Problem Solving Comprehension

This popular book shows students how to increase their power to analyze problems and to comprehend what they read. First, it outlines and illustrates the method that good problem solvers use in attacking complex ideas. Then, it provides practice in applying these methods to a variety of comprehension and reasoning questions. Books on the improvement of thinking processes have tended to be complicated and less than useful, but the authors of this renowned text emphasize a simple but effective approach. The "Whimbey Method" of teaching problem solving is now recognized as an invaluable means of teaching people to think. Problems are followed by their solutions, presented in easy-to-follow steps. This feature permits students to work without supervision, outside the classroom. As students work through the book they will see a steady improvement in their analytical thinking skills, and will develop confidence in their ability to solve problems--on tests; in academic courses; and in any occupations that involve analyzing, untangling, or comprehending knotty ideas. By helping students to become better problem solvers, this book can assist students in achieving higher scores on tests commonly used for college and job selection, such as: * Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) * Graduate Record Examination (GRE) * ACT Work Keys * Terra Nova * Law School Admission Test (LSAT) * Wonderlic Personnel Test * United States Employment Service General Aptitude Test Battery * Civil Service Examination New in the 6th edition: A totally new chapter--"Meeting Academic and Workplace Standards: How This Book Can Help"--describes changes in the educational system in the past 20 years and shows how the techniques taught in this book relate to the new educational standards and tests. Changes throughout the book reflect current educational and social realities: the names of some characters have been changed to represent more accurately the cross-section of students attending today's schools; dates in some problems have been changed; in other problems the technology referred to has been updated.

This popular book shows students how to increase their power to analyze problems and comprehend what they read using the Think Aloud Pair Problem Solving [TAPPS] method. First it outlines and illustrates the method that good problem solvers use in attacking complex ideas. Then it provides practice in applying this method to a variety of comprehension and reasoning questions, presented in easy-to-follow steps. As students work through the book they will see a steady improvement in their analytical thinking skills and become smarter, more effective, and more confident problem solvers. Not only can using the TAPPS method assist students in achieving higher scores on tests commonly used for college and job selection, it teaches that problem solving can be fun and social, and that intelligence can be taught. Changes in the Seventh Edition: New chapter on "open-ended" problem solving that includes inductive and deductive reasoning; extended recommendations to teachers, parents, and tutors about how to use TAPPS instructionally; Companion Website with PowerPoint slides, reading lists with links, and additional problems.

When you and your colleagues want to explore more ways to help students understand what they read, make inferences, and support their thinking with evidence, this book is your ideal tool.

This book is directed toward increasing students' ability to analyze problems and comprehend what they read and hear. It outlines and illustrates the methods that good problem solvers use in attacking complex ideas, and provides practice in applying these methods to a variety of questions involving comprehension and reasoning. Chapter I includes a test of analytical skills, and chapter II presents a posttest. Intervening chapters consider errors in reasoning, problem-solving methods, verbal reasoning problems, six myths about reading, analogies, writing relationship sentences, how to form analogies, analysis of trends and patterns, solving mathematical word problems, and a post test. Appendices present problems, solutions, and an answer key. (MNS)

Moose, Lion, Zebra and Sheep take shelter in a cave on a cold and rainy day, only to realize that a bear is there. The bear roars loudly and says that he is trying to sleep. Not understanding why the bear is so cranky, the other animals come up with ways to cheer him up. Moose finds antlers for him, Lion gives him a mane, and Zebra paints on stripes. Is there anything the four well-meaning friends can do to help the bear sleep?

This practical book grows out of a recent report written by the RAND Reading Study Group (RRSG), which proposed a national research agenda in the area of reading comprehension. Here, RRSG members have expanded on their findings and translated them into clear recommendations to inform practice. Teachers gain the latest knowledge about how students learn to comprehend texts and what can be done to improve the quality of instruction in this essential domain. From leading literacy scholars, the book explains research-based ways to: *Plan effective instruction for students at all grade levels *Meet the comprehension needs of English-language learners *Promote adolescents' comprehension of subject-area texts *Understand the complexities of comprehension assessment *Get optimal benefits from instructional technologies *And much more!

This book is about designing instruction that makes comprehension the priority in reading and in content area study. The comprehension model described responds to calls from literacy experts and professional organizations for inquiry-based instruction that prepares readers to be active meaning makers who are adept at both critical and creative thinking. Comprehension First introduces a before, during, after Comprehension Problem Solving (CPS) process that helps readers ask key questions so they arrive at a substantial comprehension product-"big ideas" based on themes and conclusions drawn from literary works and expository texts. The book further describes how to orchestrate research-based best practices to build lessons and units around big ideas and important questions. In this age of multiple literacies, all of us must learn to be more nimble users of Literacy 2.0 communication tools. Mastering problem solving is at the core of this challenge. Comprehension First embraces this challenge by inviting present and future teachers to examine WHY and HOW these tools can be used more purposefully to achieve the pre-eminent literacy goal of deep comprehension.