Grade 10 - Comprehend and Respond (Comprehension)

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will demonstrate their understanding of written, oral, and visual communications.

It is expected that students will:

interpret the main ideas, events, or themes of a variety of novels, stories, poetry, other print material, and electronic media
make generalizations, supported by specific details and examples, about the key concepts, characters, and themes of written, oral, and visual works
use a variety of written or graphic forms to organize ideas acquired from what they have read, heard, or viewed
interpret and report on information from more than one source that they have read, heard, or viewed to develop and support positions on a variety of topics
interpret details and draw conclusions about the information presented in a variety of illustrations, maps, charts, graphs, and other graphic forms

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Comprehend and Respond (Comprehension) in other grades click on an icon below.

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Students increase their understanding of communications by examining, discussing, and interpreting various elements and information in written, oral, and visual materials.

Ask each student to create a web of a selection everyone has read or viewed, including its plot, theme, setting, and characters. Then have students work in groups of three or four to discuss their understanding of the selection, collating all their material into a group web.
Suggest that students collect words and short phrases about particular characters as they read through a story. Then have them use these words and phrases in poems (e.g., haiku, cinquain, diamonte, found poem) about the characters. Encourage students to share their poems with the class.
Invite students to summarize a short story using no more than three sentences, or have students write two or three alternative titles for the story that reflect the main event.
Have students examine book and video covers. Ask them what they learn by looking at the covers, and then have them create covers for short stories or novels they have read or videos they have seen.
Provide students with a package of correspondence, brochures, and cost information related to a business situation (e.g., buying a new computer). Have them work in groups to summarize the information on one page using a graphic organizer.

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

Grade 10 students should be able to demonstrate accurate and detailed comprehension of both explicit and implicit information in a wide range of materials through class and small-group discussions, written assignments, oral presentations, and other representations. The comprehension or accuracy strand of the reading reference set Evaluating Reading Across Curriculum can be helpful.

Form small groups of students; assign a different reading, viewing, or listening selection or focus (e.g., character, plot, theme) to each; and have each group prepare a series of three to five discussion questions to test their classmates' understanding. Ask each group to answer one of the others' sets of questions (with reference to the selection or focus). When the groups present their responses to the class, ask the originators of each set to offer feedback and assessment, using pre-established criteria.
After students have viewed a movie or read a story, have each choose one of the characters and write a short poem (e.g., haiku, cinquain, diamonte, found poem) that shows the character's personality. Assessment should be based on the extent to which students' portrayals are consistent with the text, use specific details and examples, and show insight into motivation.
When students develop Venn diagrams, webs, concept maps, or other graphic summaries of a selection, look for evidence that they have:
- focussed on a key theme or aspect of the work
- included relevant and accurate details
- made clear and logical connections among elements
- addressed all important aspects of the work
- offered some insight or interpretation of subtleties or implicit features