Specific Strategies
Multisensory activities are researched based ways to enhance phonemic awareness which is the key to reading. Here are a few activities you can try at home.
https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/partnering-with-childs-school/instructional-strategies/8-multisensory-techniques-for-teaching-reading
Specific Strategies
Monitor/Clarify
Why do we Monitor/Clarify?
To make sense of our reading
When do we Monitor/Clarify?
When the reading no longer makes sense
When we are stuck on a word’s meaning
How do we Monitor/Clarify?
Reread all around the word or area in question. Make substitutions, use picture clues
Use your schema
Study the structure
Predict, infer, make connections, ask questions, summarize
Predict
Why do we Predict?
Gets our mind ready to read
Gives us a purpose to read
When do we Predict?
Before and during reading
How do we Predict?
Think about title, look at cover and pictures
Think about the text structure
Use what you know
Ask questions ~ I wonder. . ., Who is. . ., Why is. . . .
Change your predictions as you read
Can be proven or not
Make Connections
Why do we Make Connections?
Reading is thinking! Good readers make connections that are text to self, text to text, and text to world
To better predict and understand text because of what you already know ~ how the characters feel, what may happen based on another text. . . .
Everyone has different schema and different experiences which can be shared to help us understand more
When do we Make Connections?
Before, during, and after reading
Make connections when you’re figuring out unknown words!
When we are reminded of a similar event
That reminds me of . . . I remember when . . . I have a connection . . . An experience I have had like that . . . I felt like that character when . . . If I were that character I would . . . .
Content ~ I’ve read another book on this topic
Genre~ this is a “mystery” (etc.) like. . .
Author ~ this author always. . .
Illustrator ~ I recognize these pictures by. . .
Setting ~ ___________ took place at this location
Characters ~ she/he reminds me of. . .
Illustrations ~ remind me of . . .
Plot ~ this story is like. . .
Structure ~ this story has a literary device (like a flashback) like. . .
Theme ~ this book had the same lesson as . . .
Language ~ the writer’s language reminds me of. . .
Tone ~ this book has the same feel as. . .
How do we Make Connections?
Chart connections. What connections helped to understand the story, which didn’t?
Venn diagrams
Connect to the theme or main idea of the text
Start with “It helps me understand . . .” (Character feelings, setting, events)
Activate prior knowledge before, during, and after reading
On nonfiction (T-W) make a KWL chart. Do T-W with newspaper articles, too!
Use a double entry journal ~ one side is for key event, idea, word, quote, or content. The other is for connections.
Always ask yourself “How does this connection help me understand the text?”
Infer
Why do we Infer?
Authors describe: characters’ feelings, events, setting. . . we have to infer to understand
To draw conclusions, make predictions, and reflect on our reading
To determine the meanings of unknown words
When do we Infer?
Before, during, and after reading
In life, we infer with our 5 senses ~ What is making that noise? What is cooking? How is that person feeling? What is this sharp object? What does a cake with candles on it mean?
When the author doesn’t answer my questions, I must infer by saying: Maybe. . ., I think. . ., It could be. . ., It’s because. . ., Perhaps. . ., It means that. . ., I’m guessing. . .
How do we Infer?
Look at the picture
Think about the character's behavior
Ask questions as you read. Some of our questions are answered in the text, others are not and must be inferred.
We use our prior knowledge + text clues to draw conclusions
What do we Infer?
Meaning of unfamiliar words
Setting
Explanation for events
What the character is feeling
What pronouns refer to
Author’s message
Answers to our questions when they are not directly stated
Fun Inferring Practice! Read these sentences, and have a discussion about the character and setting. Next, draw conclusions, and make predictions!
Sue blew out the candles and got presents.
Mary plays her flute for two hours every day.
The boat drifted in the middle of the lake.
John ran into the street without looking.
Meg was the star pitcher, but she had a broken finger.
We bought tickets and some popcorn.
I forgot to set my alarm clock last night.
