Using Comprehension Strategies with Nonfiction Texts 1

Agenda Review the 7 Comprehension Strategies Survey Connect to Nonfiction text Discussion Questions 2

Objectives Learn ways to use the comprehension strategies in your classroom with nonfiction texts. Gain confidence to try the strategies with nonfiction texts in your classroom this month. 3

The 7 Comprehension Strategies Monitor for Meaning Questioning Using Prior Knowledge Determining ImportanceMaking Mind Pictures Inferring Synthesizing 4

Why use them? 5 Build tools for the readers to construct meaning!

Brief Overview of the Strategies Monitor for Meaning Questioning Use Prior Knowledge Making Mind Pictures Inferring Synthesizing Determining Importance 6 Use inner thinking to determine if what you are reading makes sense and make adjustments accordingly. Wondering about the book during all stages of reading. Use what you already know to increase comprehension of new information. Use the five senses to make an image of the text. Identify the main idea and the themes or purpose of the text. Arranging information until a new concept is discovered. Tracking thinking as it evolves. Combine background knowledge with new information read to make conclusions. Often stated as “read between the lines”

Brief Survey 5 Questions 7

1 st Question How confident do you feel using reading comprehension strategies in your own reading? – A. Very, very confident! In fact, I could teach others! – B. A little confident, but would like more support. – C. Unsure, need a lot of support to really get it going in my classroom. – D. What is a reading comprehension strategy? 8

2 nd Question How confident do you feel using the reading comprehension strategies in your classroom? – A. Very, very confident! In fact, I could teach others! – B. A little confident, but would like more support. – C. Unsure, need a lot of support to really get it going in my classroom. – D. What is a reading comprehension strategy? 9

3 rd Question How confident do you feel teaching the reading comprehension strategies in your classroom? – A. Very, very confident! In fact, I could teach others! – B. A little confident, but would like more support. – C. Unsure, need a lot of support to really get it going in my classroom. – D. What is a reading comprehension strategy? 10

4 th Question How confident do you feel talking about the reading comprehension strategies during conferences or at parent night? – A. Very, very confident! In fact, I could teach others! – B. A little confident, but would like more support. – C. Unsure, need a lot of support to really get it going in my classroom. – D. What is a reading comprehension strategy? 11

5 th Question How often do you refer to the reading strategies in your classroom? – A. once per day. < X – B. once per day < X < once per week. – C. once per week < X < once per month. – D. Only when I do the F & P assessments (Twice a year) 12

Nonfiction Texts Are All Around Us 13 Recipes Directions Articles Textbooks Letters Phone numbers Manuals Biographies

Monitor for Meaning Using inner thinking to determine if what you are reading makes sense and make adjustments accordingly. 14

Questioning Wondering about the book during all stages of reading (before, during, and after) Share an article you read that had you asking questions. 2.Gather information about a topic, record it, ask deeper questions about it. 3.Think about coding the questions - answered, background knowledge, inferred, discussion, further research, confused. 4. Two column notes - Questions / Facts 5.Reading to answer a question - writing a short summary. 6.Reading with a question in mind- Notes / Thinking 7.Make a question web Examples

Using Prior Knowledge/Schema Using what you already know to increase comprehension of new information What does the text content remind you of? - Mark with and R 2.Two column chart - idea (what you read) / what it reminds me of 3.Code with stickies, T-S, T-T, T-W 4.Notice when connections are not helpful 5.Notice when new information is learned - Mark with a L 6.Notice when your thoughts change 7.Make a large chart of facts 8.Think about how that connection helps you to understand better Examples

Making Mind Pictures Using the five sense to make an image of the text Reading a passage - draw a picture based on description 2.Merge prior experience with the text 3.Making comparisons between something you know and new information 4.Make a timeline of the main events - discuss and 5.Making mind pictures involves ALL of the senses. Write what you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. Examples

Determining Importance Identify the main idea and the themes or purpose of the text Note text length and structure 2.Important headings and subheadings 3.Determine what order to read it in 4.Determine what to pay attention to / Determine what to ignore 5.Decide if information contains relevant information 6.Highlighting 7.Notice features that signal importance 8.Gather information, ask questions, design information as a nonfiction page layout 9.Use just 3 sticky notes to code the three important ideas in the text - not just the main idea 10.Two column chart - topic / details (and maybe Response) 11.Evidence for / Evidence Against / Personal Opinion Examples

