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Comprehension

Check for understanding; monitor and self-correct

A comprehension strategy that teaches readers to stop frequently and check, or monitor, whether they understand what they are reading. This typically involves a quick summary of what they've read, starting with who and what.

KEY DETAILS

Get to know this strategy

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Definition

A comprehension strategy that teaches readers to stop frequently and check, or monitor, whether they understand what they are reading. This typically involves a quick summary of what they've read, starting with who and what.

When to teach this strategy

If you see readers who . . .

  • don't remember what they read.
  • spend all their time decoding words.
  • read quickly without stopping to think about what's going on.
  • don't understand what they read.

Why we teach it

Readers need this strategy because it helps them remember and understand what they're reading and indicates the need to use a fix-up strategy when meaning breaks down.

Secret to success

For this strategy to work, you have to stop frequently and think about what is happening. Have a conversation in your head. Ask who this is about and what is happening.

How we teach it

This vital strategy is not only one of the first we introduce, but also one we model frequently throughout the school year.

  • Modeling during our read-aloud, we stop periodically and say, Let me see if I remember what I just read. I am going to start by thinking of who the story was about and what happened.
  • We continue to stop periodically and talk through the who and what, usually about three or four times during each read-aloud.
  • After two or three times of modeling this for students, we start asking them to answer the who and the what through Listen and Talk, asking one student to do it for the group and then expecting children to do it on their own.

Suggested language:

  • Stop often to check for understanding before you read any further.
  • Who did you just read about and what just happened?
  • How often did you stop to check for understanding? After each sentence? After each paragraph? At the end of each page?
  • Are you finding that you are understanding what you are reading?
  • What do you do if you don't remember?

Instructional Pivots

Possible ways to differentiate instruction:

  • Raise the level of scaffolding and support by having students check for understanding at the end of a sentence by asking, “Who is this about and what just happened?”
  • Give readers a large check mark made out of cardboard. They can hold it as a reminder that they have a job to do while they are reading: They need to check for understanding. It may help to write “Who?” and “What?” on the check mark to serve as a prompt.

    • Reconsider materials, setting, instruction, and cognitive processes.

    Partner Strategies

    These strategies may provide support before, during, and after teaching this strategy:

    • Back Up and Reread
    • Ask Questions Throughout the Reading Process
    • Make and Adjust Predictions; Use Text to Confirm
    • Make and Adjust Mental Images; Use Text to Confirm

    Common Core Alignment

    KRL.K.10, RI.K.10
    1stRL.1.7
    2ndRF.2.4
    3rdRF. 3.4
    4thRL.4.10
    5thRL.5.10
    6thRL.6.10
    7th
    8th

    Printable Resources

    Membership required to print resources. Join Now or Login
    ready reference guide iconReady Reference Guide?PRINT
    assessment iconAssessment?PRINT
    parent letter iconCaretaker Letter?PRINT
    student bookmark iconStudent Bookmark?PRINT
    Assessment Form: Story Mapstrategy downloadDownload

    VIDEOS

    How to introduce this strategy

    From Hadley’s Perspective aka Kid Teacher

    Want to hear about this strategy from a student's perspective? Let Kid Teacher, Miss Hadley, tell you—in her own words—how this strategy helps her grow as a reader. We think it will help your students too!

    From Gail's Perspective

    In this video, Gail introduces the strategy. Share this with your class, and then continue instruction with a text and content that meets the needs of your students and your grade level standards.

    ARTICLES

    Articles That Support This Strategy

    Check for Understanding: The First Strategy Taught

    We begin CAFE with this powerhouse comprehension strategy. 

    Check for Understanding; Monitor and Self Correct: Model Lesson

    When teaching this strategy, use the Ready Reference Guide and review required standards to see the depth of instruction needed. What do students need to be able to do? Then, use the instruction protocol along with a chosen book to teach the strategy in the desired setting. Download a model lesson to get you started below. 

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    Check for Understanding Checkmark

    Materials

    Download these checkmarks to support your students with the comprehension strategy Check for Understanding.

