Processing strategies

processing strategies

The reading processing strategies are the "in-the-head" ways in which readers make use of the sources of information in the text to decode words. They include:

attending and searching (looking for particular text features or information)
predicting what will be in the text (for example, words, text features, or content)
cross-checking to confirm that the reading makes sense and fits
self-correcting by searching for more information when an error is detected.

Attending and searching

Learners need to attend to the details of text in order to decode and determine meaning. The learner looks purposefully for particular information:

for known letters, clusters or words (phonics),
for familiar text features and patterns of syntax, and
for information in pictures and diagrams.

For beginning readers, this usually involves attending closely to every word (especially initial letters of words) and to the illustrations - they need to 'learn the code'. For fluent readers, this usually involves taking in larger chunks of text (phrases rather than words).

Decoding (learning the code) involves:

Letter identification
Letter-sound knowledge and relationships
Chunking (ability to break unknown words into sound patterns or look within it for words or word parts that are familiar).

These can be taught as part of phonics teaching, such as the Jolly Phonics and Grammar programme. This programme can be taught independently as 'Phonics' (particularly for Year 1/2) or relevant sections taught as part of guided and shared reading.

The Jolly Phonics books can be found in the Teacher Resource area. Google Drive contains some documents (such as student booklets).

See the Phonics folder in Google Drive for more resources.

Switch onto Spelling is a spelling programme, teaching rules and conventions and can also be used as part of a phonics/decoding programme, a spelling programme, or in guided and shared reading.

These are found in the Teacher Resource area. They come with student booklets in three different stages. This can be used in Year 1 and is a good resource for struggling Year 4-6 students.

predicting

Predicting is a strategy that readers use not only to identify words but also to anticipate what might come next. Predictions draw on readers' prior knowledge and their use of syntactic, semantic, and visual and grapho-phonic information the text.

For beginning readers, predicting is usually at the level of individual words. Beginning readers often rely a great deal on the illustrations. For fluent readers, predicting involves using prior knowledge and information in the text quickly, and usually automatically, to decide (at least initially) on the meaning of unknown words or difficult passages. At a fluent level, this could also be categorised as a comprehension strategy.

cross-checking and self-correcting

Teachers need to show beginning readers how to monitor their own reading, checking that what they're reading makes sense and fits with other information already processed.

For beginning readers, cross-checking usually involves checking that their prediction of an individual word fits and makes sense. For fluent readers, cross-checking involves further searching for information to confirm their initial understanding. At a fluent level, this could also be categorised as a comprehension strategy.

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