Strategies
Fluent readers use strategies to construct meaning as they
read. These strategies are invisible mental processes that are not inborn
and must therefore be taught to the reader (Tompkins and McGee 1993). The
most successful student learning process of reading strategies is
developed through a longer term instruction, generally 4-8 weeks with
repeated application (Allington 2001).
Links:
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What does a
strategic reader look like? Click on this web page to find a detailed
profile of a strategic reader http://ucfed.ucf.edu/flare/indexhome.htm
Some
Selected Strategies
Activating background knowledge:
We connect the new material to what we already know.
Ask, “What do I know about _________?” Building and activating
prior knowledge is critical to teaching reading. If the reader has no
prior knowledge of the subject in the text, then the text becomes
irrelevant and therefore meaningless. K-W-L charts, quick writes, and read
alouds can help build prior knowledge.
Predicting: We think about the title, pictures, and text elements and
connect them to what we know to make guesses about the content. Say, “I’ll
use what I have in my knowledge to make a guess about what will happen
next.” Teacher think
alouds before and during reading about your predictions and why you were
led to them can provide an effective demonstration for the reader.
Links:
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The Beacon
Learning Center offers a strategic lesson that focuses on making
predictions by using text structure. An excellent textbook activity for
intermediate, middle, and high school students. Prediction chart is
available to download. http://www.beaconlc.org/boa/display.asp?lessonid=5984
Connecting: We
are reminded of something about ourselves, another text, or the world when
we read the new material. Say, “Reading this reminds me of
_____________.” We use these connections to activate prior
knowledge, make predictions, and ask questions.
Links:
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Go here to
review the concept of making connections. This site offers a demonstrated,
shared, guided, and independent procedure and example for teaching this
important strategy.
http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/resources/languagearts/readingwriting/connections.htm
Questioning: Reading
the new material sparks questions in our minds. We question the text, the
author, and ourselves. Ask, “What is happening here; what is the
author trying to say; do I need to slow down and reread?” We question in order to make meaning with the text. Many
times our questions are answered and other times not.
Monitoring: We
alter our reading to fit the needs of the text, author, and ourselves. We
keep the main idea in our minds as we make decisions to slow down, reread,
skim, or speed up based on what we perceive as important. Say, “This
part is important and so I need to slow down.”
Summarizing: We will think
about the important things that have happened so far. We say them to
ourselves in our own words. We think of and replay the story elements
(character, setting, problem, events, etc.) while summarizing a narrative
and the text structure (titles, subheadings, charts, graphs, etc.) while
summarizing an expository. Say, “OK, so there’s this boy who lives
in a community where he gets some kind of assignment when he turns 12 and
he is anxious about.”
Visualizing: We create
pictures in our minds about what we are reading. We use our five senses to
connect to the words of the author in forming a mental display. Say, “I
can see the soft waves of the ocean that she is swimming in.”
Links:
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More
research that explains the importance and benefits of visualization.
Includes a meditative exercise to prepare students for successful
visualization. http://www.ncte.org/teach/buonora32112.shtml
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“Picture
the Story” is exactly what it says. A brief and simple activity to use
to encourage and reinforce the strategy of visualization. http://www.ncte.org/teach/oldakowski8336.html
How to Teach a Strategy
Before
we can expect our students to read strategically, we must invest the
needed time in properly teaching them how. Regardless of the strategy
being taught, research
supports and suggests the following six-step plan (Muskingum 1998 &
Allington 2001).
1.
Preparation:
Choose one strategy to teach. Choose a reading selection. Read the text
carefully, marking points where the strategy might be used. Make notes for
yourself to guide the explanation. Choose another text, passage, or
portion of the text to be used for guided practice. Read the text
carefully, marking points where you want the students to stop and use the
strategy on their own. List the stopping points on either individual
practice sheets or on the board.
2.
Description:
Define the strategy clearly. Example: “Predicting is
making guesses about what will come next in the text you are reading.” Explain
when the strategy should be used. Example: “You predict before and
during your reading.”
3.
Demonstration:
Tell
the students that you will be modeling the strategy. Start by reading the
selected text aloud. When you get to your marked spot, stop, and begin to
think aloud. Example: “I
predict that Fluffy will get scared and come home soon. She had never been
outside of the house before. And because the smells, sights, and noises
will be new to her, I think that she’ll get scared and come running
home.” Tell the students that you have made a prediction and will
read on to either confirm or reject your prediction. Continue reading
until you see your prediction outcome. Tell the students the outcome. Example:
“Fluffy surprised me. She was excited about the newness of the city. I
thought she would be scared, but apparently not. I will reject my
prediction.”
