FIRST POSTING : Computerized Reading

READING COMPREHENSION

Reading comprehension can be defined as the level of understanding of a passage or text. There are various types of reading; reading for pleasure, information, task completion, instruction and incidental reading. “Persian Warriors Defeated” is the text which I have chosen, taken from http://www.abcteach.com/free/r/rc_history_alexander_pdf website. The below attached comprehension is mainly for the purpose of information and task completion. It will be useful to all categories of people but mainly for secondary school students. In which they are able to get information about the Persian War and the warrior Alexander the Great and able to answer questions related to the text.

This reading comprehension has questions to ask to readers before reading the text. This method is very much useful in giving guideline to readers about the basic contents or idea of the text. The readers may use this prior knowledge to read and understand the text. This strategy is needed to acquire content knowledge and encourage the readers to read more and more. Besides that, it is able to create the readers interest and abilities although they do not have a strong foundation or knowledge about the content of the comprehension. The main aspect of this strategy is, it also able to develop motivation among the poor readers to read continuously.

Here are some guidance and strategies to help readers on reading and to do more than just read the words on a piece of paper. The skills of a strategic reader in the content areas can be broken down into seven areas;

a) Predict – declaring in advance on the basis of observation or experience.
b) Visualize – forming mental pictures of scenes, characters and events.
c) Connect – to link two things together or to associate and see a relationship.
d) Question – to inquire or examine.
e) Clarify – to make understandable or to become clear and free of confusion.
f) Summarize – to concisely obtain the essence or main point of the text.
g) Evaluate – to form an opinion about what you have read.

These seven areas can be linked to various strategies to improve the effectiveness of each reader. The “predicting, visualizing and connecting” areas are implemented as before reading strategies. The “question and clarification” areas are implemented as during reading strategies whereas, “summarizing and evaluating” are implemented as after reading strategies. “Word Splash” helps build student interest and involvement in reading. This particular strategy emphasizes vocabulary skills. Next, “Word Map” helps the students deepen their understanding of concepts and vocabulary words by expanding on definitions. Word mapping helps students learn unfamiliar words and concepts by expanding word meanings. Whereas, KWLWH chart is one of the most successful strategies suggested throughout research. This chart is commonly used consistently throughout the reading lesson beginning with students predicting and connecting new information. KWLWH chart breaks down the comprehension strategies into five columns. Students answer the following questions throughout the lesson:
1. What do you think you know?
2. What do I want to learn?
3. What did I learn?
4. What else do we need to learn?
5. How will I find out?

In addition, Questioning and Clarification are strategies used by the reader during reading process. It will help reinforce their comprehension and maintain self-interest. These particular strategies help the readers engage personally and respond to the text, consolidate ideas, and find a reason for the sequence of information. Examples of these strategies include making graphic organizers, semantic maps, marginal notes and drawing pictures. The more the student is actively thinking while reading, the more they feel like participants in the learning process. Sticky Note Symbols is one of the most popular strategies. This activity teaches students to focus on what they are reading and to deepen their understanding. Students use post-it notes during the reading process and write down questions or comments, or placing the note in a particular area with an arrow. Besides that, Selective highlighting is a strategy that helps students select what is important in the text. Specific steps are taught to distinguish critical information from information that is not critical. This strategy is in line with the sticky notes.

Last but not least, summarizing and evaluating are strategies used by the student to thoroughly understand what they have just read. Many of the students should begin to recall information from the text allowing the evaluating process to occur. Picture This is a after reading strategy which emphasizes visual representation. Students work together as a team to think about the text they have read and organize their thoughts to create a visual representation of the text. This activates class discussion on creativity, artwork and the important points of what they have just read. Next, Graphic Organizers give the students graphic representations of the relationship that links together facts, vocabulary, and concepts of texts. Graphic organizers come in many variations. They are designed to organize ideas, represent abstract ideas in more concrete ways, and to help students store and recall information.

In conclusion, students have to use the above reading strategies in order to solve reading difficulties The before, during, and after reading strategies which mentioned above have been proven to help students with a longer lasting knowledge about reading. The successes of these three strategies rely on the teacher’s willingness, patience and persistence to actively engage the learning process at every opportunity. So, reading with strategy is vital and significant for the readers to understand the reading text or materials


Reading Comprehension- History – Alexander the Great.
Name ____________________________________ Date _______________________

PERSIAN WARRIORS DEFEATED

Questions to ask before reading the story:
• What is a counter offensive move? How is it different from a defensive move?
• What is the meaning of the statement “The surest defense is a strong offense”?
• What does it mean to “snatch victory from the jaws of defeat”?

