Reading Comprehension: I 2.0.6

This application features a collection of 37 stories that encompass themes of adventure, activity, nature, and human interest. Each story demands careful reading to ensure comprehension and retention of specific details, which are essential for answering the accompanying comprehension questions.

Students are prompted to identify the main idea of each story, address fact-based questions, and make inferences supported by the narrative. Additionally, an open-ended question at the conclusion of each story facilitates discussion. The questions are presented in a multiple-choice format, with detailed explanations provided for both the correct answer and the incorrect options. This approach fosters metacognitive skills, enabling students to learn from their mistakes and develop the ability to read for detail while enhancing higher-order thinking skills (HOTS).

The app is tailored for individuals seeking additional practice in reading comprehension, particularly beneficial for children and adults recovering from traumatic brain injuries or strokes. It is recommended that students use the app in collaboration with a parent, teacher, or therapist, allowing a mentor to guide their reading strategies while utilizing the stories and questions as a resource.

Users have the flexibility to read the stories in any sequence; however, a suggested order is provided based on factors such as complexity, vocabulary, and detail density.

During the reading process, students are encouraged to concentrate on the specific details presented. Upon finishing each story, they should pause to determine its central theme. The first question prompts them to identify this main idea, followed by two fact-based queries pertaining to detail recall. These questions often take forms such as “How many?”, “Who?”, “Which?”, or “Where?” It is important to note that there are no trick questions; however, distractor options containing irrelevant yet plausible details are intentionally included to encourage thorough reading comprehension rather than reliance on recognition memory.

Incorrect responses often arise from students focusing too narrowly on minor details or selecting answers based on familiar words or numbers. Each incorrect response triggers a popup that clarifies why certain answers may seem correct while reinforcing why the selected answer is favored. After reviewing this explanation, students are encouraged to revisit the question and answer it anew with insights gained from their reflection. There is also an option allowing students to view these explanations after each response rather than solely following an incorrect choice.

The final question challenges students to infer attributes about story characters based on narrative details and overarching themes. They must evaluate which of four statements is most likely true. Following their selection, they will receive feedback through a popup that elucidates why one answer is more plausible than others. Typically, one option will be evidently incorrect while another two may reflect details from the story but are less likely to be accurate.

The app meticulously tracks correct and incorrect responses while maintaining records of questions answered incorrectly. Outcomes can be conveniently emailed or downloaded via iTunes.

This educational tool necessitates various processing skills including attention, memory, and comprehension. While some users may need to address comprehension at lower levels—word or sentence—ultimately, the objective is comprehension at a paragraph level. The app requires visual discrimination along with reading comprehension abilities. Through activities that develop advanced skills such as identifying main ideas, inferring meanings, predicting outcomes, drawing conclusions about consequences, and evaluating relevance, users gain valuable practice opportunities aimed at enhancing both reading comprehension and expressive language skills.