4.
Interactive
practice: Tell
the students that now they will be making predictions with you. Continue
reading aloud until you arrive at your next marked stopping point. Stop
and invite the students to orally make predictions with you. Example:
“What do you think will happen next in the book and why?”
Allow the students opportunities to share their predictions. Respond to
their predictions non-judgmentally. Example: “Why do you think
that?”, “That’s a possibility.”, “Very likely.”
5.
Guided
Practice:
Using the second chosen selection, lead the students into a guided
practice of using the strategy. Hand out the text selection. Tell the
students that they will read silently and stop at designated spots to use
the strategy. This can be done orally or written (small group) or written
(whole group). Observe and guide as needed as the students practice the
strategy.
6.
Independent
Use: Tell the
students that they will be using the strategy they learned while they read
silently. Example: “Today we learned about the strategy __________.
While you read silently, I want you to be thinking of this strategy and
using it as you go along.”
Links:
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An in depth
article from Michigan State University that discusses reading
comprehension and the purpose and advantages of teaching strategies.
Defines many strategies including think alouds, text structure and many
others. Also provides a step by step example of teaching the strategy of
prediction. http://ed-web3.educ.msu.edu/pearson/pdppaper/Duke/ndpdp.html
F Muskingum College, the Center for Advancement of Learning, offers an enormous database of learning strategies. This valuable website defines the background information, purpose, and advantages of reading strategies. Specific strategies such as note-taking, preparation for standardized tests, DRA, summarizing, ESL and EFL and many many others are discussed thoroughly. Lesson guidelines are provided for each strategy. http://muskingum.edu/~cal/database/reading.html
Graphic
Organizers
Graphic
organizers are an effective and motivating tool for note-taking,
illustrating key concepts and words, organizing ideas, and reading between
the lines. Used during and after readings they can provide students with
meaningful frameworks for managing content text (Fisher 2001).
Points to consider when choosing a graphic organizer:
1.
Know the
specific content that students are expected to learn.
2.
Discover
the author’s organizational pattern found in the text.
3.
Decide what
type of graphic organizer will best reflect the text pattern and plan for
recording information.
Links:
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SCORE,
Schools of California Online Resources for Education brings you sixteen
graphic organizers. Organizers such as chain of events, compare and
contrast, and fishbone are defined, explained, and displayed in this site.
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/torganiz.htm
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Looking for
a graphic organizer and not sure which one to use? Teachervision.com
brought to you by the Learning Network offers over 40 printable
graphic organizers for use in the classroom and guidelines for when to use
them.
http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-6293.html
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The
Education Place offers over thirty graphic organizers on this page. Ready
to print organizers, such as the persuasive map, sandwich, ice-cream cone,
T-chart, observation chart, and many more are available. http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/index.html
Vocabulary
In
order for students to comprehend what they are reading, the words must
make sense to them. The links provided below discuss various ways in which
vocabulary lessons can be used before, during, and after reading.
Links:
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Scholastic
page Includes two explicit lessons on vocabulary connections and word
webs. It also includes a vocabulary recording sheet to use during lessons.
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/instructor/readclin4.htm
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Bigchalk,
brought to you by The Education Network provides direct access to a host
of creative games, ideas and lessons for teaching vocabulary based
comprehension. From primary to high school, these activities are sure to
be a hit for your students.
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This site
focuses on vocabulary building through the use of prefixes, suffixes,
contractions, homophones, synonyms, antonyms, and compounds. The printable
practice sheets come with lessons to use in the classroom. http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementary/palmasola/rvocabindex.htm
F Provides definitions and explanations of learning strategies to help improve vocabulary development through linguistic, spatial, visual, and physical mnemonics, semantic mapping, and other means. http://www.public.asu.edu/~ickpl/learningvocab.htm
Main
Idea
Finding
the main idea, perhaps the most necessary strategy (Allington 2001) is the
process of sifting through units of text, selecting important ideas and
deleting the trivial, redundant, and unrelated ideas. Whether it be
through summarizing, retelling, or paraphrasing, knowing how to find the
main idea and restate it in your own words has been proven to improve
reading comprehension (Dole, Duffy, Roehler, and Pearson 1991).
