Reading Strategies - Reading Strategies - A Concrete ApproachA Concrete Approach

Carrie WeaknechtCarrie Weaknecht

Wilkes UniversityWilkes University

November 2011November 2011

Based on ideas retrieved from Based on ideas retrieved from Comprehension Connections Comprehension Connections by Tanny McGregor.by Tanny McGregor.

Setting the Foundation:Setting the Foundation:

Students must first understand Students must first understand metacognition (thinking about our ownmetacognition (thinking about our own

thinking; monitoring our own thoughts)thinking; monitoring our own thoughts) Activity: Model metacognitive reading Activity: Model metacognitive reading

with a read aloud and create a “Reading with a read aloud and create a “Reading Salad”Salad”

Text + Thinking = Real ReadingText + Thinking = Real Reading

Strategy #1: SchemaStrategy #1: Schema Encourage students to make connections Encourage students to make connections

to personal schema (prior knowledge).to personal schema (prior knowledge). Text-to-selfText-to-self Text-to-textText-to-text Text-to-worldText-to-world

Activity: Write down some experiences, Activity: Write down some experiences, thoughts, feelings on bits of paper. Use a thoughts, feelings on bits of paper. Use a lint roller to represent your brain as it rolls lint roller to represent your brain as it rolls up your unique schema. Tear off your up your unique schema. Tear off your individual Schema Sheet.individual Schema Sheet.

Strategy #2: InferringStrategy #2: Inferring

Schema + Text evidence = Solid inferenceSchema + Text evidence = Solid inference Begin with concrete ideas about inferring.Begin with concrete ideas about inferring. Activity: “Who wears these slippers?” Show Activity: “Who wears these slippers?” Show

students a pair of slippers. Have them students a pair of slippers. Have them make inferences about the owner, make inferences about the owner, citing evidence.citing evidence.

Strategy #3: QuestioningStrategy #3: Questioning

Encourage curiosity in your students.Encourage curiosity in your students. Provide “Thinking Stems” to get them Provide “Thinking Stems” to get them

started.started. I wonder…I wonder… What if…What if… Why…Why… How could…How could…

Activity: Bring in an object of personal Activity: Bring in an object of personal significance. Let the students generate significance. Let the students generate questions about its meaning. Reveal bits questions about its meaning. Reveal bits of information each day. of information each day.

Strategy #4: Strategy #4: Determining ImportanceDetermining Importance

Filter text for valuable information.Filter text for valuable information.

Activity: Pour a pot of water and cooked Activity: Pour a pot of water and cooked spaghetti through a strainer. Lift the spaghetti through a strainer. Lift the strainer and tell students this is how our strainer and tell students this is how our brains work when we read. brains work when we read. Ask them to figure out how Ask them to figure out how the experiment shows this. the experiment shows this.

Strategy #5: VisualizingStrategy #5: Visualizing

Create mental or sensory images when Create mental or sensory images when you read.you read.

Activity: Read aloud or Activity: Read aloud or play music while students play music while students sketch what they “see” sketch what they “see” or feel.or feel.

Strategy #6: Strategy #6: SynthesizingSynthesizing

Expand original thoughts as we Expand original thoughts as we encounter new information.encounter new information.

Activity: Use nesting dolls set out in Activity: Use nesting dolls set out in ascending order to represent how ascending order to represent how thinking changes and grows.thinking changes and grows.

CitationsCitations

McGregor, T. (2007). McGregor, T. (2007). Comprehension connections: Bridges to Comprehension connections: Bridges to strategic reading. strategic reading. Portsmouth, NH. Heinemann.Portsmouth, NH. Heinemann.

Schema image – Retrieved from Schema image – Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/8331761@N07/2502131903/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/8331761@N07/2502131903/

Inferring image – Retrieved from Inferring image – Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/sk8geek/4465813974/http://www.flickr.com/photos/sk8geek/4465813974/

Questioning image – Retrieved from Questioning image – Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/dumbledad/4988915427/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/dumbledad/4988915427/

Determining Importance image – Retrieved from Determining Importance image – Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/daviderickson/2386739301/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/daviderickson/2386739301/

Visualizing image – Retrieved from Visualizing image – Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/shrimphead/3861398003/in/photostreahttp://www.flickr.com/photos/shrimphead/3861398003/in/photostream/ m/

Synthesizing image – Retrieved from Synthesizing image – Retrieved from http://www.flickr.com/photos/cayetano/3351617200/in/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/cayetano/3351617200/in/photostream/