TEACHING THE USE OF AIDS IN THE BOOK
Teachers should teach the students why the book has these features:
- Boldfaced type and italics paragraph / passage / selection
- Indentation
- Illustrations and Captions (picture, photo, cartoon, figure, graph, artifact, painting)
- Objectives and Key Questions
- Columns
- Glossaries
- Pronunciation guides
- Words defined contextually
- End of unit exercises
(Blachowicz & Fisher 100)
TEXT PREVIEW: CHAPTER TOUR or CHAPTER SURVEY
- Teach students to preview the text before they read, which helps them consider what they already know about the topic.
- Model how to preview a text by looking at text aids:
- Guide students thru the organization of the chapter focusing their attention on text aids (title, boldfaced words, etc)
- Ask the students to make predictions about the text as you guide them thru the chapter (start with title and intro)
- Have students jot down major ideas they think will be covered and why along with what ideas they already know about the topic
- Share ideas with class
(Lenski 197, Buehl 59)
THIEVES
- Another previewing strategy to use with nonfiction text where students do the following:
- Title and Questioning: What do I already know about the text? What does it have to do with what I learned previously? What is the point of view?
- Headings: Turn each heading into a question so they are focused as they read.
- Introductions: Read the intro to get background and outline for the text.
- Every FIRST sentence in a paragraph: Read every first sentence to preview (get the main ideas)
- Visuals and Vocabulary: Look at the bold face words and their definitions
- End of the Chapter Questions/Key Questions: Look at the questions to understand what the author wants you to know after you have read.
- Summary: Look at the summary at the end of the section. It provides the main ideas and details that will be read in the text.
(Frank, Grossi, & Stanfield, 50)
EXPECTATION OUTLINE
Students ask questions as they read and make predictions about what they will learn:
- Model for students expectation outline
- Before students read, preview the chapter by reading the title, headings, and subheadings
- Predict what they think the text will be about
- Using headings and subheadings, students write questions about the text that they hope will be answered as they read.
- Write their ?s on the board and label underneath headings/subheadings
- Students read the text and discuss answers that were /weren’t found
(Lenski 176)
READ AROUND THE TEXT
- Students preview the text and think about how they will use text features:
- Look at the titles and headings. Think about the topic of the text. What do you already know and what don’t you know?
- Look at the pictures. What do these pictures tell you?
- Read the captions. What extra info do the captions provide? Which captions will help you understand what you read?
- Look at the maps, charts, or graphs. Think about the info they present and why the author included them.
- Skim the first line of each section. Think about what the text will be about.
- Think about what you can learn from the combination of text and text features and then read.
(Lenski 199)
PLAN: A TEXTBOOK READING STRATEGY
- PREDICT – content and structure of the text. Create a semantic map using titles, subtitles, highlighted words and graphics for major and minor branches
- LOCATE – known and unknown info on the map by putting checkmarks by unfamiliar concepts use this to guide what is most important for you to read 1st, 2nd, etc.
- ADD – words/phrases AS YOU READ to explain the concepts marked on your map
- NOTE – your new understanding. Create a learning log, write a summary, etc.
(Pilgreen)
SQ3R: SURVEY, QUESTION, READ, RECITE, RETELL
Students are given a structured approach for reading and studying content material.
- SURVEY – look at titles, intro paragraphs, bold face words, summary paragraphs
- QUESTION – use questions provided at the beginning of the chapter or turn headings into questions
- READ – Read to answer the purpose questions
- RECITE – Review what you read by trying to answer questions without referring back to the notes
- REVIEW – reread parts of the text or notes, verify answers to questions – summarize what you learned.
PRR: PREVIEW, READ, RECALL
PREVIEW – Before you read, familiarize yourself with the text
- Look at the titles, author’s bio info, table of contents, intro, index, glossary
- Preview the chapter – intro, subheadings, first sentence of each section, diagrams, charts, and conclusion
- Make some predictions – what is the main idea? How is the text organized? How difficult is the text? How long will it take to read?
READ – be an active reader
- Set goals for how many pages you will read
- Divide the chapter into small sections
- Ask yourself a question before each paragraph or section and answer as you read
- Take short breaks when you start to wander
RECALL – so you don’t lose it
- Recite orally the main ideas of what you read
- Ask questions to yourself and quiz yourself
- Underline key words and phrases, write notes in the margin
- Tell the story/information to someone else.