Inferring Combine background knowledge with new information read to make conclusions Infer meaning of unfamiliar words - word/ inferred meaning/ Clues / Sentence 2.Look at pictures to gain clues 3.Chart - Background Knowledge + Text = Inference 4.Discuss and chart themes 5.Two column chat - Facts - Inference (Interpretation) Examples

Synthesizing 20 Arranging information until a new concept is discovered. Tracking thinking as it evolves. 1.Briefly retell a summary of the piece 2.Sticky note summary of chunks of text 3.Keep track of changing thinking in a reading log 4.Make comparisons and contrasts of concepts 5.Two boxes - Summary/ Response 6.Chart - Topic / Subtopics/ Details to support 7.Think about the author's purpose 8.Write questions with seemingly no answer Examples

Gradual Release of Responsibility 21 Model Scaffold Independent Teachers provide scaffolding by giving enough help so that students can try new skills and can become more independent with them.

Teaching the Strategies State the strategy and the purpose. Model how to use the given strategy with a piece of text. Ask students to help you use the strategy. Have them practice independently or with a partner using the strategy. Confer with students to monitor their progress and success using the strategy. Provide additional support where needed. 22

Connecting to Other Content Area Ask authentic questions about other people, places, and times. Read from a variety of sources - primary, secondary, historical fiction, interviews, textbooks, etc. Look at multiple perspectives and interpretations. Acquire knowledge through reading, writing, discussions, artistic expressions. Express opinions and take a stand. 23

How to Do This Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis provided some ideas for doing this. Interactive Read-Alouds with Picture Books Read, View, and React to Primary Sources Book Club Discussions Nonfiction Trade Books Create Concept Maps: Visual Representations of Events, People, and Ideas Create Maps of Stories and Folktales to Understand Cultural Themes and Traditions Stop, Think, and React to Videos Create Maps of Countries or Cultures: Merge Thinking With New Information Co-construct a Time Line of Historical Events, People, Places to Support Historical Thinking 24

….And some more…. Create Journals to Understand Historical Perspectives Explore Current Events and Issues Learn through observation: record and reflect on these experiences Gain accurate information from texts, visuals, etc. Investigate questions and invite discovery to add to learning Investigate how something impacts society Anchor Charts to Document Thinking and How it Evolves Learning and Teaching Information From a Variety of Features Notice New Learning Note-Taking Strategies for Merging Thinking with New Information Summarizing and Synthesizing Learning on a Mind Map 25

Explicit Instruction Think aloud Read aloud for the purpose of instructing Lifting text Guided Discussion Anchor lessons and anchor charts Reread for deeper meaning Talking about reading Notes 26

End of Presentation Survey 5 more questions 27

6 th Question How confident do you feel using the reading comprehension strategies in your own classroom? – A. Very, very confident! In fact, I could teach others! – B. A little confident, but would like more support. – C. Unsure, need a lot of support to really get it going in my classroom. – D. Still no idea what a reading comprehension strategy is. 28

7 th Question Which strategy do you think you will try first? – A. Creating Mind Pictures – B. Questioning – C. Connections to Background Knowledge – D. Other 29

8 th Question What will you do if you have a question about what to do? – A. Ask my teaching partner or our curriculum director – B. Look online. – C. Look in a book. – D. Nothing. 30

9 th Question How interested are you in sharing your experience using comprehension strategies in a workshop setting with your colleagues? – A. Want me to share my experiences right now, because I will, actually, can I? – B. I feel like could share my experiences in a month or two after I have tried it in my classroom. – C. I would like to try it in my classroom and talk about it with my teaching partner before doing it with this group. – D. No way, never, we don’t do things like that here, and I especially do not do that. 31

10 th Question How informative did you find this? – A. Very! I have some new tools to try in my classroom. – B. Good. I learned a few new things, but I knew some of it. – C. Alright. I still need more information on some topics. – D. Not at all! What a waste of time! 32

Parting Words When teaching the comprehension strategies we are hoping to go beyond surface level of understanding. 33

What will you take away? 34 What would you like to hear more about?

Extra Resources Mosaic of Thought Strategies That Work Comprehension Toolkit 35

Thank you! 36