Reading Strategies

Good readers think while they read Strategies help build understanding of a text Different strategies for different types of text Use strategies before, during, and after reading Goal: Independently use reading strategies every time you read whether reading for school or reading for enjoyment

Strategy: Question Definition: Asking questions while reading to further your own understanding of the story Language used when questioning: 5Ws + How

Strategy: Question Question WHAT is happening in the story  “What did Fluffy do to become more fluffy?” Question WHY things happen in the story  “Why did his parents name him Fluffy?” Question WHO are the characters in the story  “Who is the rhino?”

Strategy: Question Question WHERE events happen in the story  “Where did Fluffy meet Hippo? Question WHEN events take place  “When do you think he realized he would never be fluffy? Question UNKNOWN words or phrases  “What is a “needleroozer?”

Strategy: Question Closed (or Skinny) Questions: Have one specific answer which can be found in the text.  Surface level: can make something more clear  Ex: “What color was Fluffy’s bonnet?”  Ex: “What are two things Fluffy did to try to be fluffy? Open (or Fat) Questions: Have more than one answer. Need clues from text to form an answer.  Deeper level: requires looking beyond what is directly stated  Ex: “How do you think Fluffy felt when he kept failing at becoming fluffy?”  Ex: “Why do you think they became best friends?”

Strategy: Predict Definition: Anticipate or think about what will happen next or in the future

Strategy: Predict A good reader will make observations and gather clues from the text before reading to make predictions  Preview book’s front and back cover  Consider the title  Skim through the table of contents  Study illustrations

Strategy: Predict During reading, good readers use clues or facts from the text to make logical or good guesses about what will happen next. Give evidence (examples) from the text to support your predictions  “I predict that the rhinoceros is a bully because he talks mean to Fluffy.”  I think that the rhino’s name is “Bull” because he is so large and probably a bully.”

Strategy: Predict Some prediction words are: predict, suppose, imagine, think, wonder, believe, bet, etc.  Ex. I believe she is going to kill the boar because she wants his golden horn.  Ex: “I bet her family is poor. Just look at the picture on page 31.”  Ex: “I suppose she will kick him out of the play because she saw his tattoos and will think he is a trouble maker.”

Strategy: Connect Definition: Connect personally to what you are reading The story reminds you of something in your own life Recognize similarities between the story and what you personally experienced, read about, or heard about.  Text to Self  Text to Text  Text to World

Strategy: Connect Text to Self  Link your own personal experiences and feelings to something in the story – a character, an event, or even a setting  Ex: “When she was frozen with fear, it reminded me of the time I fell off the horse. I remember looking up from the ground and seeing the horse’s hooves flailing above me. I felt frozen there on the ground.  Ex: I felt sorry for the main character when her friends told her to go away. I remember when my feelings got hurt last year. Friends can be so cruel. Just like Mary Lou, I cried myself to sleep. A few days later, my friends and I made up. I hope she and her friends will make-up too.

Strategy: Connect Text to Text  Compare similarities between the story and something else you’ve read about in a book, magazine, newspaper, etc.  It could be something current or something that happened in the past.  Ex: When the boy is stranded on the mountainside, I was reminded of the girl in Island of the Blue Dolphins. Both had to grow up quickly and learn to protect themselves for the dangers all around them.

Strategy: Connect Text to World  Something in the story reminds you of something you’ve heard about on TV, radio, friends, Internet, etc.  It could be a current event or something that happened in history.  Ex: When the dad lost his job, it made me think of all the jobless people they keep talking about in the news. I wonder if they feel as depressed as the dad in this story. He felt he was worthless. Do you think people feel that way today who are out of work?

Strategy Review Match the picture with the correct strategy definition: 1.Anticipate or think about what will happen next 2. Ask yourself how something in the story may be similar to your own life, to something you’ve read, or to the world in general. 3. Further your own understanding by asking questions ABC

Strategy: Clarify (“Make clear”) Definition: The process of stopping while reading to review what you understand or to express confusion about something. Stop occasionally to review  What do I understand so far? What don’t I understand? Identify parts of the story that confuse you. Reread to make things clear.  Find the passage that is unclear and reread it again more slowly Identify words that are difficult to pronounce or to understand  Take time to look up words – how to say them and what they mean

Strategy: Evaluate Definition: To judge the worth of or form an opinion about something or someone. Focus on evaluating story elements in fiction – characters, setting, plot, and theme  “I really admire the characters because they are so honest.”  “I found the setting unrealistic – the plane crashes right next to a deserted island - yeah, right!” Combine information from the text with your judgments to develop your own ideas about the story  “I think this is the best mystery book I ever read. It kept me guessing the entire time. I never figured out who the killer was!”

Strategy: Visualize Definition: Process of forming mental pictures based on a written description Identify descriptive passages that use sensory details Create pictures of what comes to mind as you read Language that students use when visualizing:  I can picture a similar place in my mind.  That action or event is easy to imagine.  I can see what he is describing.

Strategy Review 1. Form mental pictures based on sensory details 2. Judge or give your opinion 3. Review what you know, reread, and identify unknown words A B C Match the picture with the correct strategy definition:

Strategy: Infer Definition: Recall prior knowledge (what you already know) to make assumptions or conclusions about what the author means based on details or clues provided  “I think Fluffy and Hippo will stay best friends because they have so much in common. I know that the best friendships are based on having things in common.” The author gives hints about what he means or what is to come without making an obvious statement in the text (read between the lines)

Strategy: Infer Language students use when inferring:  I am beginning to think that ________________ must mean ____________ because _________________.  The author seems to mean _____________ because _________.  Based on what I know about _________, I think that _________ because _________. “I think that Hippo was embarrassed about his name because of the way he kept trying to say it but couldn’t.”