INTERACTIVE READING GUIDES
- Teacher creates a guide that the students follow as they read through the text with a partner.
- The guide models and give students suggestions on how they should read an assignment and points out important information that you want them to focus on as they read the text.
- It cues charts and graphs and helps students summarize and organize key chapter concepts.
(Buehl 104)
SCIENCE CONNECTION OVERVIEW
Teachers guide students into making connections with their lives and experiences as they study topics in science. Students use the GO to preview a science chapter or article to help them make connections to what they already know.
(Buehl 153)
ADVANCE ORGANIZER FOR TEXT STRUCTURE
Teacher copies a chapter out of a text book to demonstrate with the students the different sections of a text:
- use ONE color to highlight the TITLE
- use a SECOND color to highlight level 1 subtitles
- use a THIRD color to highlight level 2 subtitles (one font size smaller than level 1 subtitles)
- continue as needed
- create a list of concepts that should be frontloaded before the students read the text
- For each level concept, create higher level questions that you want the students to answer about the section they have read
- As the students become familiar with this format they take on the role of creating the levels and questions to be answered
(Pilgren)
HISTORY CHANGE FRAME
- Select several time periods to be covered in class.
- Have students brainstorm the groups of people they would expect to read about during these time periods.
- Highlight categories of changes that are common is history texts: Population, Technology, Environmental, Economic, Political, Beliefs
- Students then are given a chapter to preview and determine the groups that are the focus of the material problems the groups might be encountering fill out the graphic organizer as they read with a partner.
(Buehl 96)
HANDS ON READING
- Introduce Technical text as a special “genre”. Brainstorm problems that students have reading this type of text. Then teach them this strategy:
- Size up the text – What do you exactly need to do with this info?
- Clarify vocabulary – What are the key terms? What aids are there to help the students understand the vocab
- Scan the Visuals – Look at diagrams and drawings to visualize the process
- Look out for Cautions – Look for statements about what might happen if steps aren’t followed exactly as prescribed
- Read and Apply – Read the first segment, clarify the message, and apply the info. Reread to confirm actions or clarify misunderstandings
- Collaborate – have students reread and clarify together misunderstandings together
(Buehl 93)
SQRC: STATE-QUESTION-READ-CONCLUDE
SQRC is a study strategy similar to SQ3R done in the three stages of the reading process. Students are given a statement from the text that is controversial and written on the board. (Lenski 234)
Phase One: Before Reading
- Teacher introduces the topic and pre-teaches important vocabulary
- Students write their opinion whether they are for or against the statement on the 1st line of SQRC sheet
- Students reframe their opinions/position statements into questions
Phase Two: During Reading
- Students read the text looking for info to answer their questions and support their positions.
- Students also take notes on other important details.
- Students review their notes and write a brief conclusion.
Phase Three: After Reading
- The class is divided into two groups, each representing their position.
- Students debate their positions.
Sources: The strategies listed on this page were compiled by Literacy Coach Melissa Sethna in a document titled “Literacy Skills and Strategies for Content Area Teachers.” The source for each strategy is listed below.
- Beers, Kylene. When Kids Can’t Read: What Teacher’s Can Do.
- Blachowicz, Camille L. Z., and Peter Fisher. Teaching Vocabulary in All Classrooms.
- Buehl, Doug. Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning.
- Carleton, Lindsay, and Robert J. Marzano. Vocabulary Games for the Classroom.
- Daly, Lori. “Before Reading Strategies.”
- Daniels, Harvey, and Steven Zemelman. Subjects Matter: Every Teacher’s Guide to Content-area Reading.
- Flanders, Sandi, and Mart O’Connor. “Never Too Old for Picture Books.”
- Fleischman, Paul, and Eric Beddows. Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices.
- Frank, Cecilia B., Janice M. Grossi, and Dorothy J. Stanfield. Applications of Reading Strategies within the Classroom: Explanations, Models, and Teacher Templates for Content Areas in Grades 3-12.
- Tovani, Cris. Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?: Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12.