Five-Step Reading Comprehension Strategy

(Schunk and Rice, 1987)

Background and Research Question

Dale H. Schunk and Mary Jo Rice conducted two experiments to determine the effects of sources of
information on the acquisition and transfer of reading outcomes and strategy by fourth and fifth grade remedial
reading students. Students were provided training that showed them how to monitor their own reading
performance for errors and correct only errors that seemed to change the meaning of what they were reading.
Students receiving strategy-value feedback and strategy-modification instruction demonstrated the highest
self-efficacy, skill, strategy use, and transfer.

Translating Research Into Practice

Five-Step Reading Comprehension Strategy

What do I have to do?

Step 1. Read the questions.

Step 2. Read the passage to find out what it is mostly about.

Step 3. Think about what the details have in common.

Step 4. Think about what would make a good title.

Step 5. Reread the story if I don’t know the answer to a question.

1. Display the five-step reading comprehension strategy chart and say: “Today we’re going to work together on
a reading strategy. We’ll read some passages and answer some questions. We’re going to use these steps
(point to the chart) to answer questions about what we’ve read. I’ll give you some reading passages and
questions that we’ll be working on.”

2. Model the strategy and its use by reading the questions and step 1 from the chart: Read aloud the
questions following an example passage. Point to and read steps 2 and 3 in the strategy. Explain that details
refer to bits of information and give some examples. Tell students that while you read you will be thinking
about what the details have in common.

3. Read the example passage. Point to and read step 4: Tell students that trying to think of a good title helps
you remember important ideas in a story. Identify some of the details in the story, explain what they have in
common, and make up a title.
4. Read aloud the first question, prepare an answer, and explain how the answer is supported in the text.
Answer the remaining questions in the same way.

5. After demonstrating the strategy, reread each step of the strategy and have the students repeat the
statements aloud as a group.

6. Select a student to read a new practice passage. Then have a separate student read each of the follow-up
questions. Next have students repeat aloud steps 2 and 3.

7. Call on a student to read the practice passage aloud. When the student has finished reading the passage,
ask the group to repeat step 4. Call on a student to think of a title for the passage and explain his or her
answer.
8. Call on individual students to read aloud each of the questions and to answer the question. If a student
answers incorrectly, have the student repeat step 5, rereading enough of the passage to be able to answer
the question correctly.

9. For subsequent passages, do not explicitly model the strategy and do not require students to verbalize
every step prior to applying it. Instead, refer to steps at appropriate time and occasionally ask children to
verbalize them.

Source
Schunk, D.H. and Rice, J.M. (1992). Influence of reading-comprehension strategy information on children’s
achievement outcomes. Learning Disability Quarterly, 15(1),
51–64.