Reading Comprehension Flashcards
main idea
the central point of the passage
Glossary
a list of important words to know along with their meanings
Primary Purpose / Author’s Purpose
why the author wrote a text
Theme (literature)
the central idea, message, or underlying meaning that a literary text explores
Example: love, courage, the struggle between good and evil
Author’s point of view
An attitude or perspective toward the topic of what is being written or spoken by the author or narrator.
Example: In an argument against bullying, the author’s point of view was that ‘bullying was caused by previous social issues.’
Inference (when reading)
A conclusion or opinion based on information that is given, and that is sometimes called an educated guess.
Example: Sam’s parents inferred that he had gotten in trouble at school when they received a call from the principal
table of contents
a text feature found on a page before the start of a written work that lists chapter names or section titles along with their corresponding page numbers
Character’s Point of View
An attitude or perspective toward the topic of what is being written or spoken by the character within the story
figurative language
A word or phrase that does not have its normal everyday, literal meaning
Example: hyperbole: I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!
Cause and Effect
a writing method in which the author explains reasons why something happened or the effects of something that has happened
Example: A politician’s speech in which all of the bad actions of an opponent are listed to argue that the politician should be elected instead.
Reading comprehension
the ability to read a text and understand its meaning
Example: Jessie read the book and was able to explain to me why the character lied in Chapter 3.
Literacy analysis
The careful examination of a text or one element of a text, including theme, plot, characters, or setting, in order to determine why and how the particular text was written
Heading
a title of a section
Schema (when reading)
Background knowledge a reader brings to a text.
Example: Someone who plays baseball can use his experience to understand a biography of Babe Ruth.
setting
The time and place that a story takes place in a novel.
draw conclusion
to make final comments/summation of what has been read or written
problem and solution
An organizational approach where the author presents a problem and possible solution
K-W-L chart
A graphic organizer used throughout a unit that shows what students know (K), want to know (W), and learned (L)
paraphrase
lets you use copyrighted stuff without asking, as long as you’re being fair and using it for things like criticism, teaching, or research
chronological order
An organizational approach that follows an orderly progression of events based in time
organizational structure
Text structure can include cause/effect, problem/solution, main idea/details, and/or sequence
Example: Students often find problem/solution text structure as more interesting.
compare and contrast
An organizational approach where the author provides similarities and differences about two ideas
transition words
Phrases and words used to link sentences, paragraphs, and ideas together.
Example: First, next, last, on the other hand
moral
lesson or message to be learned; common in fables or children’s stories
subheading
a title for a smaller portion of text
sentence stems
Common sentence starters provided to students to use when generalizing, summarizing, or transitioning between ideas.
Example: “According to the author…” “We see in Chapter 2 that…” or “While X does this, Y…”
annotate
making notes in a text and questioning unfamiliar ideas while reading something new
textual evidence
Proof or support of the meaning of what is being read or has been read. This evidence can be a direct quote, transition words in time and space, a statement of purpose, and/or making an argument.
Example: Students had to write down proof of their answer to the questions on the test over the story they just read.
summarizing
Writing or speaking a brief description of more extensive information by covering only the main/most important points, without details
characters
The persons, animals, or other figures who are in stories.
index
a catalogue list at the end of the text containing all of the topics discussed
tone (ELA)
The author’s attitude or feelings toward the subject, characters, or audience, conveyed through their choice of words, style, and perspective. It sets the emotional atmosphere of the text, influencing how readers interpret and feel about the story.
Example: serious, humorous, sarcastic, hopeful, or any emotion that shapes the reader’s experience
plot
The events included in a story (may or may not be sequential).
