Strategies to Ensure Reading Comprehension Compiled by Mrs. D. Wittmann
How to do a Close Reading - TeachLikeThis
Audience Profiling Who they are = demographics (age, sex, education, economic status, political/social/religious beliefs); What level of information they have about the subject (novice, general reader, specialist or expert); The context in which they will be reading a piece of writing (in a newspaper, textbook, popular magazine, specialized journal, on the Internet, and so forth). Age Gender Geographical area Religion Race - Ethnicity Marital status Sexuality Education level Occupation Income - wage level Current and desired lifestyle Hobbies
To advocate (promote or support) To report on an event To arouse emotions and sympathies To raise questions To appeal to fantasy and imagination To criticize the actions of others To inform of issues To state one's beliefs To encourage and support To propose a solution To seek common ground To instigate thought and action To satisfy curiosity To present new ideas To instruct, teach, or educate To express or reflect on life and experiences To explore a question To present information To analyze and interpret To call for action
The GIST Challenge: 20 words GIST = Generating Interactions between Schemata and Text Title __________________________ Author ______________________ Genre _________________ 1. Read the text. 2. Fill out the 5W’s and H in a t-chart (Who,What, Where, When, Why, and How) 3. Identify key terms and important words in the text that you might want to include in your final GIST summary. 4. Choose 20 words from above! Free Words: articles (the, a, an…) 5. Come up with a title for your GIST summary
Brain Wave Reading 1. Pre-Reading: Features of the text Features may include headings, subheadings, table of contents, index, glossary, preface, paragraphs separated by spacing, bulleted lists, sidebars, footnotes, illustrations, pictures, diagrams, charts, graphs, captions, italicized words or passages, boldface words or sections, colour, and symbols. 2. Read the title and the author What can you infer from the title? Do you recognize the author? 3. Reading: Brain Wave Place a pencil at the side of the page. Begin reading the text. Keep the pencil on the paper. When you come across something of interest, create a spike. When you come across something you find confusing, create a dip. Complete the text. 4. Post-Reading Look at the spikes and dips. What does this reveal about your reading comprehension? Select ONE spike and explain why that section of text was of interest. Select TWO dips. Go back to the text and using different reading strategies, improve your comprehension of each dip. Strategies include making connections, predicting, questioning, monitoring, visualizing, summarizing
Dot and Jot (Link) Some useful strategies for taking notes: • Don’t copy every word. • Filter the information. • Concentrate on key ideas. Some students may develop useful shorthand or codes. • Classify the information; for example, content (concepts and facts), references, illustrations. • Organise the information by using a plan. • Keep a note of the source and page references.
SQ3R = A Reading Comprehension Strategy Survey This step helps you gather the information that is necessary to focus on the chapter and formulate questions for yourself as you read. It’s not necessary to have answers to your questions at this step in the process – answers will come later. Question Now that you have surveyed the entire chapter and built a framework for understanding, it is time to begin the reading process. This step and the next two, reading and reciting, are repeated over and over as you read the chapter. Read Reading each section fills in the information around the mental structures you have created by surveying the chapter and developing questions about each heading. Recite Reciting material as you go retrains your mind to concentrate and learn as you read. When you can answer your questions about the section that you’re reading, move to the next section and repeat the question, read, recite process again. Use this for every section in the chapter Review The review step helps to refine your mental organization of the material in the chapter and begin to build memory – we learn through repetition. This step provides another opportunity for repetition of the material and therefore will enhance your recall of the information.
SOAPStone Who is the Speaker? The voice that tells the text. What is the Occasion? The time and place of the text – the context that encouraged the writing to happen Who is the Audience? The group of readers to whom this text is directed. What is the Purpose? The reason behind the text. What is the Subject? The general topic, content, and ideas contained in the text. What is the Tone? The attitude of the author.
THIEVES A Strategy for Previewing Non-Fiction Text (LINK) Title, Headings, Introduction, Every first sentence in a paragraph, Visuals/Vocabulary, End-of-Chapter Questions, Summary THIEVES is a pre-reading strategy that helps students “steal” information from a textbook chapter. This structure, if used consistently, will provide students with a purpose. Textbook reading is often difficult for students because of the complex language, vocabulary, and style. Using THIEVES helps readers to identify important concepts, establish a context for reading, make personal connections, access prior knowledge, and predict what ideas might be contained in a text.
Cornell Note-Taking The Cornell method of taking notes was developed by Dr. Walter Pauk of Cornell University. It is a widely used system for noting material from a lecture or reading, and for reviewing and retaining that material. Using the Cornell system can help organize your notes, actively involve you in the creation of knowledge, improve your study skills, and lead to academic success.
Concept Map (Link) A concept map is a visual organizer that can enrich students' understanding of a new concept. Using a graphic organizer, students think about the concept in several ways. Most concept map organizers engage students in answering questions such as, "What is it? What is it like? What are some examples?" Concept maps deepen understanding and comprehension.