Summarizing:
One
effective approach to teaching summarizing is taken from the works of
McNeil and Donant (1982). The procedure is as follows:
1.
Delete
unnecessary (trivial or unrelated) material.
2.
Delete
redundant material.
3.
Compose a
word to replace a list of items.
4.
Compose a
word to replace individual parts of an action.
5.
Select a
topic sentence.
6.
Invent a
topic sentence if one is not available.
Links:
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This site
contains an effective lesson on teaching summary with newspaper articles.
A practical activity for intermediate, middle, and high school students. http://www.ncte.org/teach/Cooper19357.shtml
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Provides
clear steps to instructing students in finding important information
through modeled, shared, guided, and independent instruction. http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/resources/languagearts/readingwriting/readinport.html
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Bigchalk
brings you a resourceful lesson on creating a summary through the means of
note-taking during a teacher read aloud. This middle/upper level activity
uses sticky notes and can be modified to use during summary reading.
http://www.bigchalk.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/WOPortal.woa/918/wa/HWCDA/file?tg=&fileid=281860&flt=GA
Retelling:
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This
Scholastic site contains the basic concepts of story elements… what to
focus on during retelling for the primary and intermediate student during
a narrative text. http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/profbooks/strategies.htm#retelling
Paraphrasing:
F
Go to this
site, click the word “paraphrasing” (in the introduction paragraph) to
find the following information about paraphrasing: What it is, why it is
beneficial, and the six steps to creating an effective paraphrase. Brought
to you by Purdue University On Line Writing Lab, the website includes
examples and students practice exercises.
http://www.bigchalk.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/WOPortal.woa/870/wa/HWCDA/file?tg=&fileid=266606&flt=GA
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LDOnline
explains the complexity in the often seen as simple strategy of
paraphrasing. An eight step clearly written “how to” guideline in
teaching the strategy is included. http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/teaching_techniques/ellis_readingcomp.html
Questioning
As a means to connect with the text, proficient readers ask questions. They question the actual text, the author, and themselves before, during, and after reading (Allington 2001).
Text
Questions:
1.
What is the
story about?
2.
What is the
problem?
3. What is
the solution?
4. What is
going to happen next?
5. What
does this person, place or thing look like?
6. What
has happened so far?
Author
Questions:
1.
What is the
author trying to say (what does the author mean)?
2.
What is the
author’s message?
3.
Why is the
author telling us that (what is the author’s purpose)?
4. What
other ways could the author have said these things?
Self
Questions:
1.
Is my
prediction still a good one?
2.
Do I need
to change my prediction?
3.
What makes
me think so?
4.
Is the
picture in my mind still a good one?
5.
Do I need
to change the picture?
6.
What makes
me think so?
7.
Do I need
to stop and review?
8. Do I
need to reread and look back?
9. Do I
need to ignore and move on?
10. What does
this remind me of?
Links:
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The Reading
Workshop offers an explanation of why good readers questions, how to get
started, and types of text questions to teach. A detailed sample lesson on
teaching the strategy of questioning is included.
http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/resources/languagearts/readingwriting/readcompques.html
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Have some
fun with questioning. Created by a teacher for a teacher, this page
contains a clever game to teach and reinforce the strategy of questioning.
http://www.ncte.org/teach/McGill10698.html
Read
Alouds
Reading
aloud should not be seen as an “if we have time” or “if there is
nothing else to do” type of activity. To the contrary, read alouds
should be a daily planned instructional component offering an enjoyable
demonstration and exploration of language and literacy in a no-risk
environment (Allen 200).
Links:
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Wondering
if you and your students are getting the most out of your read aloud
components? Read what the Reading Workshop has to say about setting up the
time to be the most valuable to support the needs of struggling readers.
This site offers critical guidelines in making your read alouds truly
geared toward reading comprehension.
http://www.springfield.k12.il.us/resources/languagearts/readingwriting/readaloud.htm
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Even more
guidelines on planning your read alouds to ensure they meet your reading
goals. This page explains seven strategies to get the most out of your
read aloud time.
http://clerccenter.gallaudet.edu/Literacy/readit45.html
Guided
reading
Guided
reading is a critical component to reading comprehension. It consists of a
small group reading of teacher chosen texts. The texts chosen should be
brief and at an independent phonetic level for the students, yet still
offer concepts that the students need assistance with. By planning the
appropriate text, guided reading can offer the opportunity to reinforce
reading strategies, introduce new strategies and help the students make
critical connections between the text and themselves (Allen 2000).
