Three-Level Guides

Purpose

To improve students’ literal, inferential and applied comprehension.

Description

Students determine the accuracy of statements written by the teacher on a text.

Level 1 (HERE)

Statements require readers to locate relevant information directly from the text. The wording of the statements may not always be exactly the same as in the text, but the meaning is similar. This requires literal level comprehension and can be expressed as Reading on the lines or Right there or The author said it.

Level 2 (HIDDEN)

Statements require readers to reflect on literal information and see relationships between statements. They require students to think and search for answers. This is interpretive level comprehension and can be expressed as Reading between the lines or Think and search or The author meant it.

Level 3 (HEAD)

Statements require readers to apply and evaluate information by relating it to their own background knowledge. This is applied level comprehension. Reading beyond the lines or On my own or The author would agree with it.

Construct a Three-level Guide

1. Determine content objectives. What do you want students to learn from this text?

2. Write applied level statements or questions first (Level 3). These should be based on the content objectives: the main idea, major concepts and generalisations beyond the text.

3. Write literal level statements or questions next (Level 1). These should contain information on which the applied level statements are based.

4. Finally, write interpretive level statements or questions (Level 2). These should help students draw inferences from the information in the text. It is recommended that students be provided with information about the three types of statements or questions on a wall chart or on a sheet to insert in their books. It is then available for them to refer to when discussing reading.

Implementation

Students work in small groups. They read and reread the text and discuss the accuracy of each statement on the three level guide beginning with Level 1. Statements are ticked when consensus is reached.

Constructing Three-Level Guide Statements

Topic: ___________________________________

Level 1 (HERE)

Tick the statement that can be found in the text you are reading. The wording might be a little different but it is right there or the author/narrator/presenter said it.

1.              

2.              

3.    

Level 2 (HIDDEN)

Tick any statements from the text you are reading/viewing where you need to think and search or decide if the author/narrator/presenter meant it. It is not right there.

1.              

2.              

3.   

Level 3 (HEAD)

Tick any statements from the text you are reading/viewing where you will need to use what you already know. You are on your own. The author/narrator/presenter would agree with it but it is not right there.

1.              

2.              

3. 

Note: When students become familiar with this strategy you can ask them to create their own Three Level Guide for others to complete.

Resources:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/17DQbqI4vXj3NuM1X2tCBZ5U_-P3hstH20HYjXVGZYqY/edit