Teacher Web Sites: Reading Teacher: Reading Activities

Self Monitoring of Reading

Good readers stop to think about their reading and know what to do when they don't understand.

	Is this making sense?
	Wait, what's going on here?
	What have I learned?
	Should I slow down? Speed up?
	Do I need to reread?
	How do I say this word?
	What does this word mean?
	What text clues help me fill in missing information?

It is important to understand that all readers experience difficulty in reading at times. Challenging reading can be encountered regardless of your background or level of education. To explain further. . .

Have you ever been reading a book or article only to discover you haven't any idea what you just read? You've actually displayed the characteristics of a great decoder, but missed the most important purpose of reading, getting meaning from written word, also known as comprehension. Good readers stop themselves as soon as they become aware this is occurring; they go back and re-read what they missed or didn't understand. Generally, they will also adjust their pace, or reading rate. The surprising fact is that we often do this without much conscious thought.This practice is known as self-monitoring reading. It is a vital skill for students to acquire and use.

Monitoring Reading: Student Checklist
Monitoring involves readers asking themselves if what they have read makes sense. They also may try to clarify whether things that are occurring in the story could really happen or follow a predictable sequence of events.

Flow Chart for Monitoring Comprehension
Another way readers use this strategy is when they encounter a word they can't define. To figure out what the word means, they might use context clues--words surrounding the unknown word, as well as illustrations. Reading ahead is a common approach. Though sight words make up the bulk of all reading, the meaning is carried in these more difficult words, hence, the focus on vocabulary in today's curriculum. Readers may also refer to a dictionary or glossary for information.