1. 50+ Literacy Strategies to Use in the Classroom
Devin Arceneaux, LSU student
Dr. Leilya Pitre

2. Internet Workshops
An internet workshop is similar to both writing workshops and reading workshops in English/Language Arts classes. Internet workshops provide instructional framework for students, which allows for regular scheduled time to engage in activity on the Internet. Examples of this include electronic text assignments as well as simply guiding students by simply assigning websites for the students to visit.

3. Internet Inquiries
Internet Inquiries engage students in research using information sources on the Internet. These inquiries can be conducted individually or collaboratively, and take one or more weeks for completion. There are 5 parts to Internet Inquiries: 1) generate questions about the topic or theme under discussion; 2) search for information on the Internet to answer the question; 3) analyze the information; 4) compose a report or some other form of dissemination related to findings; 5) share findings with the whole class.

4. Internet Projects
An Internet Project involves collaborative approaches to learning on the Internet. It can also include collaborations between students at different schools or between student and experts from the field being researched. An example of this is NASA Quest ( in which students discuss space and science related topics with NASA personnel. - Plan a project for an upcoming unit and write a project description. - Post the project description and timeline several months in advance, seeking classroom partnerships with other teachers. - Post the project at a location on the Internet where teachers advertise their projects. - Arrange collaboration details with teachers in other classrooms who agree to participate. - Complete the project using Internet workshop sessions for project-related activities and information exchanges.

5. WebQuests
A WebQuest is a teacher-designed web page that packages learning tasks and activities for students to complete with the aid of the Internet. Often the learner is placed in a hypothetical situation similar to RAFT writing activities. Each student is given a role and a purpose for engaging in the learning activity.
There are several components:
The “task” component describes the task the students will complete and lists the questions that will guide the research.
The “process” component gives the procedures used to complete task.
The “resources” component provides links to information resources on the Internet.
The “learning advice” component provides direction to students on how to organize their information.
Lastly, the conclusion brings closure to the activity and summarizes what the students should’ve learned.

6. Assessing Text Complexity
Four ways to assess text complexity: CARI, Lexile level, Fry Graph, and Cloze Procedure.
CARI-It is an informal alternative to standardized reading test. Success on the CARI test is measured by performance on the task itself. It measures performance on reading materials actually used in a course. The results can give a teacher insight into how students read course material. During the tests, the teacher is to observe the behavior of the students.
Lexile Level- Lexile Levels is determined by analyzing qualitative components (meaning and structure), quantitative components (readability), reader task components (motivation and knowledge), and variables such as purpose and questions.
Fry Graph- Graph used to determine reading level. The two variables used to predict difficulty of the reading material is sentence length and word length. Word length is determined by the total number of syllables. Sentence length is determined by the total number of sentences. Fry recommends that word samples are taken.
Cloze Procedure- There is no formula for this test of reading level. In this test, words are systematically deleted. Students’ ability to accurately fill in the words is assessed.

7. B-D-A Instructional Framework
B-D-A stands for before, during, and after reading. This framework assist teachers in incorporating instruction strategies and activities into lessons involving content literacy and learning. - Before reading activities involve any activities completed before reading (e.g.: anticipation guide or story impression). - During reading activities are accompanying the reading of the text (e.g.: Reading Road Map, Character Map, Chronological Chart) - The after reading activities are completed when reading is completed (follow-up discussions, creative writing assignment)

8. Jigsaw Groups Students are divided into groups of 3-6 members.
Each student on a team becomes an expert on a subtopic of a theme or topic.
The student is both accountable for teaching other members of the group the topic as well as learning the information that other students provide during the group discussion.

9. Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD)
The teacher introduces the topic to the entire class. Students first participate in a group discussion followed by small group activity. The teacher divides the class into groups, mixing students of different achievement levels. The goal of this is to master the content presented by the teacher. This may include: discussing the material, problem solving, comparing/discussing answers, and quizzing one another on answers. Team scores are determined by how much each team improves their scores.

10. Learning Circles
A learning circles is a highly interactive, participatory structure for organizing group work. The goal is to build, share, and express knowledge though a process of open dialogue and deep reflection around issues or problems with a focus on a shared outcome. Learning circles weave in a whole-group study with a small- group study, similar to STAD. Each group comprises of 2-6 members of different skill levels that come together and share resources in order to master the information. It is critical to teach students how to use collaborative skills to work together as teams as well as facilitate the group process as students engage in discussion and interaction.

