The national office in Baltimore can help if, for some reason, you are unable to reach your branch. The first graders can read and understand many words and sentences, but their reading comprehension skills are still lacking. Don't even think about reading comprehension for first graders. All readers need to develop word reading ability and fluency before they can concentrate on what the words are saying to them. Direct instruction in comprehension begins with picture comprehension and listening comprehension.
First graders can look at pictures and answer factual, predictive, and open-ended questions.
First graders can listen to stories and answer factual, predictive, easy inferential questions and open-ended questions. These forerunners of reading comprehension can be learned while the student is developing reading and fluency skills. The Spring 2001 issue of Perspectives, Vol. 27, No. 2, published by the International Dyslexia Association is focused on teaching comprehension and contains informative articles. What is your opinion on state standards that generate extensive, expensive and comprehensive, sometimes lofty and appeasing reading programs or curriculums.