TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE 1

Strategies to “Fix Up” Confusion?

Make a CONNECTION between the text and: -Your life -Your knowledge of the world -Another text.

Make a PREDICTION

STOP and THINK about what you have already read.

ASK yourself a QUESTION and try to answer it.

REFLECT in WRITING on what you have read.

VISUALIZE.

Use PRINT CONVENTIONS

RETELL what you’ve read.

REREAD.

Notice PATTERNS in text structure.

ADJUST your reading RATE: slow down or speed up.

Adapted from: Tovani, C. I Read It, But I Don’t Get It. p. 50-56

MEANING

VISUAL STRUCTURE

Reading Strategies for the Content Area TeacherBefore / During / After Lesson Ideas

Compiled by Laura Ludvigson, Reading Coordinator / Reading Teacher Minnetonka Schools (2002)

The BEFORE activities are NOT to be given to students as individual assignments. This is a small group or whole class activity. The pre-reading discussion/activities are an important piece of enhancing comprehension!!!

Choose from these activities: Pre-teach vocabulary : - rate your words

concept maps (partially completed) Anticipation Guide : fill out before reading section Possible Sentences : create possible sentences Text Features : predict, question, and ask what do you

know about. . . by using text headings, subheadings, captions, graphs, bold words, etc. . .

K/W/L : brainstorming prior knowledge in K column. Brainstorm what you WANT TO KNOW or what I WONDER in the W column.

Choose from these activities: Vocabulary : fill in Graphic Organizer of Concept Map Anticipation Guide : fill out During reading section Possible Sentences : Discover correct use of

words/sentences. Text Features : Use headings, subheadings and predicted

questions to form an outline, leaving space, for note taking. Students fill n with main idea and details after reading under each subheading. .

K/W/L : Record what is learned in the L column

Choose from these activities: Vocabulary : Pair share/ Square share to write complete

definition of new concept; read aloud to whole class. Anticipation Guide : fill out last reading section Possible Sentences: rewrite sentences correctly Text Features : in pairs and then squares students compare

note taking. Combine their best thinking; share with whole class – teacher adds/refines final ideas.

K/W/L +: pair share / square share . . .whole class share writing about the reading.

Before Reading: Activates prior knowledge Gives purpose to read Lowers the readability of

text

During Reading: Students are active Helps organize key points Teachers metacognition

“thinking about your thinking!"

After Reading: Cements Learning Students learn/share in

small groupings Whole class discussion is

representative of many students

High level of discussion Write about reading

TYPE THE DOCUMENT TITLE 3

Teacher’s Role in Comprehension

8 Questions to ASK About Instructional Activities

1. Is it focused on getting meaning?

2. Does it encourage readers to view the process of reading as meaning getting?

3. Is it designed to produce fluent, efficient readers?

4. Does it employ “real” reading purposes and materials, i.e. provide practice in actual reading settings?

5. Does it challenge readers to become actively engaged in reading, to take responsibility for their reading?

6. Are readers challenged to monitor their reading, to attend to its sensibleness?

7. Does it avoid fragmentary introduction of isolated skills?

8. Is the utility of skills or strategy clearly apparent?