When I woke up, there were branches and leaves all over the yard.
Yesterday we cleaned out our desks and took everything home.
Everyone stopped when the referee blew the whistle.
Ask Questions
Why do we Ask Questions?
To clarify, wonder, determine author’s style or intent, to better understand, when the reading gets confusing, to monitor our reading, to synthesize new information, and to determine importance
To stay actively involved in the reading
To read with a purpose
To deepen comprehension (Thick vs. Thin Questions)
When do we Ask Questions?
Before, during, and after reading ~ just look at the cover and title and begin asking!
When you use the strategies: Is my prediction good or do I need to change it? What am I visualizing? Do I need to change my mental image? What’s happened so far? Does this remind me of anything?
If we don’t have the background knowledge we need to ask more questions.
Hearing other people’s questions inspires more of our own questions.
As you read, does it make sense?
Just go outside ~ what questions do you have about nature? What questions do you have about a painting or illustration?
How do we Ask Questions?
Start by using a wordless book ~ what questions do I have?
Before we read and as we read many of our questions are predictions. Our “after the book has been read” questions are the most thought provoking.
Create an “I Wonder” chart before, during, and after the story. Which questions were answered? Which had to be inferred?
There are 3 types of questions ~ Predicting Questions move us forward, Monitor Questions pull us back, Thinking Questions makes us infer
Questions start with who, what, where, when, why, how, would, could, should, did
What happened? Why did it happen? Think about cause and effect.
Thick questions deepen our comprehension and thin questions can be found in the text
Questions can be related to the text type ~ narrative, expository, technical, persuasive, or text structure ~ sequence, problem/solution, cause/effect, descriptive, compare/contrast
We use connections to help us make meaningful questions
Ask ~ What does my question do for my reading?
Begin with a KWL chart for nonfiction texts
Give students a list of answers. THEY come up with the questions!
How do we answer Questions?
A – answered in the text, BK – answered from someone’s background knowledge I – inferred, D – discussion, RS – research needed C- signals confusion
We also use our own interpretation, the pictures, and rereading
Types of Questions
Does the question start with: What did, Who did, How many, What was, Who are, What does ___ mean, Define, What kind ~ then the answer is RIGHT THERE
Does the question start with: How do you, How did, What, What happened to, What happened before/after, How many times, What examples, Where did ~ then I must THINK and SEARCH for the answer. The answer is found in different parts of the story. Words to create the question and answer are not in the same sentence.
Does the question start with: Have you ever, If you could, If you were going to, In your opinion, Do you agree with, Do you know anyone who, How do you feel about ~ then you are ON YOUR OWN and you need to think about the answer. The answer is NOT in the story.
Questions to think about
What is the author trying to tell us?
Why did the author write this book?
Is the title appropriate? What is my evidence?
What did the character learn?
Who/what is each paragraph about?
Summarize
Why do we Summarize?
To identify and organize important information
To check understanding in a brief way
To find the main idea, and/or problem/solution
To put the story in order
When do we Summarize?
When reading, giving game instructions, talking quickly about our week-end, explaining newspaper articles. . .
Before, during, and after reading
How do we Summarize?
In our own words
Before we read we preview to see how the text is organized by looking at cover, table of contents, illustrations
During reading we keep a graphic organizer and jot down what has happened
After reading we skim text and determine the most important parts in 3-5 sentences. What can we leave out? Use the graphic organizer to help
When it is nonfiction we use the text structure to create a summary: descriptive, problem/solution, compare/contrast, sequential, main idea/detail, cause/effect
Pick out what’s necessary ~ title, captions, headings. Cross out repeated items. Highlight necessary ideas and key words, make a graphic organizer with key words and ideas for each paragraph, invent a topic sentence by using the first sentence of the text
Omit unimportant details
Subtext
What do we Subtext?
To understand perspectives and inner most thoughts of characters
To examine what the character is thinking, not saying
To comprehend the text more deeply
When do we Subtext?
