
306. Comprehension: A Simple Research-Backed Framework That Actually Works
From Stellar Teacher Podcast: A Podcast for Upper Elementary Teachers by Sara Marye, Literacy Teacher, Elementary Teacher
June 1, 2026 · 11 min
About this episode
This episode introduces a research-backed framework to enhance reading comprehension in upper elementary students.
Your Literacy Block Series: Part 1 If you’ve ever wondered: “How do I actually help my students comprehend what they read?” …this episode is for you. Reading comprehension is the goal of reading instruction—but it’s not just one strategy or skill. In this episode of The Stellar Teacher Podcast, we’re kicking off a brand-new series all about building an effective upper elementary literacy block. We’re sharing: What reading comprehension actually is Why comprehension should be woven throughout your literacy block The key components that support comprehension A simple research-backed 3-2-1 framework you can use with ANY text You’ll walk away with practical ideas for building background knowledge, teaching vocabulary, supporting sentence-level understanding, asking meaningful questions, and using writing about reading to deepen comprehension. If you’ve ever wondered how to actually help students better understand what they read, this episode is for you. Resources Mentioned: ⭐ Whole Group Lessons with built-in 3-2-1 comprehension support only available in the Stellar Literacy Collective ⤵︎ ⭐The Stellar Literacy Collective: stellarteacher.com/slc
People in this episode
Host: Sara Marye
Topics covered
- reading comprehension
- literacy instruction
- upper elementary education
- teaching strategies
- vocabulary development
- student engagement
Keywords
- comprehension
- literacy block
- 3-2-1 framework
- background knowledge
- vocabulary
- sentence-level understanding
- meaningful questions
- writing about reading
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Stellar Literacy Collective, Stellar Teacher Podcast
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