Alexander the Great stood with his army on the western shore of the Tigris River. He and his men had marched north from Tyre, crossing acres and acres of blackened land. Darius III had his “Immortals” burn to the ground the long wheat grass that had been growing there. He had hoped to slow the advance of Alexander and his mighty fighting force.

Darius’ strategy had done little to delay the progress of the Greek forces. They prepared now to ford the Tigris, and to continue onward toward the village of Mosul. They knew that Darius III and the Persian warriors were camped nearby on the plain of Gaugamela. They remained unaware of Darius’ newest tactic.

When Alexander and his men reached the plain of Gaugamela, they found that the ground had been made level. The Persian chariots stood in formation, ready to attack across that flat surface. Darius expected his scythed chariots to propel themselves forcefully into the Greek forces, with their curved blades ripping at the flesh of both horses and men.

The chariots began their rapid drive toward the army of Alexander the Great. The Greek general, having made a quick assessment of the situation, ordered the ranks of the Greek fighters to split apart. This maneuver left the Persians moving forward, without having anyone to mow down. Because they traveled at great speed, the Persians could not get turned around. Caught between enemy lines, many Persian chariot drivers fell victim to the spears and arrows of their Greek opponents.

Still, Darius was not ready to surrender. He spotted places where his men could outflank the Greeks, sneaking around behind the enemy ranks. Some enemy units met the fate that Darius had intended, that of being run over by the Persian chariots. None of this, however, seemed to faze Alexander the Great.

The Greek general ordered the Companions, the cavalry, to form a wedge. The point of the wedge charged directly at Darius. The Persian King fled, leading to a collapse of whatever resistance he had managed to muster. Alexander the Great again emerged as the victor.

Alexander’s first impulse was to direct his men on a chase after the fleeing Darius. He chose, instead, to go south to Babylon, where he allowed his men to have one month of rest. From there Alexander headed his army east, toward the treasures that lay in central Persia.




Vocabulary
assessment- act of estimating the worth or quality or likelihood of something
faze- to disconcert, to fluster
ford- to cross a body of water bywading, riding or driving through
formation- a particular arrangement ororder
impulse- a sudden inclination to act, without thought for consequences
muster- to cause to assemble; to summon
ranks- lines of people or things


Reading Comprehension - History – Alexander the Great
Name __________________________________ Date _______________________

Review Questions
1. Where did Alexander the Great and Darius III have their second meeting? ________________________________________________________________________

2. What pointed object did the flanks of the Greek Companions resemble when they
charged at the Persians?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Who won the battle on the plain of Gaugamela? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Darius III hoped to beat Alexander by using scythed _____________________________.

5. After defeating Darius III, Alexander the Great took his men to Babylon, where they
rested for their journey to central ____________________________________________.

6. In order to have their second meeting with Darius III, Alexander and his men crossed the _________ River.

7. Did Darius give up when he found his chariots surrounded? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. What do you think? Was Alexander a better general than Darius? Why or why not? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Multiple Choice:

1. Alexander the Great marched northeast from Tyre, taking his men to:

a. the Euphrates River
b. the Tigris River
c. central Persia
d. a charred plain

2. Which of the following tactics did Darius III not use?

a. burning wheat grass above Tyre
b. having scythed chariots
c. outflanking the Greeks on the Gaugamela plain
d. none of the above

3. Which of the following helped to insure the victory of Alexander the Great?

a. having scythed chariots
b. having the Greek warriors part ranks
c. formation of a wedge
d. b and c

Matching

Tigris River site of second meeting between Alexander and Darius

Plain of Gaugamela where Alexander the Great headed after he had defeated Darius III

Central Persia crossed by Alexander and his men

Answers to review questions for “Persian Warriors…”

1. on the plain of Gaugamela
2. a wedge
3. Alexander the Great
4. Chariots
5. Persia
6. Tigris
7. No
8. Answers will vary

Multiple choice:
1. b
2. d
3. d
Matching
Alexander crossed the Tigris.
Alexander met Darius III on the plain of Gaugamela.
After winning the battle with Darius, Alexander went to central Persia.