During reading
How do we Subtext?
Act out a character in a text by making personal connections and inferring the character’s thoughts by using the illustrations in the text
Become a character in a painting. What are you thinking, feeling?
Write an advertisement for a product. Who is your target audience? What can you say to convince people to buy your product?
Subtext what various people think on the same issue. For example ~ A child wanting candy thinks: “It’s delicious! It gives me energy! It’s fun to eat! I’ve been good!” A mom may think: “It’s bad for his teeth! It’s supper time! He’ll get sick!” A store clerk would think: “Buy the candy! I need to make money!” A doctor might think: “He’s gaining too much weight. Does he ever eat vegetables?” An onlooker may think: “What a mean mom. One candy bar won’t hurt.”
Visualize/Sensory Imagery
What do we Visualize?
Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, a football game on the radio, menu items, instructions, magazine articles, a vision from a song or nature cd. . . .
Visualize a birthday cake, sketch it, compare ~ no 2 sketches will be alike!
Authors rely on us to Visualize. Why? TO:
Keep us interested
Enhance understanding
Draw conclusions
Recall details and text after it has been read
Help us understand new words
Make texts personal and memorable
Form unique interpretations
Clarify
Help us when we write
When do we Visualize?
During and after reading
When there are no illustrations but WARNING: illustrations can have an effect on our mental images. Try covering the illustrations with post-it notes and use your own mental images
Our schema, or background knowledge, helps us visualize
Hearing other people describe their mental pictures changes our own
How do we Visualize?
Using our senses and emotions
Pay close attention to the adjectives and adverbs
Picturing the characters, setting, events
We infer meaning as we create images
Quickly sketch what you saw and compare ~ no two sketches are alike!
As you read, revise your images when new information is added
Retell
Why do we Retell?
To create a mental image in great detail to someone who was not there, or to someone who has not read the text
Learning to retell a story thoughtfully is critical to learning to write a story
To build comprehension
When do we Retell?
After reading or after an event (after a movie, vacation, week-end, etc.)
How do we Retell?
Read the story 3x ~ (1st for impression, 2nd for detail, 3rd for comprehension)
Use retelling cards, small props, puppets, story guideline posters, and even the book to help as you learn to retell.
Tell the story. Don’t memorize the author’s words but develop a personal, storytelling voice.
Use an expressive voice.
Pick what is most important to tell.
Tell details in the right order.
Recall the story structure and formulate retelling around that
For Fiction: beginning/middle/end, characters, setting, theme, plot episodes/events, resolution, sequence of events, in great detail the beginning, next, then, after that, in the end
For Nonfiction: problem/solution, descriptive, compare/contrast, sequential, main idea/detail, cause/effect, use the table of contents to help
Synthesize/Evaluate
Why do we Synthesize/Evaluate?
Our thinking evolves
We infer
We connect to a larger and more meaningful whole by finding the “big idea”
To see relationships between ideas ~ do we agree or disagree with the author? Why?
Makes the reading more memorable
When do we Synthesize/Evaluate?
When there is something to think about, such as an unfamiliar point of view, new information, a new theme
When making connections
Before, during and after reading
Before: What connections am I making? What does the author want to teach me? What is the message going to be? What am I thinking?
During: Now what do I wonder? What are my connections? How have my opinions, ideas, feelings, and thoughts about the characters, ideas, or problems in the reading change?
After: What did the authors want me to learn? What was the theme? How have my ideas, thoughts, and feelings about the characters, ideas, or problems change? What visual images will I remember? What thought will I take with me?
How do we Synthesize/Evaluate?
By filling in these blanks:
At first I thought but now I think . . . .
At first I felt but now I feel . . . .
I have been changed by this text in this way. . . .
From reading this text I will remember. . . .
The theme in this text was. . . .
An “aha” I got from the reading was. . . .
A light bulb went on in my head and I realized. . . .
My opinion on this topic now is. . . .
