The Comprehension Strategy Kit is an instructional resource for the introduction, practice, and ongoing implementation of critical comprehension strategies. The role of each instructional practice is to provide students tools to access and manage the texts they read, while at the same time promoting deeper reading. The Strategy Kit is intended to be used during shared and independent practice and supports the application and transfer of the reading process.

Reading Routines are provided for use throughout the year in order to establish an effective literacy classroom.

Read-Aloud Questions are provided to promote student thinking, talking, and sharing. Organized discourse options are included to ensure variety during the read-aloud process. Read-aloud questions are represented as follows:

• Level 1 represents students’ opinions about the reading
• Level 2 represents students’ metacognitive reflections about their reading process
• Level 3 represents students’ reflections about what is being said in the text
• Level 4 represents students’ thinking about the author

Each level increases in complexity; lower grade levels may only focus on Levels 1, 2, and/or 3.

Before, during, and after reading instructional practices and questions are included for the eleven comprehension strategies. The instructional strategy and question placement (before, during, after) will reflect the reading process.

Evidence of Learning Activities provide a fast, focused, formative assessment of the comprehension strategies and their application to reading.