Making connections

Helping students to make connections between what they know and what they are reading helps improves their comprehension. There are four strategies that make up the Making Connections strategy:

1. R = What does what you’re reading remind you of?
2. TS = Connect what you’ve read to something that has happened to you in your life.
3. TT = Connect what you’ve read to another book, story or piece of writing.
4. TW = Connect what you’ve read to the world – issues, events (past, present or future).

With older students (Year 5-8), activities before the guided reading session (such as KWL charts, Reading Rudders) can be great ways to get students thinking about their prior knowledge without taking up too much time of the guided reading session.