Reading comprehension: talk about the meaning being made from a text

Here the focus is the meaning of written text. This glossary page is not a reading-level test and does not interpret anyone’s reading ability. Its examples are invitations to name a question about a text, not a set of tasks for measuring a child or selecting instruction.

The notice answers one question, but not another

Imagine an invented notice at a community theater: “Costume collection moves to the side entrance this week. Please bring your collection slip.” Jae reads it while helping a relative prepare for a weekend performance.

They understand that the collection location has changed and that the slip should come with them. They still do not know whether the collection hours have changed. The notice supplies a location change, not a new timetable.

Jae can name that missing information without being told to “read more carefully.” In this scene, their unanswered question is about what the notice does not say. The example does not establish anything about Jae’s broader reading skill or explain why another reader might understand the notice differently.

A text-question note

Use a short record like this when you want to discuss a particular piece of writing. It is not a quiz; there is no score, time limit, or required number of answers.

Text I am discussing: The invented costume-collection notice
What I take it to say: Use the side entrance and bring the slip.
Part I am pointing to: The two sentences about collection.
Question the text leaves open for me: Are the hours unchanged?
Who could clarify that practical question: The collection organizer
What I want help with: Checking the timetable, not rereading aloud

For a story, the note might instead record an uncertainty about why a character changed their mind. The point is to keep the reader’s interpretation and question visible. Do not turn a blank line into evidence that someone has failed to understand the text.

If you disagree about a passage, you can identify the wording each person is relying on. It is also acceptable to say that more context is needed. A short excerpt may not contain the information being requested.

Distinguish the question being asked

“What does the notice tell us?” is the question used here. Questions about identifying a printed word or about the pace and expression of reading aloud belong to neighboring reading terms. This entry does not use one observation as a substitute for another, or offer a formula linking them for an individual reader.

A parent might be asked about “comprehension” in a school conversation. One possible response is, “Could you show me the passage and explain the particular meaning question you are discussing?” A student may have their own question about that same passage; leave room to hear it rather than answering on their behalf.

Keep an ordinary conversation ordinary

Reading a notice together need not become a home assessment. Where school feedback or ongoing concerns need explanation, discuss the actual context with the relevant educator. The theater scene and note are original; they are not assessment materials or an instructional recommendation from the cited association.

Source

[1] International Literacy Association. Literacy Glossary, “Comprehension.” Undated living glossary; accessed September 6, 2026. This passage supports [1]’s meaning-focused definition only.

Related guides

• Decoding
• Reading fluency
• Annotation
• Clarifying question