MAKING C

ONNECTIONS

TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT….

1. Carrots

2. Rugby

3. Lavendar

4. punseet

WHY?

-middle school students are beyond the decoding stage of reading

-it’s important for students to ask questions as they are reading; making connections along the way to ensure that they are engaged

-authentic connections allow the reader to gain a deeper understanding of the text

WHAT IS GOOD READING

Thinking

Criteria for Thinking

Ask questions.

Make connections.

Make inferences and predictions.

Determine what’s important.

Appreciate the quality of the writing.

HOWEVER…

Problems with Thinking

Kids don’t think about what they read.

Every bit of information is important as every other bit of information.

Kids don’t make inferences.

Kids confuse connections with what is actually part of the text.

Kids don’t notice the quality of the writing.

- What does this text remind you of?

- Can you relate to the characters in the story?

- Does anything in the story remind you of anything in your own life?

TEXT-TO-SELF CONNECTIONS

TEXT-TO-TEXT CONNECTIONS

- What does this remind you of in another book/text you have read?

- How is this text similar to other things you have read?

- How is this text different from other things you have read?

TEXT-TO-WORLD CONNECTIONS

- What does this remind you of in the real world?

- How are events in this story/text similar to things that happen in the real world?

- How are events in this story different from things that happen in the real world?

HOW TO MAKE GOOD CONNECTIONS

A good connection should enhance your understanding of the text:

Eg. When I was in second grade, I moved to a new school like Abby did. I remember feeling like everyone was ignored me and missing my home, so I can relate to what she’s going through.

Surface-level connections are merely “there”

Eg. Shirley likes the Maple Leafs. So do I.kks