Links:
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Everything
you need to know about guided reading… What it is, the benefits and
principles of it, how to set up groups, conducting groups, selecting
material and evaluating progress. This complete site can enable you to set
up a guided reading program in your classroom tomorrow.
http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/curriculum/english/guided_rdg.html
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Looking for
ideas to use during guided reading lessons? Carol Hurst uses literature
selections to strengthen comprehension strategies in this unique site.
Excerpts from a variety of well-known books are provided that include
correlating reading strategies and lesson lay-outs to teach. http://www.carolhurst.com/profsubjects/reading/guided.html
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Loads and
loads of guided reading material to download and use in your classroom.
This site offers leveled books, both fiction and non-fiction of high
interest. Also includes explicit lesson plans, worksheets, and assessment
for each text. http://www.readinga-z.com/newfiles/leveledreaders.html
Post-reading
Support
Thoughtful
literacy is the real reason for reading. Yet, all too often remembering
the facts is confused with comprehension. We assume that because our
students can recall a list of facts, they understand the text message.
Unfortunately, this is many times untrue.
Post-reading support can provide opportunities for students to connect and extend the text to their experiences. Through discussion and response, the reader is supported in internalizing and transforming the new information, thus providing thoughtful literacy. (Allington 2001 and Allen 2000)
Discussion: An engagement of conversation about the texts, authors and
how we were informed, engaged, persuaded, or entertained by them.
Discussion Questions: Questioning
can spark a thoughtful conversation. When questioning for this purpose, it
is important to refrain from asking one-word recitation types of
questions. Some thought provoking questions include:
1.
What does
this make you think of?
2.
What would
you have done if you were in that situation?
3.
How would
you feel if that was you?
4.
What did
you think of the ending?
5.
What were
you hoping for as the ending?
6.
What would
have made this more interesting?
7.
If you
could change one thing about this book, what would it be and why?
8.
How does
this compare to the last book you read?
9.
How has
reading this changed you (your thoughts, opinions, actions, etc.)?
Processing Responses: A time
to process meaning with the text. Whether it be with a graphic organizer,
skit, written summary, or book report, processing responses are a time to
pull together, connect to, and demonstrate and reflect on the concepts and
impact of the text.
Links:
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“Ways for
Students to Report Their Work” is a clever chart displaying over a
hundred different processing activities for almost every letter of the
alphabet. For instance, students can create a schedule, skit, sculpture,
speech, and survey for the letter S. http://instech.tusd.k12.az.us/BL/BLHS/blwayhs.htm
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More book
report ideas than you will possibly ever use! This site offers over 200
creative and engaging ideas for responding to text, such as adding a new
character to the story, what the main character would want for Christmas
and why, writing a main character’s diary entry, and making a scrapbook.
http://www.teachnet.com/lesson/langarts/reading/bookrepts1.html
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Brought to
you by SCORE, this site offers many clever ways to responding to and
reflecting on literature. Some creative ideas, such as literary report
cards, geometric characters, and dialogue jackets are included.
http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/tliterat.htm
Lesson
Links:
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Go to this
site, click on “teachers” and type in your lesson search for a host of
teacher friendly language arts lessons. Lessons are determined by level,
elementary through high school and offer creative ideas to teach grammar,
literature, vocabulary, and much more. The site also includes a large
collection of on-line children’s stories ranging from classics to poetry
to use on-line or print for the classroom.
http://www.bigchalk.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/WOPortal.woa/918/wa/BCPageDA/sec~ga~22409~~
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Go to this
site, click on “search for a lesson” and then choose the subject of
language arts for a large selection of creative language arts lesson plans
that are aligned to the Florida Sunshine State Standards.
http://www.beaconlc.org/boa/lessonplans_online/welcomepage.asp
Other
Reading Links
F
An on line
reading activity page containing interactive reading lessons from Merit
Software. Three categories are available: vocabulary in context, reading
for understanding, and reading strategies. Intermediate and advanced
lessons are available for grades 4 - 11. http://www.readingcomprehensionconnection.com/lesson.html
F
ABC Teach
Network provides a variety of reading stories and passages on this site.
Printable texts, ranging from PreK to high school level, are available in
fiction, informational and seasonal. Comprehension recall questions are
provided, as well. http://www.abcteach.com/directory/reading_comprehension/