News from Toronto: Research conference inspires thought

A daily review of convention news from the staff of Reading Today

 The Internet is “the defining technology for reading,” said Donald J. Leu of the University of Connecticut in his keynote address at the 2007 Reading Research Conference on Saturday. He noted that online reading comprehension is quite different than paper reading comprehension, adding that “our failure to understand the Internet as a reading issue has worked to perpetuate reading gaps.” He described changes that needed to be made to make better use of technology. He concluded, “If we do not change, those who need our help the most will continue to receive it the least. We will lose an entire generation of students who have the power to change our world in powerful ways.”

More than 400 people attended the event, which included a series of breakout sessions featuring top researchers who focused on beginning reading, comprehension, adolescents, and teacher preparation.

For example, noted experts highlighted a range of reading strategies and ideas during the comprehension strand, which drew hundreds of participants. Research suggests using content-rich texts in conjunction with techniques such as responsive engagement and other cognitive strategies. Broad vocabulary development is a necessity for students as is a domain of knowledge that they bring to informational text. Students benefit from the opportunity to engage and discuss text in meaningful ways.

Nell K. Duke, associate professor at Michigan State University, defined “authentic” literary events and their importance because they replicate real-world purposes outside the schooling context. She gave specific examples of instructional models, including concept-oriented reading instruction (CORI), the IDEAS model, GEMS science kits, and the Project-Based Approach to Building Informational Literacy (PABIL). She also introduced a new assessment she is helping develop—Concepts of Comprehension Assessment (COCA)—that measures five distinct dimensions of reading comprehension.