Generative Teaching of Comprehension

This article presents a model of the teaching of comprehension. The model of generative teaching of comprehension consists of 4 related parts: (1) students' knowledge base and preconceptions, (2) motivation, (3) attention, and (4) generation. Research on the teaching of science and reading comprehension that underlies the model is discussed first. The 4 components of the model are presented next. The article concludes with a discussion of generative teaching procedures appropriate for facilitating comprehension in elementary school. These procedures begin with an emphasis on direct instruction focused on comprehension, followed by increasing involvement of student-generated comprehension procedures, and conclude with the teaching and learning of metacognitive procedures.