Young Meaning Makers—Teaching Comprehension, Grades K–2

One of the most critical elements in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) is the effective teaching of reading comprehension in the early years. This timely resource provides evidence-based practices for teachers to use as they work to meet standards associated with comprehending complex literature and informational texts. The authors offer a practical model with classroom applications that draw on the Construction-Integration (CI) model of text comprehension. Illustrating why comprehension is so important in the CCSS framework, the book distills six key principles for meeting CCSS and other high-challenge standards. Chapters show teachers how to build oral language and text comprehension skills with young readers, including selecting texts, organizing materials, scheduling time, and assessing the acquisition of knowledge.

Book Features:

• A practitioner-friendly model for teaching comprehension of informational and narrative texts in the early grades.
• Guidance for how to create a classroom environment that supports oral language acquisition.
• Instructional strategies, including teaching children to understand text structures, key details, and main ideas of a story or information text.
• A standards-based series of formative comprehension assessments.

D. Ray Reutzel is the dean of the College of Education, University of Wyoming, and a member of the Reading Hall of Fame. Cindy D. Jones is an associate professor and director of the Literacy Clinic in the Department of Teacher Education and Leadership at Utah State University. Sarah K. Clark is an associate professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Leadership at Utah State University. Sandra L. Gillam is a professor in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Education at Utah State University.

“Young Meaning Makers is as practical as it is theoretical. And because it is both, teachers not only get a lot of very practical teaching ideas, they get it packaged in a framework that surrounds, gives credence to, and explains why any given lesson, activity, or assessment is being used with these types of students at exactly this point in their development…. Read (this book) with the gusto it provides and deserves, and go out into your classrooms and make texts come to life through the magic of understanding!"
—From the Foreword by P. David Pearson, University of California, Berkeley

“Every day, teachers in K–2 classrooms face the challenge of engaging young children in tasks and activities to deepen their understanding of text. In this timely and teacher-friendly book, the authors provide a blueprint for a theory-driven approach to reading comprehension based on the Common Core State Standards. This is a must-read for teachers and educators as they strive to meet the new literacy standards and improve reading comprehension outcomes for their students.”
—Linda B. Gambrell, Distinguished Professor of Education, Clemson University, and coeditor, Reading Research Quarterly

"The authors start with the most respected theory of how reading comprehension happens, add an insightful and appreciative analysis of relevant Common Core standards, and combine the two with solid, practical instructional ideas. Bravo!"
—James W. Cunningham, professor emeritus, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

"A major cause of reading difficulties in later schooling is a lack of foundation for comprehension early on. This book contains a wealth of actionable advice about comprehension assessment and instruction in the critical K-2 years. The authors draw on theory, research, and years of classroom experience to provide a well-supported and practical set of strategies for developing reading comprehension. Every educator will benefit from this important text."
—Nell K. Duke, University of Michigan

CI Model Level and CCSS Anchor Standard Tracking Spreadsheet