About the Programme
Building Bridges of Understanding is a whole school approach to the teaching of reading. Its primary focus is the teaching of comprehension, with the ultimate aim of enabling children to become self-regulated strategic readers. This comprehension programme is currently implemented in our school from Junior Infants right through to Sixth Class.
Click below for more information on the nine key strategies of the programme.
By learning about these strategies, children can become more involved in the text they are reading and deepen their understanding of the text. Each strategy is explicitly modelled through a think aloud process using high quality fiction and non-fiction picture books which were purchased with the programme in mind.The strategies with an asterix involve higher order thinking and consequently are only taught in the senior classes.
Comprehension Processing Motions
Building Bridges of Understanding is a whole school approach to the teaching of reading. Its primary focus is the teaching of comprehension, with the ultimate aim of enabling children to become self-regulated strategic readers. This comprehension programme is currently implemented in our school from Junior Infants right through to Sixth Class.
Click below for more information on the nine key strategies of the programme.
- Prediction
- Visualisation
- Making Connections
- Questioning
- Clarifying *
- Declunking*
- Determining Importance*
- Inferring*
- Synthesising*
By learning about these strategies, children can become more involved in the text they are reading and deepen their understanding of the text. Each strategy is explicitly modelled through a think aloud process using high quality fiction and non-fiction picture books which were purchased with the programme in mind.The strategies with an asterix involve higher order thinking and consequently are only taught in the senior classes.
Comprehension Processing Motions
- The children are taught a specific hand signal to accompany each strategy; these are known as comprehension processing motions. These hand signals are in use in some classes depending on the age group in question.As children develop confidence and competence in strategy use they will be eager to share during read aloud sessions. CPMs alert the teacher that your child is engaged in using a strategy and the teacher may then ask your child to share with the class.
- CPMs also ensure that all children are actively involved in the lesson and are constantly aware of their own and other children’s strategic thinking. There is a gallery of each CPM below for you to practice with your child if you so wish.
