Comprehension in Middle School American History
Helping Students Understand Primary Source Document Text
Apr 2, 2009
The historical investigation framework includes primary source analysis. Most middle school students, however, lack the comprehension skills necessary to understand primary source documents. If students cannot understand the document text, they cannot develop sound interpretations. To solve this problem, teachers should model the process and provide students with student friendly versions of the texts.
Problems Reading American History Document Text
Before students can analyze a primary source document, they must be able to read and comprehend document text. Because language in the documents is usually different from students’ vernacular, teachers should assist students with comprehension. There are three general breakdowns in students' comprehension of primary source document text:
- Vocabulary: Students often stumble across difficult words in the document text.
- Language Syntax: Sentence structure and organization confuses students and limits their understanding of the document text.
- Inferences: When reading primary source documents, students are encouraged to make inferences about the author's purpose or parts of the text. Sometimes, however, students make irrelevant inferences. They insert their own life experiences into their reading of the document text. Other cultural influences such as television, video games, or movies also distort their understanding of the source.
How to Improve Reading Comprehension of Document Text
Vocabulary
When presenting students with a primary source document, teachers should anticipate the words their students do not know. Creating a vocabulary list with student friendly definitions improves their comprehension of the document text.
Language Syntax
Many primary source documents include unfamiliar language and convoluted sentence structures. Teachers can address this problem by developing a student friendly version of the text. Using familiar syntax, teachers can improve their students’ comprehension skills without compromising the meaning of the document. Such modifications enhance their abilities to think critically and historically.
Inference
This problem is the most difficult to solve. Teachers should model how to read primary source documents to their students by “thinking aloud.” Then, teachers can allow volunteers to “think aloud” while reading the document. This usually involves answering questions or making inferences as they read. If students can see the thinking process, they learn to correct their own mistakes when analyzing sources. A good model of the thinking process, therefore, clarifies for students the proper way to engage a primary source document.
Example of Reading Modifications to a Primary Document
The following primary source comes from a Thomas Jefferson historical investigation about his position on slavery.
Thomas Jefferson letter to Lydia Sigourney, 1824
" I am not apt to despairing, yet I see not how we are to disengage ourself from that deplorable entanglement, we have the wolf by the ear & feel the danger of holding or letting loose.... I shall not live to see it but those who come after us will be wiser than we are, for light is spreading and man improving. To that advancement I look, and to the dispensations of an all-wise and all-powerful providence to devise the means of effecting what is right."
Student Friendly Version (teacher created)
I do not usually feel that there is no hope, but I cannot see how we can stop slavery. We have the wolf by the ear and feel the danger of holding or letting loose. In other words, slavery (the wolf) is an immoral and mean practice, but we cannot let slaves go. Freeing the slaves will hurt slave owners economically. We will lose our workers and not be able to make profits from our plantations. Future leaders will be wiser than we are and will, hopefully, do what is right and solve this problem
Comprehending Historical Texts
After providing students with a more structured framework for primary source document comprehension, they can more easily engage the sources in a historical investigation. Students lose historical perspective because of comprehension difficulties and cannot make critical intertextual evaluations of those sources. Addressing problems with vocabulary, syntax, and inference allows students to read the document text critically and develop the cognitive capacity for historical thinking.
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