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    Check for Understanding in Kindergarten

    Kindergarten and Pre-K

    Watch Rhonda Check for Understanding in Kindergarten.

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    Check for Understanding Review

    Watch as Rhonda reviews with her Kindergarten students how to check for understanding when reading to someone. 

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    Check for Understanding Review

    Watch as Rhonda reviews with her Kindergarten students how to check for understanding when reading to someone. 

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    Building Awareness to Monitor and Fix Up

    Joan models what it looks like to stop when a text is confusing and try a few things to clarify and deepen comprehension.

     

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    Check for Understanding: Teach, Model, and Practice

    Watch the scaffolding Janet does with Tucker as she hands over the learning of this strategy. A great video showing the gradual release of responsibility.

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    Check for Understanding: Thinking Aloud for Students

    We may assume students know the many idiosyncrasies involved in everyday reading, and find out differently when we probe a little bit. In this video clip, Janet models the strategy of Check for understanding as she models asking herself to "Remember What I just Read".

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    Check for Understanding: Thinking Aloud for Students

    We may assume students know the many idiosyncrasies involved in everyday reading, and find out differently when we probe a little bit. In this video clip, Janet models the strategy of Check for understanding as she models asking herself to "Remember What I just Read".

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    Nudging a Student to Articulate Strengths and Goals

    Conferring

    In this conference, Bobby, a third grader, learns how to improve his comprehsion. 

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    Check for Understanding: Whole Group Lesson

    Whole Group

    Checking for understanding while reading is such a vital strategy it is typically the very first strategy we teach each year, regardless of the grade level. In this video, Janet models the strategy for a group of first graders.

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    Comprehension Check with Sitting Statues

    Suzi's class listens intently to the read aloud so they'll be prepared to show their comprehension by performing these creative representations.

    Support Summarizing With Check for Understanding

    Check for understanding is a great strategy to help support students who are learning to summarize.

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    BOOKS

    Books with Lessons to Help Teach This Strategy

    Each book below has a coordinating lesson with an explicit example to teach this strategy. Select a book cover below, then download the lesson to see for yourself. At The Daily CAFE these were called Lit Lessons.

    • Alice the Fairy Book Cover

      Alice the Fairy

      By David Shannon

    • Before She Was Harriet Book Cover

      Before She Was Harriet

      By Lesa Cline-Ransome

    • Duck & Goose Book Cover

      Duck & Goose

      By Tad Hills

    • Edward the Emu Book Cover

      Edward the Emu

      By Sheena Knowles

    • How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids Book Cover

      How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids

      By Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer

    • I Went Walking Book Cover

      I Went Walking

      By Sue Williams

    • I Will Never NOT EVER Eat a Tomato Book Cover

      I Will Never NOT EVER Eat a Tomato

      By Lauren Child

    • Lilly

      Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

      By Kevin Henkes

    • Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters Book Cover

      Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters

      By Michael Mahin

    • One Big Rain: Poems for Every Season Compiled Book Cover

      One Big Rain: Poems for Every Season Compiled

      By Rita Gray

    • Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes Book Cover

      Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes

      By Eric Litwin

    • Ruby the Copycat Book Cover

      Ruby the Copycat

      By Margaret Rathmann

    • Silly Sally Book Cover

      Silly Sally

      By Audrey Wood

    • The Brand New Kid Book Cover

      The Brand New Kid

      By Katie Couric

    • The Recess Queen Book Cover

      The Recess Queen

      By Alexis O'Neil

    • The Sandwich Swap Book Cover

      The Sandwich Swap

      By Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah with Kelly DiPucchio

    • The Very Hungry Caterpillar Book Cover

      The Very Hungry Caterpillar

      By Eric Carle

    • The Watermelon Seed Book Cover

      The Watermelon Seed

      By Greg Pizzoli

    • There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy Book Cover

      There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy

      By Tedd Arnold

    • Zinnia and Dot Book Cover

      Zinnia and Dot

      By Lisa Campbell Ernst

    • Zoom Broom Book Cover

      Zoom Broom

      By Margie Palatini

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