Reading Strategies

DRTA: Make prediction, read part of text, confirm or revise prediction, make new prediction

3-Minute Pause: Pause during lesson. Give 3 minutes every 10 minutes to

1) Summarize learning2) ID what was interesting3) Ask questions about confusing information4) Make a prediction about what you will learn next

Question the Author:Look at the author’s intent, craft, clarity, organization, is the author clear.

Read a few paragraphs and then answer these questions:

1) What’s the author trying to tell you?2) Why’s he telling you that?3) Does he say it clearly? 4) How could he have said it more clearly?5) What would you do differently if you were the author?

Reciprocal Teaching: Teaching 4 key reading strategies: 1) Summarize main content 2) formulate questions 3) clarify ambiguities 4) Predict

Model first, then together, then students lead discussion. Alternate student leaders.

Conclusion-Supported Notes: Helps students use evidence to develop and support arguments. (Divide paper in half, write thesis/conclusion on left and evidence on right.)

It Says, I Say, and So:

Question It Says I Say And So

Write a question Find information in text to answer

What you know about information

Combine text information w/ prior knowledge to make conclusion

Why did Goldilocks break Baby Bear’s chair?

She sits in it but it is not a baby chair.

Baby chairs are little. She is bigger and heavier b/c she’s not a baby.

She is too heavy for it so it breaks.

Say Something:

1) Assign partner.2) Ss read portion of text.3) When finished, turn to partner and say something about what they just read. (Have chart

to remind them of what to talk about.)a. Predict what’s next.b. Ask a question.c. Clarify a misunderstanding.d. Make a comment.e. Make a connection.

4) When finished, keep reading.

GIST: Answer who, what (what happened), where, when why. Then use to write a 20-word paragraph.

OR

1) Read 3-5 paragraphs.2) Summarize w/ 20 words or less.3) Repeat with next paragraphs, combining old and new info but sticking to 20 words or

less.

Possible Sentences (vocabulary or content instruction):

Activate and evaluate knowledge of a topic

1) Write a list of 10 words related to a lesson (some familiar and some unfamiliar)2) Ss create 5 possible sentences by using 2 words in each sentence until all words are gone.

3) Teach the lesson.4) After instruction, students go back and evaluate accuracy of sentences by placing a + or –

or ? next to sentences.5) Correct inaccurate sentences.

Probable Passages (Previewing Text):

1) Write 8-14 words/phrases about characters, setting, problem, outcome, vocabulary on board.

2) Worksheet- place words in the category you think they tell about. 3) Write prediction statement and “To Discover Questions”4) Groups share predictions aloud.5) As class: Brainstorm what they want to discover while reading.6) Read text.7) Discuss into what categories author would have placed words.

Somebody Wanted But So (Goal/Outcome):

Somebody Wanted But So

Character Goal/motivation Conflict Resolution

Tailgate Party (Preview text):

Write an interesting quote from a story on a notecard. Each kid should have a card. Walk around and share cards with as many classmates as possible in 3 minutes. Share card. Then discuss predictions based on what it says.

After share time, Ss get in group and use what they heard from cards to write a “We think” statement, making predictions about the story.

Story Frame:

Title:

In this story the problem starts when…

After that…

Next…

Then…

The problem is finally solved when…

The story ends when…

Sketch to Stretch:

Read selection, draw several pictures to represent events, reactions, connections, visualization. Can include captions.

1) Allow discussion of events (using another strategy such as 3- minute pause)2) Ss represent understanding with sketches after discussion

1-Sentence Summary:

1) Read a selection of text.2) Put aside, write 4 or 5 keywords from reading.3) Use words to make 1-sentence summary4) Read summary and delete unnecessary words. 5) Reflect: How did putting the book aside and making the list help you write a

1-sentence summary.

Concept of Definition Map (Templates are online.)

Word in middle of map. Around word, write properties, category the word is in, comparison to another word,

examples.

Read, Cover, Remember, Retell

READ only as much as your hand can cover.*

COVER the words with your hand.

REMEMBER what you have just read. (It is okay to take another look).

RETELL what you just read inside your head or to a partner.

*While reading, you might want to code text as follows:

* I already knew this! + New information ! Wow ?? I don’t understand

Open Mind Portrait: Create a visual representation of meaning gained from text.

1) Draw and color a portrait of a character from a story or a person from a biography.2) Students cut out the portrait and use it to trace on one or several sheets of paper to create one

or more blank head shapes.3) Staple the color portrait and the blank sheets together. 4) On the blank pages, students draw or write about the person’s thoughts or feelings throughout

the text.5) Share open-mind portraits in class.

