ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses comprehension theory, practice, and critical nature. It discusses current theoretical perspectives on reading and also presents the essential components of reading comprehension instruction. The chapter presents the value of integrated language arts, motivation and engagement, and differentiated instruction. It also focuses on questioning, text and text structure, graphic organizers, and alternative representations of thinking. The chapter outlines the importance of vocabulary, reading comprehension strategies, online reading, and authentic assessment. It also shares a rationale for teaching all readers to be critically literate. The principles of critical literacy have been applied to a wide range of contexts to challenge social norms and oppressive status quo practices. Gender role stereotyping is the context that seems to occur most frequently. The second most common context in critical literacy addresses issues of culture and the content of the curriculum.