I will remember the visual I built in my mind for. . . .
I now agree/disagree with the author because. . . .
I feel the author’s style is. . . .
Start by synthesizing fables
Use your schema or background knowledge
Nonfiction Text Features
Why do we read Nonfiction?
To learn
To build a better home/school connection ~ nonfiction resembles parent interests and will spark a conversation between parent and child
A great way to learn about the reading strategies
When do we read Nonfiction?
To get information
When we have questions about the world
Start reading nonfiction at a young age!
Examples of Predictable Features of Nonfiction ~ each child should create a journal giving examples of each. Spend one day on each convention:
Table of contents helps reader to find key topics in the text in order
Types of print helps reader by signaling what is important
Headings/subtitles helps reader determine what is important
Maps help reader understand where things are in the world
Cutaways help reader understand something by looking at it from the inside
Comparisons help reader understand the size of one thing by comparing it to the size of something familiar
Captions help the reader understand a picture or photograph
Photographs help reader understand exactly what something looks like
Labels help reader identify a picture or photograph and its parts
Tables help reader understand important information by seeing it listed in a table or chart form
Glossary helps reader understand key words in text
Index helps reader by showing an alphabetical listing with page numbers to find information
Close-ups help reader see details
How do we read Nonfiction?
First, build and activate prior knowledge to get ready to learn/make predictions
Learn the new vocabulary in context ~ engage learner through photographs or artifacts and student questions, explore through graphic organizers, develop through dramatization and analogies, and apply through a project
KWL charts: what do I know, what questions do I want answered, what have I learned ~ synthesize the information for yourself and others
Make connections
Recognize text structure: problem/.solution. descriptive, compare/contrast, sequential, main idea/detail, cause/effect
You don’t need to read nonfiction in order
Reread and paraphrase
Skim (very rapid reading of whole text in order to grasp sense of main idea and some supporting details ~ goal is to get a quick sense of the entire piece, as the reading progresses concentrate only on key sentences and phases, concentrate on last paragraph which is a summary)
Scan (quick location of material, forms a mental image of key words and phrases)
Highlight important information to remember/use sticky notes
Start by reading biographies
Take notes of main ideas and details
How The Brain Learns To Read
Visit: What Works Clearinghouse at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/topic.aspx?sid=8 which includes the very latest best practices based on research!
Research is important: http://www.ncte.org/cee/positions/researchandteaching
Five Big Ideas in Beginning Reading, which are Phonemic Awareness, Alphabetic Principle, Fluency with Text, Vocabulary, and Comprehension. Click on the links within the site for valuable charts and information. http://reading.uoregon.edu/big_ideas/
The National Reading Panel states that the best approach to reading instruction must incorporate:
Explicit instruction in phonemic awareness
Systematic phonics instruction
Methods to improve fluency
Ways to enhance comprehension
The Panel found that a combination of techniques is effective for teaching children to read:
Phonemic awareness—the knowledge that spoken words can be broken apart into smaller segments of sound known as phonemes. Children who are read to at home—especially material that rhymes—often develop the basis of phonemic awareness.
Phonics—the knowledge that letters of the alphabet represent phonemes, and that these sounds are blended together to form written words.
Fluency—the ability to recognize words easily, read with greater speed, accuracy, and expression, and to better understand what is read. Children gain fluency by practicing reading until the process becomes automatic; guided oral repeated reading is one approach to helping children become fluent readers.
Guided oral reading—reading out loud while getting guidance and feedback from skilled readers. The combination of practice and feedback promotes reading fluency.
Teaching vocabulary words—teaching new words, either as they appear in text, or by introducing new words separately. This type of instruction also aids reading ability.
Reading comprehension strategies—techniques for helping individuals to understand what they read. Such techniques involve having students summarize what they’ve read, to gain a better understanding of the material.
From: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/research/supported/Pages/nrp.aspx/NRPAbout/about_nrp.htm
Credit: Judith Araujo M. Ed., CAGS