Memory and Learning
Reading Specialists know
Cognitive Processes
Barriers to Comprehension
Finish the Sentence
100

Our mental workspace that is limited in capacity and duration

Working Memory

100

The three variables that impact comprehension and must be considered when planning lessons

Reader, Text and Task

100

Consider multiple bits of information at one time and actively switch between them.

Cognitive Flexibility

100

Monitoring understanding while reading

Metacognition

100

Comprehension is not a ...

Skill or single thing

200

Has unlimited capacity and can store information for hours or for a lifetime.

Long term memory

200

The variables that impact text complexity (name two)

Structure, vocabulary, sentence length, syntax, cohesion, figurative language, academic language

200

Ignore or suppress irrelevant or distracting information.

Inhibition

200

Understanding of multiple meaning words, depth and breadth and word relationships

Vocabulary

200

Standards measure comprehension, they don't...

create comprehension

300

A mental framework that stores information around a topic

Schema

300

Text medium that supports better comprehension

Text on paper (not screens)

300

Track understanding while reading and employ strategies when needed.

Monitoring

300

Create understanding not stated in the text but by integrating text with background knowledge

Inference

300

Students can not analyze a text if they don't first...

understand the text.

400

This interrupts forgetting

Retrieval practice or Checks for Understanding

400
Writing supports...

comprehension, memory, and/or deeper understanding

400

Managing information, connecting new information to schemas, discarding irrelevant information and connecting ideas.

Organization

400

Genre, syntax, paragraphs and cohesion

Structure

400

Students, typically, can understand language at levels much higher than their reading level until the age of...

13