The purpose of this publication is to point out that reading comprehension questions frequently assess only literal comprehension, and to suggest kinds of questions that involve broader levels of comprehension. The publication first presents two reading passages; for each one it lists sample questions that involve only literal comprehension and…

The measurement of a pupil's comprehension development from literal comprehension to evaluation focused on two questions: (1) How do we measure the various types of comprehension? and (2) How should we measure the various types of comprehension? Literal comprehension is presently measured by the recall or memory-type question. However, one should…

Teaching active comprehension helps students learn to ask their own questions and guide their own thinking. (MKM)

Describes research that tested the validity of a set of guidelines for a program for the systematic development of listening comprehension skills. (DD)

Suggestions for improving listening and questioning skills in elementary school children are offered, since children do not always think to ask questions when something is not clear to them. (MJB)

The questioning techniques which teachers use when leading a class discussion of a reading assignment can be an essential component of profitable instruction. A brief review of the past 50 years of research on questioning levels indicates a need for attention to the cognitive level of queries as well as to their sequence since investigators have…

Tabulates the frequency of comprehension question types and teacher questioning behavior and reports that teachers emphasize recall, use several controlling actions in questioning, and miss opportunities for putting questions into clusters which would extend thinking. Bibliography. (MD)

Comprehension is seen as involving meaningful communication between author and reader. Different degrees of comprehension such as literal comprehension, evaluation, reorganization, and reaction are discussed, and experience, intelligence, language development, and decoding skills are noted as important factors which influence reading…

Understanding ideas, drawing inferences, and recognizing the author's organization and purpose are teachable comprehension skills. Prereading discussions can stimulate students to think before reading, to survey the material, and to raise questions which focus attention while reading. A study guide can develop comprehension through careful…

The central feature of language is symbolic meaning, and the act of reading is a part of the symbolic process that characterizes human life. Meaning occurs as a result of interpretation in a context, not as a result of response or reaction. Signs have a literal meaning in a specific context, while symbols have a figurative meaning in an implicit…