Language comprehension

Introduction

Introduction to language comprehension

Background

Language comprehension is an important building block for good reading comprehension. It can even be crucial for pupils who struggle to develop adequate decoding skills or reading fluency. These learners can be supported by good language comprehension.

Key language skills

Vocabulary and conceptual understanding, which includes both everyday words and more school-specific words that the learner needs to acquire knowledge.

Having an understanding of the structure of language such as having an awareness of summarising words and prefixes as examples.

Experiences that the learner has, for example from the home environment.

Strategies to interpret the content of language such as knowing that dropping your chin means you are surprised and not that you are dropping your physical chin.

A text structure is about how a text is organised. Different text types (e.g. descriptive and argumentative texts) are structured in different ways and it is essential for the learner to learn the various structures.

Working method

When you work actively with the skills, you help pupils to create a good foundation for further reading development. Language comprehension can also be taught without the pupil starting to read on their own.

Lexplore recommends structured and thoughtful teaching of language skills, and for this purpose you can use the lessons and exercises offered by Lexplore.

We, therefore, recommend that you

let the pupils be active during the lesson to share their linguistic experiences. When pupils are active, motivation also increases, which generally affects how the pupil receives new knowledge.
collaborate with colleagues who teach subjects other than English so that strategies and concepts become central and permeate all teaching.
use literature as a natural element in your teaching.