Comprehension refers to the ability of students to think adequately about an idea. It is the action or act of grasping with the intellect. It is a physiological concept that involves thinking about a person, message, or situation and uses other concepts to deal with the same.
Across the world, teachers prepare examination papers to test the abilities of students. It is the relation between an object of understanding and a knower. It is usually related to learning concepts and the theories associated with the same. As an approach, Comprehension is correlated with the ability to make inferences.
It comes from the Latin word ‘Comprehensionem’ that means ‘a seizing.’ Gregory Chaitin (Computer Scientist) even compared this to data compression in his essay ‘The Limits of Reason.’ The concepts of Affect and Cognition too are related to Comprehension. There are two types of Comprehension. They are as follows:
1. Literal
It involves understanding of facts and information directly stated in the text. It is a primary level in the process. To better locate information, students employ literal comprehension skills.
2. Inferential
It involves readers to infer information beyond the text or explicit information provided. Inferential one requires students to read between the lines while using their cognitive skills and prior experience.
3. Evaluative Comprehension
It requires students to move beyond the text or information given to them to consider what they feel and believe about it. This step requires them to provide justification for their opinions or argue for a particular side. Evaluative one includes Big Picture comprehension.