11. Group Investigation
Students are placed into groups of 2 to 6 and allowed to select a topic. Each group selects a topic and decides (with guidance from the teacher) how to research the topic, assign responsibilities, and decide how the learned information be presented to the entire class.

12. Guided Discussion (Informational)
The main purpose of guided discussion is to help students understand important concepts. In this discussion, the teacher provides a moderate amount of scaffolding in order to lead the students to think about the information. The main responsibility for the teacher is to ask questions in order to guide the discussion. When needed the teacher may need to present information in order to guide the discussion along.

13. Reflective Discussion (critical and creative thinking)
The main purpose of a reflective discussion it to get students to engage in critical and creative thinking as they problem solve, clarify values, discuss controversial issues, and create/defend opinions. It does require students to have background knowledge of the topic so that they can form and support their opinions. The teacher’s role is that of a participant, which allows for teachers to join in the group discussion and share their own opinions.

14. Active Comprehension
An active comprehension strategy can be used when teachers ask questions which prompt other questions in return. For example: What would you like to know about this picture?
The strategy is meant to get students hooked onto the material by arousing curiosity, which leads to the students seeking out the material by choice. As a result, students will read to satisfy purposes and resolve conceptual conflicts that they have identified through their own questions.

15. Story Impressions
This strategy is used to elicit curiosity from students and allow them to anticipate story content.
The story impression uses clue words associated with the setting, characters, and events in order to allow the students to create their own version of the story prior to reading.
As a post-reading activity, students may compare and contrast their story impressions with the text as the author wrote it.

16. Establishing Problematic Perspectives
The teacher has two roles in establishing problematic perspectives are:
1. Providing time for the discussion of the problem, raising questions, and seeking possible solutions before reading;
2. Assigning the reading material that will lead to the resolution and conceptual development.
As a result, student identify problematic perspectives through their questions and then seek the resolution while reading and discussing the text.

17. Guided Imagery
Guided Imagery allows students to explore concepts by creating mental images. It provides instructional options to help students connect what they visualize with to what they see. Guided imagery is a means of:
building an experience base for inquiry, discussion, and group work;
exploring and stretching concepts;
solving and clarifying problems;
exploring history and the future;
exploring other lands and worlds.

18. Imagine, Elaborate, Predict, and Confirm (IEPC)
The IEPC strategy encourages students to use visual imagery to enhance their comprehension of a selections of text.
It is a 5 step strategy:
1. Select the text that contains the appropriate content for developing imagery. 2. Imagine-Students close their eyes and imagine a scene from the text. Students are encouraged to use experiences by thinking about their feelings, sights, smells, and tastes they associate with the topic. Get students to share their images with partners or groups.
3. Elaborate. After students hear initial responses from their classmates and then ask for more details associated with the scenes they’ve visualized. Ask questions they would require them to elaborate on their original image.
4. Predict. Have the students use their original thoughts and the elaborations on the images to make predictions about the text they are going to read.
5. Confirm. During and after reading, the students are to recall their images. Where they able confirm their predictions or did they make modifications. Record their confirmations and modifications.

19. Anticipation Guide
An anticipation guide is a series of statements that students must respond individually before reading text. The value of this lies in the discussion that occurs after reading. The teacher’s role is to activate and agitate thought. How to use an anticipation guide: - Construct the anticipation guide. Construction of the anticipation guide should be as simple as possible for younger students. Write four to six statements about key ideas in the text; some true and some false. Include columns following each statement, which can be left blank or can be labeled Yes, or No (Maybe can also be used). - Model the process. Introduce the text or reading material and share the guide with the students. Model the process of responding to the statements and marking the columns. - Read each of the statements and ask the students if they agree or disagree with it. Provide the opportunity for discussion. The emphasis is not on right answers but to share what they know and to make predictions. - Read the text aloud or have students read the selection individually. If reading aloud, teachers should read slowly and stop at places in the text that correspond to each of the statements. - Bring closure to the reading by revisiting each of the statements.

