Reading

Concept/Definition Map 

Concept/definition maps to comprehend curriculum content, Reading Teacher, 2011

Grade Level: 1-12

Description: Graphic organizers can improve comprehension of reading by defining terms, definitions, and concepts before reading the text. When there is a large amount of information to process, and students do not understand much of the general content, they will be less likely to learn from the reading. Using a concept/definition map helps students organize large quantities of information and make it more easily digestible.  

ELL, LLL students: This strategy allows scaffolding of vocabulary for lower level learners.  Students are encouraged to draw pictures and verbalize their understanding of the terms.  Additionally,  English Language Learners can associate words in their first language with their understanding of the new vocabulary terms (Reyes & Vallone, 2008).

Probable Passage 

Jill Caton Johnson and Lisa Martin-Hansen, 

Improving science reading comprehension, Science Scope, 2005

Grade Level: 1-12

Description: During this strategy, the teacher will list key concepts and words the students need to know. Given these words, students make predictions about what they are about to read. There are several ways for the students to make predictions, such as grouping similar words/phrases together. It may be helpful to give students the title of the text they are reading to ensure they are making predictions that would be relevant to the content of the text. Students can revisit their predictions to see if they were correct. 

ELL and LLL students: This strategy allows lower level learners to discuss concepts in small groups or with the teacher.  Recommended strategies support incorporating visuals, if not provided within the text, to help students make connections between concepts and their prior knowledge (Reyes & Vallone, 2008).

Anticipatory Set 

Jill Caton Johnson and Lisa Martin-Hansen

Improving science reading comprehension, Science Scope, 2005

Grade Level: 1-12

Description: This strategy begins by having the teacher write five controversial statements about a concept. After reading them aloud, the students must either agree or disagree with it. This strategy allows students to think about the topics/concepts before reading about them. It builds on their previous knowledge and their own thoughts and beliefs. These may be revisited to check for accuracy. 

ELL and LLL students: Often times, controversial statements requires an context of the culture.  It is suggested allowing students to explain or list ideas about an image or video (Reyes & Vallone, 2008).  For example, it may be difficult for ELL or LLL students to explain climate change.  Instead, provide students with an image or video of an iceberg melting.  As a result of viewing the image or video, ask students to describe what they watched and probe with questions about what they understanding about an iceberg and why it would melt in the Arctic.

Peer-Assisted Reading 

Laura Saenz, Lynn Fuchs, and Douglas Fuchs 

Peer-assisted learning strategies for English Language Learners with learning disabilities, Council for Exceptional Children, 2005

Description: Peer-assisted learning allows students to pair with each other to read, discuss, and review text. High achieving reading students can be paired with lower achieving reading students. This reading strategy not only benefits low- and  average-achieving students, but it also benefits high-achieving students. Teachers will have to properly pair students as well as giving students instruction about which sections to read and discuss. 

CLUE

Angela Hariell, Deborah Simmons, Elizabeth Swanson, Meaghan Edmonds, Sharon Vaughn and William Rupley 

Translating vocabulary research to social studies instruction: Before, during, and after text-reading strategies, Intervention in School and Clinic, 2010

Grade Level: 4-12

Description: The CLUE reading strategy is used while the students are reading the text. CLUE has a double meaning within this strategy. It teaches students how to use context clues in learning to understand the meaning of a word or phrase. It also stands for Check, Look, Use, and Expand. Students check for bolded or highlighted words, look for clues around the word, use the word in a sentence, then expand their resources if they still do not understand the word. This strategy encourages students to use critical thinking to investigate the meaning of words. 

Response Log 

Jill Caton Johnson and Lisa Martin-Hansen 

Improving science reading comprehension, Science Scope, 2005

Grade Level: 1-12

Description: This strategy strives to increase student comprehension as they read a text. There are several ways to create this response log: they can be open-ended or have structure. Generally, a chart is made with 2-4 columns in which the students respond to specific information they read about. This can include finding something important, categorizing what was important, and then providing a personal response. On the other hand, an open-ended log does not have specifics, but rather lets the students respond how they want on what they want. These logs are helpful in identifying topics that are confusing still to the students. 

ELL and LLL: This strategy supports diverse populations in that it allows learners to interpret and response to readings with their own thoughts and ideas.  There is no prescribed "right or wrong" answers as long as students align their thinking with the reading.

"Say Something"

Jill Caton Johnson and Lisa Martin-Hansen 

Improving science reading comprehension, Science Scope, 2005

Grade Level: 1-12

Description: This strategy is done while reading and with students in small groups. The students will be assigned “stopping points” within the text. Each student will read silently to the first stopping point. Once each member has reached the stopping spot, each person will individually “say something” about what they read. By having each member share, students are interacting and learning from each other. This continues until the entire class finishes. Students will then take turns “saying something” about the text as a whole.

ELL and LLL: This strategy would be most effective in small group settings in which learners can be directly supported by a teacher.  It is recommended that the teacher model the strategy by reading and sharing at stopping points.  Teachers may also find it more effective to have pre-determined questions to ask at the stopping points to encourage student participation.

Discussing and comparing readings

Lindsy Argus 

Shake it up with reading, Science Scope, 2012

Grade Level: science classrooms grades 5-12

Description: If students are assigned different articles to read, this strategy gives them to opportunity to share their article with other classmates and discuss what they just read. A group of 3-4 students will read the same article or section. These students will then discuss their reading with each other and then they will present their findings to the rest of the class. By discussing the reading with the other students that have read the same article, it gives the students the opportunity to clear up any misconceptions about the article before presenting it to the class. Through sharing multiple article among the class, it gives every student access to the information of many articles without having to physically really all of them. 

Re-create concepts

Jill Caton Johnson and Lisa Martin-Hansen 

Improving science reading comprehension, Science Scope, 2005

Grade Level: 1-12

Description: This strategy involves the students creativity. Students are asked to re-create what they read in a new form, includes skits or creative writing (RAFT). With RAFT students use creative writing from a Role, a particular Audience, a particular Format, on a particular Topic. Students must incorporate their knowledge into the story correctly to ensure they story is understandable. This allows students to connect the knowledge in a new way and use their creativity. 

Anticipation Guides

Jerine Pegg and Anne Adams 

Reading for claims and evidence: Using anticipation guides in science, Science Scope, 2012

Grade Level: 1-12

Description: Anticipation guides are created by teachers to encourage students to use critical thinking, before during and after reading a text. Teachers create a set of questions or statements that students must answer prior to reading their text. Throughout the text, students will pay particular attention to the items the teacher highlighted in the reading guide. They will then reflect on the text and re-answer the statements/questions after reading the text. This will help students see how their thoughts and understanding of a topic developed through reading.