Effective Reading StrategiesBefore, During, and After Reading Strategies for Non-Fiction Comprehension

Kimberly WautersRED4348 – Literacy DevelopmentEngel 2015

Develop a Comprehensive Reading Plan

Before Reading Strategies Activate Prior Knowledge Consider Text Readability Set A Purpose Scan the Text

During Reading Strategies Self-Monitor Visualize Take Notes Make Connections

After Reading Strategies Summarize Review Discuss Seek Clarification

Before Reading Strategies

Activate Prior Knowledge

Consider Text Readability

Set a Purpose

Scan the Text

Activating Prior Knowledge

• Brainstorming• Group Discussions• Mind or Concept Mapping• Advance Organizers• Vocabulary Previews• KWL Charts• Developing Pre-Reading Questions

Prior Knowledge is”…the knowledge and skills that readers bring to the reading process” (Bursuck & Damer, 2011, p. 276)

Activities

Five Finger Test 1. Open an expository text to any

page near the middle2. Begin reading aloud3. Hold up 1 finger for every word

read incorrectly4. If you are holding up 5 fingers

before you reach the end of the page, the book is too hard

5. If you are holding up some fingers before you reach the end of the page, the book is just right

Consider Text Readability Is the text comprehensible and at

the appropriate level of the reader?

According to Bursuck & Damer, “When a student is expected to read frustration-level text, feelings of inadequacy for the task can consume her attention and diminish effort” (2011, p. 277).

“The nature and purpose of a reading task also affect comprehension” (Bursuck & Damer, 2011, p. 276).

Set A Purpose

• Pre-read comprehension questions to focus attention during reading and guide retention efforts towards key concepts

• Predict what will be covered in the text by examining exterior text features: Cover art, back-cover summary, and title

• Is the purpose for reading recreational or academic?

o Consider and note the structural organization of content by examining expository text features

Scan the Text

o Mapso Tableso Graphso Illustrationso Bolded Vocabularyo Index

o Table of Contents

o Chapter Headings

o Section Headings

o Figureso Captionso Glossary

During Reading Strategies

Self-Monitor for Comprehension

Take Notes to Summarize and Retain Information

Visualize the Information

Make Connections

Think A-Louds

Summarizing Key Information

Re-reading Misunderstood Text

Setting an Appropriate Reading Pace

Monitoring for ComprehensionMetacognitive Skills : Students’ ability to “…plan, monitor, and select effective strategies when there is a problem with their comprehension” (Bursuck & Damer, 2011, p. 285).

Do I understand

what I’m reading?

“Visualizing strengthens reading comprehension skills as students gain a more thorough understanding of the text they are reading by consciously using the words to create mental images”

-Teachervison.com

Visualize the InformationVisualize the

Information• Create a mental picture of what is being read

and relate it to personal experiences

• Keep a visualization reading log where images and connections are documented for future reference

• Seeing key information in your mind will help you remember it later!

Take Notes!• Use sticky notes to write key information on

the page and find the hot spots• Complete graphic organizers to summarize,

compare, and contrast important concepts and details

• Make outlines• Cornell note-taking• Highlight key terms and information• Pair and Share notes• Make Index Cards for future reference

“Taking good notes requires students to evaluate, organize and summarize information.”

- GreatSchools.org

Make Connections• Text to Self

How does the information relate to me?

• Text to TextHow does the information remind me of

something I’ve read before?

• Text to the WorldHow does the information relate to the

world?

“Reading comes alive when we recognize how the ideas in the text connect to our experiences and beliefs, events happening in the larger world, our understanding of history, and our knowledge of other texts.”

- FacingHistory.org

After Reading Strategies

Summarize Key Ideas and Concepts

Discuss the Content

Review Comprehension Questions & Notes

Seek Clarification

Summarize Key Concepts and Details

It helps students learn to determine essential ideas and consolidate important details that support them.

It enables students to focus on key words and phrases of an assigned text that are worth noting and remembering.

It teaches students how to take a large selection of text and reduce it to the main points for more concise understanding.

- ReadingRockets.org

“Summarizing can also help students evaluate their understanding of what they have read, tell important and unimportant information apart, and better remember what they have read” (Bursuck & Damer, 2011, p. 293)

Review Comprehension Questions & Notes

QAR’sRight ThereAuthor and YouThink and SearchOn My Own

• Were your questions answered in the text?

• Did the text cover the topics you expected?

• Are your notes organized and thorough?

Discuss the Text• Think, Pair, Share

• WHIP Questioning (TheTeacherToolKit.com)

• Discussion Webs (EducationWorld.com)

• Blog and Tweet

• Reading Circles

“A recent study, published in Literacy, found that placing children in small group discussions fostered reading comprehension through creative and meaningful conversations.”

- NeuroNetLearning.com

Was there something you did not understand? Ask parents, friends, and

teachers to clarify the meaning of difficult content

Conduct independent research Try revisiting the text in an

effort to draw more meaning from it.

Would you like to know more about the content within the text? Find other books and internet

resources on the subject

Seek out the opinions and thoughts of experts through digital communication

Seek Clarification

The Power of Reading“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”

― Harry S. Truman

“A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted at the end”

–William Styron

ReferencesBursuck, W. D., & Damer, M. (2011). Teaching reading to students who are at risk or have disabilities. Boston: Pearson.

Education World, Inc. (2011, November 15). Webs (The discussion kind!) in the classroom. Retrieved from Education World: Connecting educators to what works: http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson/lesson032.shtml

ESC Region 13. (n.d.). Whip around. Retrieved November 2015, from TheTeacherToolKit.com: http://www.theteachertoolkit.com/index.php/tool/whip-around

Facing History and Ourselves. (n.d.). Text-to-Text, Text-to-Self, Text-to-World. Retrieved November 2015, from FacingHistory.org: https://www.facinghistory.org/for-educators/educator-resources/teaching-strategies/text-text-text-self-text-worl

NeuroNet Learning. (2013, October 13). Neuronetlearning.com. Retrieved from Small group discussion fosters reading comprehension: http://neuronetlearning.com/blog/small-group-discussion-fosters-reading-comprehension/

Porter, K. (n.d.). Pre-reading Strategies. Retrieved November 2015, from StudyGuidesandStrategies.net: http://www.studygs.net/preread.htm

Sandbox Networks Inc. (n.d.). Visualizing. Retrieved November 2015, from TeacherVision.com: https://www.teachervision.com/reading-comprehension/skill-builder/48791.html?page=1&

Unknown. (2013). Identifying expository text features. Retrieved from CourseImage.com: http://courseimage.com/images/187215-expository-text-features.png

Walshire, R. (2015). Five finger test for choosing books. Retrieved from Rachael Walshire's Site: http://www.antioch34.com/webpages/RWalshire/mrs.cfm?subpage=744600

WETA Public Broadcasting. (n.d.). Summarizing. Retrieved November 2015, from ReadingRockets.org: http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/summarizing