After Reading Strategies
--VIPs:
This exercise holds students accountable for picking out the key concepts in a passage by having students share their notes on the ideas after the class has read a text. This strategy is similar to the Save the Last Word for Me activity discussed above. Among the many ways to implement this strategy is the following approach:
-As students read, they write questions on sticky-notes about what they have read. In addition, encourage students to mark the three most important points of the text.
-Then, as a post-reading activity, put students into groups of three or four and have them discuss the answers to their questions or why they chose to mark a point as very important. It is critical to have students justify what they have answered or marked as important.
--Somebody Wanted But So:
Struggling readers often find it quite challenging to summarize a text, as they tend to either have very little to say (not being able to sort through all the events and characters) or they relate too many unimportant details in the text (as they can’t discern the most important). The Somebody-Wanted-But-So strategy gives students a structured forum for summarizing the key events of a text. Students must decide who goes in the Somebody column (thereby determining the major characters in a text), What they wanted, But what happened that kept them from getting what they wanted (again, forcing them to focus on certain details) and, So, the eventual outcome of that particular conflict. When students are finished, they have created a short summary of the text. (Note that if the text is long, they may end up having several SWBS rows filled in, that will be connected with transition words such as then, and, etc.)
--Scales:
Scales are essentially the post-reading form of the Anticipation Guide discussed in the pre-reading
section; scales also provide students with opportunities to articulate an opinion based on the themes,
events, or concepts of a text. Once again, the best statements are those that aren't clearly true or false,
but are somewhat debatable. A few statements will suffice – certainly fewer than 10, and 3-5 are
probably sufficient. The purpose is to help students reflect on a text and engage in discussion with their
peers afterwards.
--ABC Summary:
A form of review in which each student in a class is assigned a different letter of the alphabet and they must select a word starting with that letter that is related to the topic being studied. VARIATION: Conduct as a Whip Around where subsequent students have to say a key idea that starts with the next letter of the alphabet (e.g.; Student #1 states an idea starting with A, student #2 states an idea starting with B, etc…)
--Comprehension Check:
The teacher or students read the selection aloud. Intermittently, the teacher asks for verbal and nonverbal comprehension checks ("raise your hand", "thumbs up for 'yes' ", "thumbs down for 'no'." The teacher uses a variety of question types: Right There, Think and Search, On My Own (See QAR, Day One.)
--Concepts Sketches:
(different from concept maps) are sketches or diagrams that are concisely annotated with short statements that describe the processes, concepts, and interrelationships shown in the sketch. Having students generate their own concept sketches is a powerful way for students to process concepts and convey them to others. Concept sketches can be used as preparation for class, as an in-class activity, in the field or lab, or as an assessment tool. (http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/coursedesign/tutorial/strategies.html)
--Dinner Menu:
A way to differentiate instruction. DIRECTIONS: Students skim pieces of text and select a task from a DINER MENU they wish to complete. DINER MENU graphic organizer includes the following choices (examples are included): •APPETIZER (Everyone Shares) o Write the chemical equation for photosynthesis
•ENTRÉE (Select One) o Draw a picture that shows what happens during photosynthesis o Write two paragraphs about what happens during photosynthesis o Create a rap or song that explains what happens during photosynthesis. • SIDE DISHES (Select at Least Two) o Define respiration, in writing o Compare photosynthesis to respiration using a Venn diagram o Write a journal entry from the point of view of a green plant o With a partner, create and perform a skit to show the differences between photosynthesis and respiration.
•DESSERT (Optional) o Create a test to assess the teacher’s knowledge of photosynthesis.
--GIST:
Summarization procedure assists students in “getting the gist” from extended text
1. Students and teacher read a section of text printed on a transparency
2. After reading, assist students in underlining 10 or more words or concepts that are deemed “most important”
3. List words on the board
4. Together, write a summary statement or two using as many words as possible.
5. Write a topic sentence to precede summary sentences.
--Image and Quote with Cooperative Poster:
Groups of four are formed. Students read a selection. Each chooses a quote and an image that have impact for them. Round Robin share. Groups come to consensus on favorite image and quote. Each student takes one colored pen. With all members participating, and each using their chosen color, they draw the group image and write the groups quote on a piece of butcher or easel paper. Each member signs the poster with his or her pen. Posters are shared with the class.