Vocabulary Self-Collection:

1) Students go through a text and choose vocabulary they feel will be important. (in groups)2) Groups share their words with the class. Compose a class list. Teams must tell why they think

the word is important to know. Teacher adds words if necessary.3) Discuss meaning of words as a class. Use reference materials to find definitions if necessary.4) Students record definitions of final class list in journal.

Vocabulary:

Students use their dictionary to find themeaning of each word in bold type (below) so they can answerthe questions. Then, on the back of the paper, they explain theirreasoning for answering the questions as they did.1. Could you barbecue a query? ________________2. Could you take fauna along on a raft trip down a river? _______

Vocabulary Maps:

Semantic mapping1. Place the target concept at the center of a diagram.2. Elicit related key words and concepts from students and place them radiating out from the central concept, grouping them into related categories.3. Introduce new words and related concepts attached to those known by students.

Frayer Model: (template on internet)

Word in center. Students write definition, characteristics of the word, examples of the word and non-examples.

Picture Sorts- Beginning readers

1)Select two or three consonants with very distinctive sounds to be sorted.

2)Collect approximately four picture cards for each category, plus one card that will serve as the exemplar.

3)Before beginning, review the name of each picture card with the child. Be sure the child can easily name and pronounce the words indicated by each picture.

4)Lay out the three exemplar cards and name them emphasizing the beginning sound.

5)Model the procedures for sorting. Lay one picture card at a time under the corresponding exemplar. As each card is placed in a column restate the word for each picture in the column, plus the exemplar, emphasizing the beginning sound for each.

6)Continue the process until all pictures have been sorted.

7)When it is the child’s turn to perform the sort, correct errors the first time, but on subsequent sorts leave the errors. Demonstrate how to check for errors by reading the names of the pictures going down each column, again emphasizing the beginning sound. Then ask the child if any errors were detected and allow the student to make necessary changes.

8)Create opportunities for the child to have multiple encounters with the same sort.

 

Open Sorts: Open sorts are sorts that are asking the children to engage in inductive thinking. Students classify words according to shared features that they themselves discover. For example, students can find words that have an ed and learn that some of those words have a consonant that is doubled before the ed.

A Six -Step Process for Teaching New Terms from BUilding Background Knowledgefor Academic Achievement by Robert Marzano (2004)

Introducing the term:

Step 1: Explain -Provide a student-friendly description, explanation, or example ofthe new term.

Step 2: Restate -Ask student to restate the description, explanation, or example in their own words.

Step 3: Show -Ask student to construct a picture, symbol, or graphic representing the term.

Reinforcing the term:

Step 4: Discuss -Periodically ask students to discuss the terms with one another.Refine and reflect -Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge ofthe tenus.

Step 5: .Refine and reflect -Engage students periodically in activities that help them add to their knowledge ofthe terms.

Step 6: Apply in Learning Games -Involve students periodically in games that allow them to play with terms.

Semantic Feature Analysis:

How to Use Semantic Feature Analysis 1.  Choose a text. This strategy works best with expository texts.

2.  Create a grid. Put the vocabulary words you want students to focus on vertically down one axis. List features or ideas associated with those words horizontally across the other axis.

3.   Have students complete the grid. Students complete the grid by indicating with a check mark () or minus sign (-) whether each word possesses the stated features or is related to the ideas. A check mark indicates that the word does possess the feature (or is related to the idea), and a minus sign indicates that it does not.

When students do this depends on the function you want the grid to serve. 

Completing the grid before reading: If you want to elicit students’ prior knowledge, have students complete the grid before they begin reading the text. Then, after students have read the text, they can come back to the grid and see if they have changed their minds about any of their decisions. If you use the grid in this way, you might want to provide students with a place to indicate their responses for both

before and after reading:

   Feature/

Idea #1 Feature/ Idea #2

Feature/ Idea #3

Feature/ Idea #4

Feature/ Idea #5

Word #1

Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After

Word #2

Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After

Word #3

Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After

Word #4

Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After

Word #5

Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After Before

 

 

After

  Completing the grid during and/or after reading only: If you choose to have students complete the grid during and/or after they read, you will be providing them with a purpose for reading and giving them a tool they can use to monitor their comprehension.

4.  Discuss completed grids with students. Regardless of when students complete the grids, it is important to discuss their grids with them after they are finished reading. Doing so will allow students to learn from one another, and will reinforce the ideas in the grid.

Steps to Discussion Webs:

1. Distribute a selected reading to the class. Be sure to select a controversial document that elicits clearly defined opposing viewpoints.

