Rozzelle and Scearce (2009) suggest the intentional use of comprehension strategies and have presented seven for this purpose.  Readers who are able to make meaning from what they have read use strategies but may be unaware of their use.  For those that struggle with reading, the purposeful use of comprehension strategies is critical to understanding text.

The Magnificent Seven Comprehension Strategies

http://files.solution-tree.com/pdfs/Reproducibles_PTAL/Comprehension_Strategies_Template.pdf

1)  Making connections to prior knowledge - readers should be continually connecting to prior experiences, world events; experts in the field indicate that background or prior knowledge is basic to the understanding of any material being read.

2)  Inferring and predicting

3)  Asking questions

4)  Determining important ideas and summarizing

5)  Visualizing

6)  Synthesizing and retelling

7)  Monitoring and clarifying understanding of text.

Multiple sources discuss the importance of the intentional use of comprehension strategies to ensure that struggling readers make meaning from what they have read.

Reference:

Rozzelle, J. and Scearce, C. 2009, Power tools for adolescent literacy. Bloomington, Indiana:  Solution Tree.

http://go.solution-tree.com/literacy/Reproducibles_PTAL.html