to them and then asking about it. The lower of the two is where the lesson goes.
Worked example
Comprehension = decoding × language comprehensionA product and not a sum, which is why one weak part is not made up for by a strong one.
0.9 × 0.4 = 0.36Strong decoding, weak language. More phonics will not move this.
0.4 × 0.9 = 0.36The same score from the opposite reader. Identical number, opposite lesson.
Read aloud to you, then listen to you readThe two measurements, in the order a teacher can actually run them.
Your turn
A reader scores 0.6 on decoding and 0.5 on language comprehension. Write the line that gives the product.
0.6 × 0.5 =
Solve one, graded on the server
The trap
Calling it a comprehension problem and reaching for comprehension strategies. If decoding is the weak factor, the strategies are being taught to somebody who cannot read the passage, and they will not help.