Using the concept attainment strategy to enhance reading comprehension

Boulware, B. J. & Crow, M. L. (2008). Using the concept attainment strategy to enhance reading comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 61(6), 491-495.

This concise "Teaching Tips" article outlines the steps of the well-known Concept Attainment Strategy proposed by Jerome Bruner back in the 1960s. Although there's nothing really new here, it is a particularly clear description of the strategy, and the two examples given (one for using narrative text with primary-level students and one for using expository text with middle-level students) are excellent. The authors briefly give ideas for using the strategy with both at-risk and gifted students, and, what is particularly helpful, they provide assessment strategies, including an assessment rubric for observing students' understanding as they progress through the three stages of the model:
  1. Identification of the Concept
  2. Testing the Concept
  3. Analysis of Thinking and Reasoning Strategies.

This model is an "oldie but goodie" that every teacher should know how to use. I'd recommend this article for an elementary methods course at the preservice level. It shows the kind of student-centered yet structured approaches that were developed in the 1960s.

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