2. Ask the class to identify the main question of the text. Once consensus is reached, post the question for quick reference.

3. Divide the class into small groups of 3 or 4 students. Provide the groups with the Discussion Web graphical organizer (see below).

4. Ask the groups to write down at least 3 reasons for answering the question "Yes" and 3 reasons for answering the question "No."

5. On a simple "T-chart," record students' positive and negative responses. Use this list to promote discussion. Have students evaluate each reason ("pro" and "con") objectively and fairly.

6. After discussing the individual reasons, encourage each student to decide on a position on the general question. Point out that understanding both sides of an argument does not preclude taking a stand.

7. Have each student write his final conclusion on an index card. Collect the cards and tally the responses. Share the results with the class and list the most common reasons ("pro" and "con") for these decisions on a shared Discussion Web form.

Inquiry Chart: Write questions across top of chart. In first row, students write prior knowledge. In each of the following rows students enter information from one source to answer each question. Use several sources. Each source gets its own row.

KWL Plus

Step K - What do I know? Before students read, the teacher presents a concept from the text and poses the "Know" question. As the class brainstorms, the teacher lists responses on a strategy sheet beginning with a column labeled "K - What we know." Students and teacher categorize this list into information they predict will be in the text. The teacher becomes aware of students' level of prior knowledge.Step W - What do I want to learn? The teacher elicits student questions stemming from their interests, curiosities, or unanswered questions about the concept. These are listed on the strategy sheet under a column labeled "W - W hat do I want to learn." Students read sections of the passage individually (broken into manageable segments for struggling readers) and check for answers to the questions. During reading, additional questions can be added and answered as a group.Step L1 - What Did I learn? Both during and after reading, students write what they learned in a third column "L - W hat I learned" and check which questions were unanswered. Step L2 - Mapping. Students refer to the K step to categorize what they learned. Placing the title at the center of the map, they form categories as major branches, and add explanatory concepts. Students can refer to the map to create exam or study questions.Step L3 - Summarizing. Students number the concepts on the map based to order points they choose to make in a written summary. The summaries become a useful summative evaluation for teacher and student as they evaluate their comprehending.

EXTENDED ANTICIPATION GUIDE

Part 1: DECIDE

DECIDE STATEMENT RE-EVALUATE SUPPORT YOUR VIEWAgree Disagree Agree Disagree

X

1. Winning the Lottery is always a good thing X

I used to only think that winning the lottery would get you something good, like money. It can really be used just to pick one person out though, for something good or bad.

X

2. It is all right to follow authority without question. X

The other places did the right thing when questioning the reason behind the tradition. Even though this town looked down upon it, it stopped people from needlessly being killed in those other communities.

X

3. People are not always what they seem X

I usually think of the villains as looking evil, but this story takes a completely different turn. The children at the beginning seem so innocent, gathering rocks. It was not until I got to the end that I saw they were only gathering rocks in anticipation for stoning a person.

X

4. What has worked in the past will always work in the future

X

Well I know that things don’t stay the same. My dad has an old computer and it never works. I really wished we had a new one, to replace the old. This is like how the town’s traditions no longer work and should no longer be used.

X

5. All traditions are important and should never be forgotten

X

Traditions to me were things like x-mas and family dinner. I never thought that it could be a bad thing. This stoning practice should be forgotten because there is no reason for it and it hurts people.

 Talking Drawings

Purpose: To activate and evaluate student knowledge of a topic.

Description:  In this activity, students will activate prior knowledge by creating a graphic representation of a topic before the lesson.  After engaging in learning about that topic, students will re-evaluate their prior knowledge by drawing a second depiction of their topic.  They will then summarize what the different drawing say to them about what they learned.

Procedure:

1.     Ask students to close their eyes and think about topic X.  Using the Talking Drawings worksheet, have students draw a picture what they saw while they were thinking about topic X.

2.     Teach cognitive portion of your lesson.

3.     At the end of the lesson, ask students to elaborate upon their initial drawing by creating a new drawing that incorporates what they learned about topic X during the lesson.

4.     Have students share their before and after drawings with a partner.  Students should discuss the differences between the two depictions of topic X.

5.     Finally, have students respond in writing at the bottom of their Talking Drawings worksheet.  What do the two drawings tell them about what they learned during the lesson?

Wood, K. (2001).  Literacy strategies across the subject areas. Needham Heights, MA:   Allyn & Bacon.