20. PreP
A PreP is a pre-reading plan. It can be used to estimate the levels of background knowledge that students have. There are three phases in PreP:
The first phase is Initial associations with the concept. At this phase, the teacher tells the students to tell them everything that comes to mind, allowing the students to form connections between key concepts and prior knowledge.
The second phase, Reflection on initial associations, students are asked to explain what made them think of their answers from the first phase. It allows for students to develop awareness of their network of associations as well as listen to their classmates’ explanations allowing them to revisit their own thought.
The final stage, Reformation of knowledge, the teacher presents a question that allows for the students to compare their knowledge from before the reading to their knowledge after reading the text. This allows students to verbalize their associations that have been expanded upon or changed through the discussion.

21. ReQuest
ReQuest is also known as reciprocal teaching. This strategy encourages students to ask questions about the material they are studying. The following steps should be implemented:
1. The students and the teachers silently read the same segment of text.
2. The teacher closes the book and is questioned by the students on the passage.
3. Roles are exchanged and the teacher asks the students questions.
4. The students and the teachers move on and read the next passage, pausing at predetermined points, with steps 2 and 3 being repeated between stops.
5. Students stop questioning and begin predicting.
6. Students are then assigned the remaining portion of text to read independently.
7. The teacher facilitates the follow up discussion of the material.

22. KWL
Procedure/Steps:  A. "Know" Step: Initiate discussion with the students about what they already know about the topic of the text.
Start by using a brainstorm procedure. Ask the students to provide information about where and how they learned the information.
Help them organize the brainstormed ideas into general categories.
B. "Want to Learn" Step: Discuss with the students what they want to learn from reading an article.
Ask them to write down the specific questions in which they are more interested.
C. "What I Learned" Step: Ask the students to write down what they learned from the reading.
Ask them to check the questions they had generated in the "Want to Learn" Step.

23. Intra-Act
Intra-Act is an after reading strategy that engages a group of readers in a reflective discussion. Individual readers reach personal conclusions or decisions based on their reading experience and this follow-up discussion.
According to Hoffman (1979), the Intra-Act process has four phases:
1. Comprehension Phase–Students construct meaning from a text selection.
2. Relational Phase–Students relate what they have learned about the topic with other texts and prior experiences.
3. Valuation Phase–Students express personal feelings and value judgments about the topic.
4. Reflective Phase–Students reflect on the decisions they have made and the values upon which these decisions are based.
Steps to Intra-Act:
1. Choose a reading selection on a controversial topic. Be sure that students can form clear and informed opinions about the topic.
2. Introduce the selection with a discussion of the differences between factual and opinionated information. Stress the need to defend opinions with supporting evidence.
3. Identify a number of opinionated statements from the reading selection. Arrange these statements on a grid (leaving space for student names) with "Yes" and "No" check boxes beside them. Distribute this handout (see below) to the class.
4. Divide the class into small groups. Each group first reads and summarizes the document.
5. Next, have members of each group respond to the value statements provided on the handouts, writing in their own names and responding "Yes" or "No" to reflect their agreement or disagreement with the statement.
6. Now, have students write in the names of their team members and predict how they will respond to the statements by marking the "Yes" or "No" boxes under their names.
7. Finally, ask group members to share their predictions inside the group. Mark correct and incorrect predictions on the grid. Engage students in a discussion of their reasons for supporting specific statements.

24. Direct Reading – Thinking Activity (DR-TA)
The Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) is a comprehension strategy that guides students in asking questions about a text, making predictions, and then reading to confirm or refute their predictions. The DRTA process encourages students to be active and thoughtful readers, enhancing their comprehension.
Teachers should follow the steps below when creating a DR-TA:
Determine the text to be used and pre-select points for students to pause during the reading process.
Introduce the text, the purpose of the DRTA, and provide examples of how to make predictions.
Note: Be aware of the reading levels of each student, and be prepared to provide appropriate
questions, prompts, and support as needed.
Use the following outline to guide the procedure:
D = DIRECT. Teachers direct and activate students' thinking prior to reading a passage by scanning the title, chapter headings, illustrations, and other materials. Teachers should use open-ended questions to direct students as they make predictions about the content or perspective of the text (e.g., "Given this title, what do you think the passage will be about?").
R = READING. Students read up to the first pre-selected stopping point. The teacher then prompts the students with questions about specific information and asks them to evaluate their predictions and refine them if necessary. This process should be continued until students have read each section of the passage.
T = THINKING. At the end of each section, students go back through the text and think about their predictions. Students should verify or modify their predictions by finding supporting statements in the text. The teacher asks questions such as:
What do you think about your predictions now?
What did you find in the text to prove your predictions?
What did you we read in the text that made you change your predictions?

