How teachers teach reading comprehension: An examination of four categories of reading comprehension instruction

Thirty-eight intermediate grade teachers were observed during times they designated as teaching reading comprehension. Four categories of instructional practice, those addressing background knowledge, vocabulary, alignment, and imagery, are presented through frequencies of practice and anecdotal descriptions. Teachers had many different ways of enacting practices within these categories. Some of the practices they implemented have strong theoretical and research support, while most do not. Connections between what teachers did and what research suggests they do are explored.