Reading StrategiesWe are going to learn the effective strategies before, during, and after reading with a focus on sixth grade and above for reading nonfiction texts.

First, let’s talk about nonfiction books!

A nonfiction book details real and actual events

and may also use charts, diagrams and pictures within the book. Also

included are glossaries and captioned images.

Reading Strategies help us…. To monitor understanding of what we read and how we read it!

Before Reading Strategies!Pre-reading strategies guide the reader to make important decisions before reading takes place.

Setting a Goal or Purpose

• This method can be performed individually. “Why am I reading this book?”

• This method can also be performed as a group “Let us discover the reason why we will read this book.”

• This strategy helps to focus the reader the reason why the book will be read.

Activating Prior Knowledge

• It is a type of frontloading strategy (Bursuck & Damer, 2011, pg. 289).

• It helps readers to be more informed and aware of what they are reading.

• Any connections can be made!

• Readers can gain prior knowledge from previous lessons or personal experiences.

Predicting

From images of the text• Readers can predict specific ideas

or the main idea of a text through images.

• The images might include cover (front and back) as well as preview images from inside the text.

• Readers can write and share predictions.

From samples of the text• Readers can predict specific ideas

or the main idea of a text through sample previewing.

• A teacher could read aloud a specific passage and ask students to share or write their predictions.

• Predictions can range from specific points of a text to the main idea.

Increasing Text Interest

• Recommended strategy from Bursuck and Damer (2011, pg. 290).

• Provide reasons why students should be excited to learn the topics in the text.

• Make a personal connection with the text such as sharing personal experiences.

• State future goals for applying the new information such as class projects, field trips, or experiments.

• Search information or play interactive games online.

New Vocabulary

• It is another type of frontloading strategy (2011, pg. 289).

• Reviewing new vocabulary from the text will enable readers to further grasp what information they will learn.

• Taking time to review new terms before reading creates more time for critical thinking during and after reading.

During Reading Strategies!During-reading strategies help the reader focus on comprehending the content.

Graphic Organizers• Graphic Organizers can be used to help the

reader monitor what they read as they read!• They can be created or based on prior

templates.• The reader writes new information about the

text into the organizer. In a class, they can be used formatively or summatively. Individually, a student can use them as an independent checking, system.

Monitoring Text:

• Readers are taught how to check their own reading and when to check their own reading.

• “Monitoring text is not a natural process, but research demonstrates that it can be taught” (2011, pg. 295).

• “Is what I’m reading making sense?”

Fix Up Strategies

Fixing Up Terms• “Sounding out unknown words”

(2011, pg. 296).

• Looking up a word or name with the use of internet, dictionary, or other media source.

• Slowing or increasing reading rate to match material.

Fixing up Comprehension• Checking the internet for

related information from the text to clear confusion.

• “Talking to another person about a difficult section about the book (2011, pg. 296).

• Taking notes and reviewing organizers.

Questioning the Author (QtA)

• During reading, readers can ask and answer specific questions related directly to the author.

• “What is the author trying to tell me?”• “How could the author have said things more clearly?”• “Why did the author tell me this?” (2011, Bursuck & Damer)

• The reader can think about the answers or write them.

Making Inferences

Inferring happens in the mind!A reader makes inferences by …• Taking the clues the author has

given them, • Mixing it with personal experience,• Figuring out what the text is saying

or will say.

After Reading Strategies!These strategies help the reader consider what they have read and how they can apply it.

Main Idea

• Describing the main focus, or central idea, helps the reader to focus the main idea of the text.

• Developing the main idea is not summarizing!

• The main idea of a text can be a word, a phrase, or a sentence about the topic of a text.

• Main ideas can also be created for paragraphs or passages.

Summarizing

• Summarizing a text or passage helps students focus on remembering what they read. It can also be used to help develop the main idea (2011, pg. 293). • Summarizing can be written as a paragraph to

help recall information.• It can be a series of questions that readers will

answer for review. • It can be a discussion.

Reflection

• Reflection takes places when readers consider how the material affects them.

• How did the text improve my knowledge on a topic?• How do I feel after expanding my knowledge?• Did I understand what the author was telling me?

Critical Thinking

• The reader performs critical thinking when the reader analyzes information gained through the text and other reflections.

• Critical thinking takes the “what I have read” to “how can I use what I have read.”

• Applying connections with new and previous material or previous experiences.

• Making connections across subject areas.

• Questioning why material is presented in a certain way.

• Considering different opinions.

Application

Application strategies involve the actions that apply the knowledge of what the reader read!

• Performing activities to express what the student has learned.

• Conducting experiments. • Creating essays. • Evaluating.• Cross examining.

Thank You for Reading!

References

Bursuck, W. D. & Damer, M. (2011). Teaching reading to students who are at risk or have disabilities. Pearson: NY.All images are directly from ClipArt.The Template was provided by PowerPoint™, 2013.