25. Guided Reading Procedure (GRP)
The GRP, otherwise known as the Guided Reading Procedure, may be used with both narrative and expository texts. This strategy is designed to assist students in recalling what has been read, to help them generate their own questions while reading, to instill the importance of self-correction, and to improve organizational skills. GRP is most appropriate in middle school through college-level classrooms.
Procedure:
The teacher presents a reading-readiness task before the students start to read the assigned text. This can take the form of a Graphic Organizer, ReQuest procedure, Text Preview, or a Brainstorming session. During this time, the teacher makes it clear to the class why they are reading the passage and impresses upon them how important it is that they remember as many of the details as possible.
The teacher assigns a portion of the text to be read silently and remains available to help anyone who is having difficulty. When most of the class has finished, the teacher asks them to share what details they remember. Each response is recorded on the chalkboard or an overhead transparency.
When all of the remembered information has been recorded, the teacher and students return to the selection in order to find additional information as well as correct any details that were incorrectly recalled. This new information is added to the list on the board (or transparency), and the misinformation is corrected.
The teacher then directs the class in organizing the material into outline form, highlighting the main ideas and supporting details. It is also appropriate to organize by outlining the details in sequential order.
Questions are directed to the students to help them synthesize the new material with information they already have learned. In the beginning, these questions should be specific: How does this information support what we learned last week about ________? Later on, they can be more general: Give an example of how this information supports what we learned last week.
A short quiz is given to determine how much of the information was learned.

26. Guided Reading and Summarizing Procedure (GRASP)
GRASP – Guided Reading and Summarizing Procedure
1) Preparing to read. Look over the selection and think about what you already know about the topic.
2) Reading to remember.
Read a few paragraphs – as much as you think you can remember easily.
Turn over the article (or close the book) and brainstorm all the facts you remember.
Write these in your notebook.
After all information is recorded, quickly refer to the text for corrections and additions to the information.
Do not cross out or erase the original information, instead circle and rewrite new information in a new color or indicate changes with an arrow.
Continue this procedure until you’ve completed the selection.
3) Grouping remembered information.
Write down the major topics in the selection.
Using these topics, categorize the information, writing it under the appropriate headings.
Then, organize the remaining information.
You may even identify subcategories of information under each topic.
4) Writing the summary. Before writing your summary from the notes, think about these ‘rules’ for summaries:
- Include important information, leave out details that are not necessary to summarize the main topics.
- Compress information by combining similar details.
- Add words and/or phrases to make the summary cohesive and coherent.
- After writing your summary, look it over to make sure it reads smoothly and relates all of the necessary details.
- Look over the language choices you’ve made to revise for clearer meaning and more engaging text.

27. Discussion Web
A Discussion Web helps students visualize the key elements of an issue and quickly identify opposing points of view on the matter. This organizational tool guides discussions by allowing students to identify ideas of contention, to weigh opposing viewpoints, to critically evaluate the arguments, and to draw conclusions. Discussion Webs are useful tools for readers. This strategy offers a clear "point-counterpoint" visual framework for analyzing texts.
Steps to Discussion Webs:
Distribute a selected reading to the class. Be sure to select a controversial document that elicits clearly defined opposing viewpoints.
Ask the class to identify the main question of the text. Once consensus is reached, post the question for quick reference.
Divide the class into small groups of 3 or 4 students. Provide the groups with the Discussion Web graphical organizer (see below).
Ask the groups to write down at least 3 reasons for answering the question "Yes" and 3 reasons for answering the question "No."
On a simple "T-chart," record students' positive and negative responses. Use this list to promote discussion. Have students evaluate each reason ("pro" and "con") objectively and fairly.
After discussing the individual reasons, encourage each student to decide on a position on the general question. Point out that understanding both sides of an argument does not preclude taking a stand.
Have each student write his final conclusion on an index card. Collect the cards and tally the responses. Share the results with the class and list the most common reasons ("pro" and "con") for these decisions on a shared Discussion Web form.

