Reading comprehension : what do we know?

Abstract

"Is there a classroom teacher anywhere who has not at one time or another complained about reading problems related to comprehension? Probably not, for if a universal concern could be identified within most reading programs, it would almost certainly be the readers' understanding of the printed page. When asked to define comprehension it is often deceptively easy to explain what information the reader is able to obtain from the words on the page or to describe meaning in terms of mastery levels of a number of isolated skills. Recent research in comprehension, especially work being done in psycholinguistics and whole language, have given new insights into this area of reading education. Rather than limiting the definition of comprehension to a narrow concept based solely on lists of isolated skills and competencies, a broader viewpoint has been developed to include the uniqueness of each reader's background and experiences."--from Introduction