List-Group-Label-Write (Taba, 1967): Vocabulary

1.      I will select a main topic or concept from Ellis & Esler’s (2005) World History: Connections to Today.

2.      Students will list all words they think relate to World War II on the provided chart.3.      Students will take these words and generate meaningful lists for these words to be grouped

under.4.      Students will label each group with a clear and descriptive title or heading.5.      Students will write reflections on why they created their specific categories.

Read-Recall-Check-Summarize1. Read a selection together. Then, as a whole class, recall information you’ve read.

List the information on the board.

2. Reread the piece to check for accuracy of recalled information.

3. Cluster the recalled material into logical groupings using a concept map.

4. Delete any unimportant ideas from this information.

5. Write the summary together.

Teacher’s Guide for Power Thinking

Claudia Cuartero FDLRS/Crown

The Power Thinking strategy helps students differentiate between main ideas and details (Miller, 1985; Sparks, 1982). The process of Power Thinking is straightforward and less complicated than outline format. For instance, when writing outlines a Roman Numeral I must have the Roman Numeral II, and an A requires a B. On the other hand Power Thinking is easy for students to understand because main ideas and details are simply assigned numbers. Main ideas are Power I ideas, while details are either Power 2, 3, or 4 ideas.

When introducing this strategy of moving from general to specific it is my recommendation to start with thinking organizers entitled, Word Power. Emerging readers-writers will need many examples of thinking organizers more mature reader-writers will only need a few.

First, create simple thinking organizers. Choose a word in the student’s realm of prior knowledge to begin to categorize. Accept only three responses. (Cookies- chocolate chip, oreo, fig newton)Secondly, when students understand that all the words they give for grouping and categorizing must talk about the original word presented, introduce them to the numerical structure of Power Thinking. The following are some graphical representations of Power Thinking.

2popcorn

2apple

2cookies

Power 1Snacks

Power 1Kinds of Trees

Power 2

Oak

Power 2

PalmPower

2Evergreen

Thirdly, teach power sentences using 1-2-2-2 sets. First, model a sample Power Sentence like the one below. Next, allow the students to try using their Power Word Sets from previous Power Thinking Lessons to create their own sentences. A wonderful accommodation for students who have difficulties writing is to print the information on magnetic paper, cut up the phrases and let the students manipulate the information. Examples of this process follow:

My favorite snacks are popcorn, apples and cookies.

Expand with examples so they can see the process of the powers going from Power 1 to Power 3.

My favorite snacks are movie butter popcorn, Granny Smith Apples and chocolate chip cookies.

Power 1 Snackso Power 2 Popcorn

Power 3 Movie Buttero Power 2 Apples

Power 3 Granny Smitho Power 2 Cookies

Power 3 Chocolate Chip

Next, pick a Power 1 idea on a familiar topic, such as sports and let your students expand it. Continue to practice.

Finally, when you feel they have the basic understandings of Power Writing pull this same concept into their reading. Ask your students if they see a power one sentence in their science or social studies reading. Inquire how they may use power structures to transform information more effectively. The Selective Highlighting strategy is very effective with this process.

Question-Answer Relationships

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What Is It?

Question-Answer Relationships, or QAR, is a reading comprehension strategy developed to "clarify how students approach the tasks of reading texts and answering questions" (Raphael 1986). It encourages students to be active, strategic readers of texts. QAR outlines where information can be found "In the Text" or "In my Head." It then breaks down the actual question-answer relationships into four types: Right There, Think and Search, Author and Me, and On My Own.

For example, these are questions at each level:

In the Text

1. Right There: Who is the main character?2. Think and Search: How did the character return home?

In My Head

1. Author and Me: Would you have made the same choice the character made?2. On My Own: Do you know what it's like to feel jealousy?

Why Is It Important?

Students often follow an extremely literal or "in their head" approach when answering questions about what they have read. Understanding question-answer relationships helps students learn the kind of thinking that different types of questions require, as well as where to go for answers in the text. It encourages students to be more efficient and strategic readers.

Teaching students about question-answer relationships can help them to ask effective questions as they read and respond to the text.

Teachers use questioning strategies to guide and monitor student learning and to promote higher-level thinking in their students. Teaching students the QAR strategy encourages teachers to be aware of, and, it is hoped, improve the types of thinking they are requiring of their students.

Understanding how the question-answer relationship works is an important component of comprehending text. According to research cited by the National Institute for Literacy, teaching about question-answer relationships is an effective strategy for improving comprehension when used as part of a multiple-strategy model (2001).

How Can You Make It Happen?

The levels and types of comprehension questions are described below.

1. In the Text

The answers are right there in the text. These types of questions are literal.

o Right There

The answer is in one sentence of the text; the question and answer usually have the same wording. Answers usually are one-word or short-phrase responses. There is usually only one right answer to Right There questions.

