What should a teacher do first to support a second-grade student with poor comprehension of informational texts?

The most effective first step for a teacher supporting a second-grade student who struggles with comprehension of informational texts is to use questioning to assess the student’s vocabulary and background knowledge related to the texts. This approach is crucial because comprehension is deeply connected to what a student already knows and understands about a topic. By asking targeted questions, the teacher can identify any gaps in the student’s vocabulary and prior knowledge.

Understanding these aspects allows the teacher to tailor future instruction to meet the student’s needs more effectively. When a student lacks background knowledge on a subject, they may struggle to fully grasp the content of the text. Moreover, vocabulary plays a significant role in comprehension; unfamiliar terms can hinder a student's ability to extract meaning from a passage.

By first assessing these factors, the teacher can then implement strategies, such as providing background information or teaching specific vocabulary terms, which directly address the student’s needs and set a strong foundation for improving comprehension. Options that focus on increasing reading stamina, visual aids, or peer tutoring might be beneficial later, but they do not address the underlying issues of vocabulary and background knowledge that are critical for comprehension.