Karen Silvestri, Instructional Specialist Robeson Community College Top 10 Reading Strategies Karen Silvestri, Instructional Specialist Robeson Community College

Reading IS Thinking Active readers ENGAGE with the text! “The purpose of reading is understanding.” Active readers ENGAGE with the text!

Think about what you read. Develop an awareness of your thinking. Strategic Thinking Think about what you read. Develop an awareness of your thinking. Use strategies to help you comprehend what you are reading.

Top 10 Reading Strategies Make Inferences Then Draw Conclusions Summarize and Synthesize Check Your Understanding Build Fluency Connect to the Text Ask Questions Expand Vocabulary Predict & Prove Sense It Decide What’s Important

Build a Bridge from the New to the Known Text to Self Text to Text Strategy 1: Connect to the Text Build a Bridge from the New to the Known Ways to connect Text to Self Text to Text Text to World

This setting reminds me of… This character makes me think of… This reminds me of… This is similar to… The differences are… This part is like… This setting reminds me of… This character makes me think of… I also (name something in the text that also happened to you)… I never (name something in the text that has never happened to you)…

Ask yourself questions as you read! Why did the author include this? Strategy 2: Ask Questions Ask yourself questions as you read! “Questioning is the strategy that keeps readers engaged. When readers ask questions, they clarify understanding and forge ahead to make meaning. Asking questions is at the heart of thoughtful reading.” Harvey and Goudvis What does this mean? What would happen if…? What will happen next? Why did the author include this?

What does this section mean? How is this (detail) like this (detail)? Why….? Why did…? Who is…? What would happen if…? What does this section mean? Do you think that? How is this (detail) like this (detail)?

Strategy 3: Expand Vocabulary “The larger the reader’s vocabulary (either oral or print), the easier it is to make sense of the text.” Report of the National Reading Panel Highlight unknown words. Break confusing words down. Place the word in its context. Keep a list of new words. Commit to learning one new word per day.

Good readers anticipate what’s coming next. Strategy 4: Predict and Prove (Guess and Check) “Research suggests that when students make predictions their understanding increases and they are more interested in the reading material.” Fielding, Anderson, Pearson, Hanson Good readers anticipate what’s coming next. When readers predict, they are aware when meaning is breaking down. When an event doesn’t match a prediction, good readers rethink and revise their thinking.

I think that… I predict that… I wonder if… I bet that… Reading this part makes me think that this (detail) is about to happen. Since this happened (detail), then I believe the next thing that is going to happen is…

How to preview reading assignments Read the title. Check the author and the source of articles and essays. Read the introduction or the first paragraph. Read each boldface (dark print) heading. Read the first sentence under each major heading. Note any typographical aids. Note any graphic aids. Read the last paragraph or summary. Read quickly any end-of-article or end-of-chapter material.

Engage with the text by creating pictures in your mind. Strategy 5: Sense It Visualizing: A Tool to Enhance Understanding “Visualizing is a comprehension strategy that enables readers to make the words on a page real and concrete.” Keene and Zimmerman Engage with the text by creating pictures in your mind.

Sort out the most important details. Strategy 6: Decide What’s Important “Thoughtful readers grasp essential ideas and important information when reading. Readers must differentiate between less important ideas and key ideas that are central to the meaning of the text.” Harvey and Goudvis Sort out the most important details. Highlight the key points in the text.

Reading Strategy Tip – Highlighting Highlight main ideas and only key supporting details. Avoid highlighting complete sentences. Use the 15-25 % rule (highlight no more than 15-25%). Use the highlighter to EMPHASIZE key words. Look for lines that cause you to ask a question Look for lines that you relate to personally Look for lines that strike a chord in you – whether or not you know why! Look for words that confuse you or are unfamiliar.

Read the clues and draw a conclusion. Strategy 7: Make Inferences Then Draw Conclusions “Inferring is at the intersection of taking what is known, garnering clues from the text, and thinking ahead to make a judgment, discern a theme, or speculate about what is to come.”Harvey and Goudvis Think ahead! Make a guess! Read the clues and draw a conclusion.

Reading Strategy Tip – Annotating Circle unknown words Mark off definitions with the notation def Mark off examples with the notation ex Number lists of ideas, causes, reasons, or events Place asterisks (*) next to important passages Put question marks next to confusing passages Mark off possible test questions Write comments and notes in the margins Mark off summary statements with the notation sum

What you learned from the text Strategy 8: Summarize and Synthesize Synthesizing is putting together separate parts into a new whole….a process akin to working a jigsaw puzzle. Harvey and Goudvis What you already know What you don’t know What you learned from the text

Reading Strategy Tip – Summarizing Highlight or write brief notes on the material. Write one sentence that states the writer’s overall concern or most important idea. Be sure to paraphrase, using your own words rather than those of the author. Review the major supporting information that the author gives to explain the major idea. The amount of detail you include, if any, depends on your purpose for writing the summary. Normally, present ideas in the summary in the same order in which they appeared in the original material. If the writer presents a clear opinion or expresses an attitude toward the subject matter, include it in your summary.

When you start to lose focus, use fix-up strategies! Strategy 9: Check Your Understanding “If confusion disrupts meaning, readers need to stop and clarify their understanding. Readers may use a variety of strategies to “fix up” comprehension when meaning goes awry.” Harvey and Goudvis When you start to lose focus, use fix-up strategies! Teachers need to point out to their students that even they lose focus or “space out” while reading and need to use “fix-up” strategies to repair their understanding.

Fix-Up Strategies Source: Tovani, Cris. Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? A “fix-up” strategy is any strategy used by a reader to help get unstuck when the text becomes confusing. Make a connection between the text and your life, your knowledge of the world, another text. Make a prediction. Stop and think about what you have already read. Ask yourself a question and try to answer it. Reflect in writing about what you have read.

More Fix-Up’s Use a highlighter to mark confusing passages. Annotate (notes in the margins). Use sticky notes to write notes on confusing passages or words. Visualize. Retell to someone what you’ve read. Reread. Adjust your reading rate: slow down or speed up.

Strategy 10: Build Fluency “Fluency is important because it frees students to understand what they read.” Report of the National Reading Panel Active readers are able to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression.

Strengthening your comprehension Analyze the time and place in which you are reading. Rephrase each paragraph in your own words. Read aloud sentences or sections that are particularly difficult. Reread difficult or complicated sections. Slow down your reading rate. Write guide questions next to headings. Write a brief outline of major points. Highlight key ideas. Write notes in the margins (annotate). Determine if you lack background knowledge.