This exercise holds students accountable for picking out the key concepts in a passage by having students share their notes on the ideas after the class has read a text. This strategy is similar to the Save the Last Word for Me activity discussed above. Among the many ways to implement this strategy is the following approach:
-As students read, they write questions on sticky-notes about what they have read. In addition, encourage students to mark the three most important points of the text.
-Then, as a post-reading activity, put students into groups of three or four and have them discuss the answers to their questions or why they chose to mark a point as very important. It is critical to have students justify what they have answered or marked as important.
--Somebody Wanted But So:
Struggling readers often find it quite challenging to summarize a text, as they tend to either have very little to say (not being able to sort through all the events and characters) or they relate too many unimportant details in the text (as they can’t discern the most important). The Somebody-Wanted-But-So strategy gives students a structured forum for summarizing the key events of a text. Students must decide who goes in the Somebody column (thereby determining the major characters in a text), What they wanted, But what happened that kept them from getting what they wanted (again, forcing them to focus on certain details) and, So, the eventual outcome of that particular conflict. When students are finished, they have created a short summary of the text. (Note that if the text is long, they may end up having several SWBS rows filled in, that will be connected with transition words such as then, and, etc.)
--Scales:
Scales are essentially the post-reading form of the Anticipation Guide discussed in the pre-reading
section; scales also provide students with opportunities to articulate an opinion based on the themes,
events, or concepts of a text. Once again, the best statements are those that aren't clearly true or false,
but are somewhat debatable. A few statements will suffice – certainly fewer than 10, and 3-5 are
probably sufficient. The purpose is to help students reflect on a text and engage in discussion with their
peers afterwards.
--ABC Summary:
A form of review in which each student in a class is assigned a different letter of the alphabet and they must select a word starting with that letter that is related to the topic being studied. VARIATION: Conduct as a Whip Around where subsequent students have to say a key idea that starts with the next letter of the alphabet (e.g.; Student #1 states an idea starting with A, student #2 states an idea starting with B, etc…)
--Comprehension Check:
The teacher or students read the selection aloud. Intermittently, the teacher asks for verbal and nonverbal comprehension checks ("raise your hand", "thumbs up for 'yes' ", "thumbs down for 'no'." The teacher uses a variety of question types: Right There, Think and Search, On My Own (See QAR, Day One.)
--Concepts Sketches:
(different from concept maps) are sketches or diagrams that are concisely annotated with short statements that describe the processes, concepts, and interrelationships shown in the sketch. Having students generate their own concept sketches is a powerful way for students to process concepts and convey them to others. Concept sketches can be used as preparation for class, as an in-class activity, in the field or lab, or as an assessment tool. (http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/coursedesign/tutorial/strategies.html)
--Dinner Menu:
A way to differentiate instruction. DIRECTIONS: Students skim pieces of text and select a task from a DINER MENU they wish to complete. DINER MENU graphic organizer includes the following choices (examples are included): •APPETIZER (Everyone Shares) o Write the chemical equation for photosynthesis
•ENTRÉE (Select One) o Draw a picture that shows what happens during photosynthesis o Write two paragraphs about what happens during photosynthesis o Create a rap or song that explains what happens during photosynthesis. • SIDE DISHES (Select at Least Two) o Define respiration, in writing o Compare photosynthesis to respiration using a Venn diagram o Write a journal entry from the point of view of a green plant o With a partner, create and perform a skit to show the differences between photosynthesis and respiration.
•DESSERT (Optional) o Create a test to assess the teacher’s knowledge of photosynthesis.
--GIST:
Summarization procedure assists students in “getting the gist” from extended text
1. Students and teacher read a section of text printed on a transparency
2. After reading, assist students in underlining 10 or more words or concepts that are deemed “most important”
3. List words on the board
4. Together, write a summary statement or two using as many words as possible.
5. Write a topic sentence to precede summary sentences.
--Image and Quote with Cooperative Poster:
Groups of four are formed. Students read a selection. Each chooses a quote and an image that have impact for them. Round Robin share. Groups come to consensus on favorite image and quote. Each student takes one colored pen. With all members participating, and each using their chosen color, they draw the group image and write the groups quote on a piece of butcher or easel paper. Each member signs the poster with his or her pen. Posters are shared with the class.