Reading Comprehension Requires Knowledge — of Words and the World

Author: Hirsch, E.D., Jr.
Publisher: American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
Publication Date: 2003, Spring
Journal: American Educator
Available for purchase online at: http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator/spring2003/AE_SPRNG.pdf

Abstract (written by WestEd)

Citing research, Hirsch claims that "reading tests make the comprehension gap seem much greater in fourth grade because the tests used in earlier grades are heavily focused on testing early reading skills (like decoding) and do not try to measure the full extent of the vocabulary differences between the groups."

Hirsch urges researchers and practitioners to create effective programs and methods that teach students to comprehend text accurately and fluently to complement programs we already have that teach decoding accurately and fluently. The language arts program should start in preschool and early grades to build word and world knowledge, particularly through developing oral comprehension, using both fiction and nonfiction text. Teaching formal comprehension strategies like predicting, classifying, and identifying the main idea is effective initially but plateaus fairly quickly. At this point, continued growth of vocabulary and world knowledge will continue to strengthen comprehension. Conscious comprehension strategies cannot activate without relevant prior knowledge. Vocabulary builds when there is repeated exposure in different contexts.

Three main principles emerge from scientific research about reading comprehension, according to the author.

1. Fluency frees the mind to concentrate on comprehension.

• Decoding that does not happen quickly impairs building comprehension.
  
• Short-term memory works with approximately seven chunks of information; rapidly identifying words and making grammatical connections allows for forming larger chunks.
  
• Greater domain knowledge allows more rapid connections between new and previously learned content which, in turn, eases and deepens comprehension.

2. Breadth of vocabulary increases comprehension.

• Most vocabulary learning is incidental while making sense of the world and knowledge.
  
• Domain knowledge increases fluency, broadens vocabulary, and enables deeper understanding.

3. Domain knowledge is used to make sense of word combinations, multiple meanings, confusing sentences, literary devices (irony, metaphor, etc.), and to make inferences, allowing for greater comprehension.