1. Reading Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners By: Colorín Colorado (2007) Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

2. Examples of comprehension skills that can be taught and applied to all reading situations include: Summarizing Sequencing Inferring Comparing and contrasting Drawing conclusions Self-questioning Problem-solving Relating background knowledge Distinguishing between fact and opinion Finding the main idea, important facts, and supporting details. Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

3. Why reading comprehension skills are particularly important for ELLs? English language learners (ELLs) often have problems mastering science, math, or social studies concepts because they cannot comprehend the textbooks for these subjects. ELLs at all levels of English proficiency, and literacy, will benefit from explicit instruction of comprehension skills along with other skills. Here is a way of thinking about the support your ELLs will need: Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

4. Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

5. ELL students will still need a lot of vocabulary development and teaching of comprehension strategies even if they: -have been mainstreamed after some bilingual instruction; -are being pulled out for English as a Second Language or Sheltered English instruction; -and/or have been assessed as English proficient but you know that they still need additional help with language, reading, and writing. Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

7. Have students volunteer additional examples to contrast and discuss.. Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

9. Give students opportunities to practice using the strategy with a peer as they apply it to a short, simple paragraph from a science text or any expository text.

10. Debrief with the whole class to ask students to share how they applied the strategy or skill.Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

12. Model think-alouds. For example: verbalize a confusing point or show how you use a strategy to comprehend something. "This sounds very confusing to me. I better read this sentence again."Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

14. Partner ELLs with more dominant English speakers and ask each student to take a turn reading and thinking aloud with short passages.

15. After working with partners successfully, ask ELLs to practice independently by using a checklist such as the following. Be sure to explain all the terms and model each.While I was reading, how did I do?Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

16. Celebrate each ELLs' progress with recognition notes, praise, and/or class applause. Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

18. Ask partners to read the text.

19. Have partners restate the main idea and supporting details. At this point, they can add to their idea map or make necessary corrections.Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

21. After that, have partners check each other's work.

22. Finally, partners can share their questions or summaries with other teams.Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

24. Headings

25. Bold print

26. Captions

27. Side bars

28. Maps

29. Graphs

30. Pictures

31. BulletsTaken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

33. Retell what you read, but keep it short.

34. Include only important information.

35. Leave out less important details.

36. Use key words from the text.Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

37. Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"

38. Taken from "Colorin Colorado Reading Comprehension Strategies"