Parent Connection

The Reading Corner

Reading Strategies: Preview Text Features and Access Background Knowledge

Before we play a sport, prepare dinner or practice an instrument, we prepare for the activity by thinking about what we will be doing and getting our clothes, equipment or ingredients ready. Reading is very similar to these activities because a few minutes of preparation can make the experience more valuable and worthwhile. To get ready for reading, we need to preview the text. When we preview the text, we look at the title, headings, pictures, graphs and bold words to get an idea of what we will be reading. When we have an idea of what we will be reading, we can access our background knowledge on the topic. As we think about what we already know about a topic, we have can make connections as we read and learn new information. As we read, we understand new information because we are adding it to what we already know about the topic.

Next time your teen sits down to read an article or textbook for a class, help him out by previewing text features and talking with him about what he might already know about the topic. Then, during and after reading, ask him what he learned and how this connects to what he knew before reading.

Susan Boyd, Castle View High School Literacy Specialist

susan.boyd@dcsdk12.org