what is reading?

What is Reading?

To understand reading, you need to compare it to something you already know. Reading is a lot

like a number of things.

A ToolReading is like a tool because it helps you

perform a number of jobs.

Like a hammer, reading is versatile.

With “the reading tool,” you can do many jobs, like figuring out the instructions for a game or checking the weather.

A SkillReading is a skill, like

swimming or driving.

Reading is something you learn to do by practicing. The more you read, the better you’ll get at it.

An AbilityReading gives you “thinking power”.

It increases your ability to:communicate, learn, enjoy, and imagine.

It makes your life fuller, richer, and more fun. Reading helps you make sense of the world.

Why You Read?

Enjoyment“Great Entertainment”

Sports Novels

Mystery Magazines

InformationHelps you understand what is going on in

the world and your life.

Current Events ComputersGuitars Scrapbooking

MeaningReading brings meaning to the world

around you.

LettersNew FactsGreat Ideas

DepthReading:Expands your mind. Develops your thinking processes.Stretches your imagination.Helps you answer questions about what

you believe.

BeautyCreating Art with words.

Fun and EaseReading is a habit. You read all of the

time.

Street signsInternet Food labels

If reading is so important, how can we help students get better at it?

By teaching them to be active readers.

What do active readers do?

They use strategies like thinking about what they know already, or making pictures in their minds as they read, or connecting with what they’re reading.

Good readers naturally use strategies without

even realizing it.We can teach

students about the strategies by telling

them about the strategies and

modeling how and when to use them.

Who owns the strategies?

The students do!

2-Column Notes: Comprehension Strategies

Strategies Notes

Name _______________________________ # _______ Spider KWL Chart

Know Want to Know Learned

ABC Brainstorming

A _____________B______________C______________

Making pictures in your mind

Connecting• Text-to-self

• Text-to-text

• Text-to-world

Picture Maker• Student draws

summary of what they read.

• Could be cartoon, sketch, stick figure, chart, flow charts or diagrams--a visual.

• It could be about a character, problem, tensions, setting, a prediction, a surprise.

Summarizing

What’s the big idea?

Begin with oral summaries of everyday events.

The basketball game was so exciting because the score was so close!

One Sentence Summary/Paraphrase

What/Who? Did what? Where? When? Why?

 Summary: (Write a sentence that summarizes the chapter using 20-30 words.)___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Limited Summaries• Can be challenging and fun.

• Words cost $1 each. Write the cheapest summary sentence possible.

• Select two words from the text as your summary. Be ready to explain how these two words summarize the passage.

Story Frames• Used for understanding narratives.• A summary of the plot and the setting.• It contains the following key elements:

characters, setting, problem, goal, main events of the story and resolution.

Monitoring Comprehension

Does your reading make sense?

Or does it not?

It is your job to know!

Clinks or Clunks?When you read, pay attention. When something does not make sense, stop. Maybe you weren’t paying attention and you just need to reread. Maybe you are confused about something and you need to reread a few sentences or read ahead a sentence or two and see if this clears up your comprehension.

Partner Clinks & ClunksHave students read, recording their clinks

and clunks in two-column notes. After they read, have them go over their clinks and clunks together, trying to clear up any clunks for each other. After partners solve as many clunks as they can, have students work in small groups to gain a better understanding of the text.

Sometimes you might be confused because you don’t know a word. If that happens, try:--Sounding out the word.--Chunking the word.--Linking the word to a word you know.--Looking for smaller words in the word.--Using context clues.--Thinking about what would make sense.--Asking someone else.--Looking it up.

In the Book In My HeadRight There Author and You

Think and Search On My Own