Choice Lit Topic: Reading Strategies
Are your students buried in post-its? Oversharing with those text-to-self connections? Parroting back comprehension tips but rarely applying them when they are actually reading? Our contributors sort through what works with strategy instruction, and have wise advice for avoiding superficial approaches to developing comprehension skills.
Results
Talking About Synthesis: Metaphors from 2nd Graders
In this six-minute video, Lauren Scott's second graders brainstorm different metaphors for the synthesis process in reading while their principal, Karen Szymusiak, listens and responds. After the students leave, Lauren...
5th Grade Strategy Group on Summarizing
In this strategy group, Karen Terlecky brings together three of her 5th graders to reread a nonfiction article shared with the whole class. They discuss main ideas, and do a...
Teaching Rereading During Class Read Alouds
I teach my fourth graders the power of rereading using the mentor text Goblins in the Castle by Bruce Coville. In this video, you can see that we use rereading...
Teaching Rereading Strategies Through Read Aloud Day 2
I teach my 4th graders the power of rereading using the mentor text Goblins in the Castle by Bruce Coville. In this video, you can see how we build on...
Picture Reading in First Grade
In this read-aloud lesson from Katie DiCesare's first-grade classroom, Katie demonstrates the importance of picture reading using the wordless picture book The Zoo by Suzy Lee.
Test-Taking Skills: Reading Strategies for Word Problems Part I
If I've learned anything from the past 22 years of teaching, I know how valuable children's playground philosophies are for dealing with the confusing world created by adults. As a...
Inferring Read Aloud Part I
Using picture books to teach strategy instruction is not only popular, but works. When my sixth graders see me pull out a picture book during the first week of school...
Teaching Inferring with Picture Books Part II: Partner Shares
When my sixth-grade students are given the opportunity to share their thinking after a read aloud, it does several things for their learning. First and foremost, kids listen to each...
Teaching Inferring with Picture Books Part III: Whole-Class Debrief
Following a read-aloud and small group discussion, I like to debrief with the class about each group's conversation. There is a level of accountability here. My students know they are...
What Are the Seven Reading Comprehension Strategies?
A "strategy" is a plan developed by a reader to assist in comprehending and thinking about texts, when reading the words alone does not give the reader a sense of...
Small Group Instruction: Inferring Focus
In this example of reading instruction with a small group, Gail Boushey of "The Sisters" leads a discussion of inference, using Peter Rabbit as a focus text. All of the...
Introducing Bull’s-Eye and Waves Written Responses in Synthesis Work
My students helped me understand that to synthesize what you are reading, you have to stand in two places at once: in your own shoes and in the shoes of...
Creating Anchor Charts with Sticky Note Responses from Young Readers
Learners who focus on comprehension strategies rely on different tools. One of the most popular is the three by three inch sticky note. High school teachers like Cris Tovani and...
Moving Beyond the Basics: Teaching Inferring to a Fluent Young Reader
In this conference, Gail Boushey (of "The Sisters") confers with Brandon, a reader who is becoming fluent in his reading. Gail helps him understand the concept of inferring, and Brandon...
Learning to Cross-Check: Conferring with Hailey
Joan Moser confers with five-year-old Hailey and helps her set a reading goal. Hailey reads a text, and Joan demonstrates how cross-checking can be a useful strategy for readers in...
Webbing to Learn: A Writing Strategy to Chart Thinking with Young Learners
Teachers and teacher educators used to think that a web structure was too advanced for our youngest school learners, and reserved this work for more academically experienced students. A couple...
Flexible Groups: Moving Beyond Levels to Assess Reading Needs
In the past, flexible groups really weren't that flexible in our classrooms, especially when we based the groups on students' reading levels. For years we said, "Yes, of course we...
Digging Deep: The Power of Rereading
It is the first day of school; the classroom crackles with whisper voices as a new group of fifth graders investigate my classroom library. I stand back, giving my students...
Reading Nonfiction: A Paper Anchor Chart
Tammy Mulligan explains her thinking behind using multiple versions of an anchor chart to help students remember and personalize a process for reading nonfiction texts.
Teaching Rereading During Class Read Alouds
I teach my 4th graders the power of rereading using the mentor text Goblins in the Castle by Bruce Coville. In this video, you can see we use rereading as...
