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Utilizing Wilson Comprehension S.O.S.™ in the ABE Classroom

by Josie Voorhies

The READ Center teaches literacy skills at no cost to adults in the metro-Richmond area who speak English and read below an 8th-grade equivalency. Teachers and tutors at The READ Center utilize the Wilson Language Training® System for many instructional needs. This highly structured program incorporates phonology (the study of sounds), morphology (the study of word elements), and orthography (the study of the rules that govern English) to systematically instruct students on how words work.

Within our student population, many are ‘learning to read’ and others are ‘reading to learn.’ In both cases, comprehension is a struggle. Some students may be focused on decoding phonetically without regard to meaning. Other students may read an entire passage without grasping the content. As teachers, how do we provide support beyond decoding? How can we encourage and grow comprehension skills? READ tutors and teachers use a part of the Wilson Language Training® System called Wilson Comprehension S.O.S.™ (S-Stop, O-Orient, S-Scaffold/Support). This process is used to instruct and encourage students struggling with listening and reading comprehension. Students are engaged and guided through a comprehension exercise with an end goal of deep understanding.

Getting Started

  • Create a comfortable and relaxed classroom environment. Use a conversational tone when approaching the text.
  • Step through the process yourself in advance of the lesson. Envision how you would answer if you were a student.
  • Choose a vocabulary-rich, level-appropriate fictional text. The teacher should ‘chunk’ the text—this process can be utilized for one sentence of complex text, one paragraph, multiple paragraphs, or with a short story.

The Steps

Select if you will engage in a reading comprehension or listening comprehension exercise.

  • Reading comprehension:
    • Together, read the title, view any illustrations, and read any captions.
    • The student reads the text silently without interruption.
      • During silent reading, the student should be developing a mental picture or visualizing the story.
    • Next, the student replays the story in their mind.
    • If desired, the student can draw a simple picture of the story.
    • The student re-tells the story to the teacher or tutor.
    • If important details are missed during the re-tell, re-read the passage together or have the student re-read silently.
    • The student re-tells the story to the teacher or tutor.
    • Dive Deeper! Engage the student with questions about the text, scoop phrasing of the text to reflect meaning, and practice fluent reading.
  • Listening comprehension:
    • The teacher reads the title and any captions
    • The teacher reads the text aloud. The student is encouraged to listen and develop a mental picture or visualization of the story.
    • Next, the student replays the story in their mind.
    • If desired, the student can draw a simple picture of the story.
    • The student re-tells the story to the teacher or tutor.
    • If important details are missed during the re-tell, re-read the passage or sections of the passage together.
    • The student re-tells the story to the teacher or tutor.
    • Dive Deeper! Engage the student with questions about the text.

The Challenges

  • How should teachers handle challenging vocabulary? Discuss vocabulary within the context of the story. Do not pre-teach vocabulary. Offer a succinct explanation or elicit discussion based on timing and appropriateness.
  • Use student-friendly definitions for new vocabulary.
  • If a student is confused or uncertain, show your own learning journey. Use phrases like, ‘I’m guessing they may mean…’ or ‘I wasn’t sure either, but this word here makes me think . . .’
  • Encourage the students to make a movie in their mind. Use phrases that resonate with your student population.

This method takes practice! You may need several exposures to the process to feel comfortable and to develop a rhythm with your students. Students will benefit from the repetition and will come to learn and expect the steps. Deep, true comprehension is a challenge for many teachers and students. We encourage you to explore this method for increasing student listening and reading comprehension.

If you find success from this method, consider a flow into writing exercises as an extension. We often hear a reluctance from students to put pen to paper. A common complaint is that they don’t know what to write or have nothing to say. A natural extension from Wilson Comprehension S.O.S.™ is to have the student ‘write what they told’ during the story re-telling portion of the exercise.

Photo of Josie VoohriesJosie Voorhies started as READ’s Education Program Manager in March, 2023. She is an experienced educator and program coordinator with a passion for adult education. Josie has spent almost 10 years coordinating and teaching ABE, GED®, ESOL, and workforce development courses for students in the metro Richmond area. She is motivated by connecting with adults and by creating engaging and diverse programs within the community.