What happens to reading comprehension when students focus on the main idea

What happens to reading comprehension when students focus on the main idea

Why do so many students struggle to understand what they read, even after they learn how to read? That’s a topic of hot debate among reading researchers. One camp has been arguing that schools have been going about it all wrong. These critics say that instead of drilling students on the main idea (similar to questions students will see on annual state exams), teachers should spend more time building students’ background knowledge of the world. T…