RICA Competency 14: Comprehension- Understanding and Analyzing Narrative and Literary Texts

Introduction

This competency focuses on the instructional strategies and assessments that are appropriate to use with narrative or literary texts. The main topics include; strategies to help students recognize the structure and characteristics of major genres, instruction in the elements of story grammar, instruction in narrative and literary criticism, and oral language activities with literature. 

Examples

A part of comprehension is teaching students the different literary elements of a story. In my own experience, this is usually done in the pre-reading section of an activity. “When students understand the elements of a story, they will recall details with greater accuracy. Students can be taught to attend story elements through story maps and story grammar outlines.” (pg. 107)

“A story’s theme, its important message, is usually a comment about the human condition.” (pg. 108) Whenever I read a story, I try to introduce students to books with common themes. When my students realize this theme, they are incorporating one aspect of narrative analysis.  

Oral language activities are a way to stimulate discussion. “The more the teacher prompts the individual children to respond to literature, the better.” (pg. 109) Examples of this would include book clubs, questioning the author and think pair share activities. 

Differentiation

IF the student needs help with identifying the literary elements of a story THEN the teacher can provide them with a skeletal story map.

IF the student can identify recurring themes THEN they are effectively studying and examining the story.

IF the student is younger and cannot fully express themselves via writing THEN oral assessment can help monitor comprehension. 

“Questioning the author is another instructional strategy that models for students the importance of asking questions while reading.” (Learning to Read pg. 346) When children can understand this, they become more comfortable with asking questions and can better grasp the text.

Assessments

Students will analyze narrative/literary texts through text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to-world writings and discussions.