Some examples of phrases used for Right There questions:

Who is....?Where is...?What is...?When is...?How many...?When did...?

o Think and Search

The answer is found in several parts of the text. The question and answer have different wordings. Answers are usually short answers.

Some examples of phrases used for Think and Search questions:

For what reason...?How did...?Why was...?What caused...?

2. In My Head

Students must use their prior knowledge to answer these types of questions.

o Author and Me

The answer to the question comes from both clues in the text and students' prior knowledge. Students must synthesize the text to fully understand the question.

Some examples of phrases used for Author and Me questions:

Would you...?Which character...?Did you agree with...?What did you think of...?

o On My Own

The answer comes entirely from students' prior knowledge. These questions require inferential and evaluative thinking. Answers do not require information from the text but do require that students make some type of judgment about or relate to the topic of the text.

Some examples of phrases used for On My Own questions:

Do you know...?Have you ever...?Would you ever...?

Taffy Raphael, who developed QAR, suggested the following lesson progression for teaching the strategy (1982).

When introducing QAR, start with short, narrative reading texts. Ensure that students are able to identify and write questions. Introduce the two levels of questions, In the Text and In My Head, and explain that they tell where students can find the answers to questions. Next, introduce the two types of questions at each level. Model an example of each type of question, thinking out loud so students can "see" your thought process as you determine the relationships.

Then, generate one of each of the four types of questions and provide the answer to the questions. Have students categorize the question-answer relationships and explain their thought processes. This part of the process can be easier for students if they begin by working in cooperative groups and then transition to working independently after they show a thorough understanding of this strategy. In cooperative groups, have students read a short passage (50-75 words) and give them one of each type of question. Have each group answer the questions and categorize the question-answer relationships, explaining their thought processes. Provide each group with immediate feedback.

After students have been introduced to the QAR concepts, provide them with several 75-100 word reading passages and a question and answer for each passage. Have students, individually or in cooperative groups, read each passage, identify the question-answer relationships, and explain their thinking. Ask, "Why do the questions represent one question-answer relationship and not another?" Continue to give students immediate feedback.

As students become proficient with this strategy, use more expository and functional texts. Provide them with a 150-600 word reading passage divided into four sections. Give students one of each type of question for each section. Have students answer each question, identify the question-answer relationship, and justify their thinking.

After they have mastered this, present a longer reading passage and in small cooperative groups have students write one of each of the four types of questions. Have each group share its questions. Ask the other groups to answer the questions, categorize each question-answer relationship, and explain their thinking.

Finally, assign a reading passage and have students independently write four questions, one of each type. Direct students to exchange questions with a partner, answer each question, and categorize the question-answer relationships.

Read more on TeacherVision: http://www.teachervision.fen.com/skill-builder/reading-comprehension/48699.html#ixzz1RGTNJJ9I

PAVE (Vocabulary Strategy)

(Prediction, Association, Verification, Evaluation)This vocabulary strategy encourages students to predict an unknown word’s meaning by usingcontext clues, and to verify it through the use of a dictionary. It also asks students to create apersonal visual clue to help them remember the definition.1. Introduce the PAVE procedure to the students.2. Have the students write the sentence that contains the vocabulary word on the worksheet.3. Isolate the vocabulary word by having the students write it inside the box on the worksheet.4. Predict the meaning of the vocabulary word based on the context clues provided.5. Write one good sentence using the word that demonstrates an understanding of its meaning.6. Verify the meaning of the word by looking it up in the dictionary and writing its definitiondown on the worksheet.7. Have the students write another good sentence using the vocabulary word based on theverified definition.8. Finally, have the students draw a personal association or symbol for the word to help themremember its definition in the box on the worksheet.

Constructiong an Analogical Guide- Vocabulary DevelopmentReadence, Bean and Baldwin (1995) suggest the following three important steps inconstructing an analogical guide:1. The teacher analyzes the reading task that is required of the students. The teacherdoes this by identifying the concepts the students are to acquire from their reading.In this video lesson all of the concepts are related to energy.2. The second step is to create appropriate analogies that will help the students relateto the new science concepts. In the video lesson, the teacher chose the analogy ofeating in a restaurant for the analogical guide in the energy lesson.3. The third step is to explain how students can use the analogical guide to help themunderstand the science concepts and vocabulary that will be encountered.As with any method or technique for supporting reading content area text, options orvariations in using the literacy strategy can be used to best meet the needs of the students.

Concept of Definition Map- Project Criss (Example online)