How to increase reading comprehension using SCRIP comprehension strategies

Readers fail to understand the text because they lack prompting strategies to engage effectively with what the text says. Reading research is clear that readers who internally monitor their own reading with self-questioning strategies understand and retain textual information much better than readers who simply read the text passively. These prompting strategies to increase reading comprehension are more efficiently “taught” rather than simply “grasped.”

SCRIP’s five reading comprehension strategies teach readers how to independently interact and understand narrative and expository text to improve reading comprehension. The acronym SCRIP stands for Summarize, Connect, Rethink, Interpret, and Predict.

Take the time to explicitly teach and model the five strategies. Emphasize one strategy at a time in a given text. Use narrative and expository texts to demonstrate how SCRIP comprehension strategies can be applied to any reading. Have students practice verbalizing and writing the responses to the SCRIP strategy. Post a SCRIP chart or make SCRIP bookmarks for student reference.

Summarizing means putting together the main ideas and important details of a reading into a short version of what the author has said. A summary can be of an entire reading, but it is more useful to summarize more than once at key transition points in the author’s train of thought. It often requires the reader to skim through that part of the reading one more time.

To connect means to notice the relationship between one part of the text with another part of the text. Parts can compare (be similar) or contrast (be different). Parts can be a sequence (an order) of events or ideas. Parts may respond to other parts of the text, such as to provide reasons or effects of what came before in the reading. Then Connect also means to examine the relationship between a part of the text with something outside the text. It could be something from another book, movie, TV show, or historical event. Finally, Connect also means seeing the relationship between a part of the text and your own personal experience. You may have had a similar experience in your own life to the one described in the text.

Rethinking means rereading the text when you are confused or have lost the author’s train of thought. Reviewing what has just been read will improve comprehension. You may even understand what the author has said in a different way than how you understood that section the first time you read it.

Interpreting means focusing on what the author wants to say. Authors can directly say what they want to say in the lines of the text. They can also suggest what they mean with clues that allow readers to draw their own conclusions. These clues can be found in the tone (feeling/attitude) of the writing, the choice of words, or in other parts of the writing that can be expressed more directly.

Predicting means making an informed guess about what will happen or be said next in the text. A good prediction uses the clues presented in the reading to make a logical guess that makes sense. Good readers check their predictions against what actually happens or is said next.

Using SCRIP’s reading comprehension strategies will make a difference in your students’ reading skills.