28. Three-Level Comprehension Guide
The Three-Level Guide is a reading strategy which supports students to read the text closely by providing a clear purpose and direction for reading. It is used to develop comprehension skills. The guide is a series of statements written by the teacher about a text, some are true and some false. Students / readers are asked to agree or disagree with these statements and justify their responses.
These statements are divided into three levels:
Level One: Literal Statements (at the surface level of the text) where students simply search for the information within the text.
Level Two: Inferential / Interpretive Statements (at a “between-the-lines” level) where students use the literal information and combine it with other information, either from the text or from their previous knowledge and experience, to find whether a statement is true or false.
Level Three: Applied Statements (at a “beyond-the-text” level) where students use the literal and inferential information and combine it with other information from their previous knowledge and experience in making generalizations, hypothesizing, being creative and discussing points of view. Information from the text is extended beyond the limits of the text to find whether a statement is true or false.
The reader is directed to focus on the relevant information and to develop an informed opinion on the issues explored in the text. Once everyone has decided whether the statements are true or false they then share their answers and discuss any that they disagree on in order to form an agreement.

29. Question-Answer Relationships (QAR)
The Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) strategy presents a three-way relationship between questions, text content, and reader knowledge. The QAR strategy divides questions into two broad categories; "In the Book" (text-explicit) questions and "In My Head" (text-implicit) questions.
Steps to QARs:
1. Explain the two broad categories of questions (and the four subcategories) to students as an introduction to the QAR strategy.
2. Provide a reading selection and a set of questions about its content. Model the placement of the questions in the framework of the QAR model.
3. Divide the class into small groups and provide each with a reading selection and a set of questions. Have the groups place the questions in the QAR framework.
4. Provide the groups with a new reading selection and ask them to develop questions from its content. Have the students evaluate their own questions in light of the QAR framework.

30. Question the Author (QtA)
Question the Author (QtA) is a comprehension strategy that requires students to pose queries while reading the text in order to challenge their understanding and solidify their knowledge (Beck et al., 1997).
QtA aims to engage all students with the text. Although it requires a bit of prep work, you will reap the rewards of your labor through the student interactions and discussions in your classroom.
Specific steps you should follow during a QtA lesson:
1. Select a passage that is both interesting and can spur a good conversation.
2. Decide appropriate stopping points where you think your students need to delve deeper and gain a greater understanding.
3. Create queries (questions to encourage critical thinking) for each stopping point.
Ex: What is the author trying to say?
Ex: Why do you think the author used the following phrase?
Ex: Does this make sense to you?
To introduce the strategy, display a short passage to your students along with one or two queries you have designed ahead of time. Model for your students how you think through the queries. Invite individual students or small groups to read and work through the queries you have prepared for their readings. Remember that your role as the teacher during this strategy is to facilitate the discussion, not lead it. When students ask questions that go unanswered, try to restate them and encourage students to work to determine the answer.

31. Think-aloud
The think-aloud strategy asks students to say out loud what they are thinking about when reading, solving math problems, or simply responding to questions posed by teachers or other students. How to use think-alouds: 1. Begin by modeling this strategy. Model your thinking as you read. Do this at points in the text that may be confusing for students (new vocabulary, unusual sentence construction). 2. Introduce the assigned text and discuss the purpose of the Think-Aloud strategy. Develop the set of questions to support thinking aloud (see examples below). What do I know about this topic? What do I think I will learn about this topic? Do I understand what I just read? Do I have a clear picture in my head about this information? What more can I do to understand this? What were the most important points in this reading? What new information did I learn? How does it fit in with what I already know? 3. Give students opportunities to practice the technique, and offer structured feedback to students. 4. Read the selected passage aloud as the students read the same text silently. At certain points stop and " think="" aloud"="" the="" answers="" to="" some="" of="" pre-selected="" questions. 5. Demonstrate how good readers monitor their understanding by rereading a sentence, reading ahead to clarify, and/or looking for context clues. Students then learn to offer answers to the questions as the teacher leads the think-aloud.

32. Reciprocal Teaching
Reciprocal Teaching is a strategy that asks students and teachers to share the role of teacher by allowing both to lead the discussion about a given reading. Reciprocal Teaching involves four strategies that guide the discussion: predicting, question generating, summarizing and clarifying. To use the strategy:
Break the classroom into mixed-ability small groups. Designate one student as the "teacher" within each small group. This student will help keep their small group on task and ensure they move through each of the four steps as they read material that has already been divided it into smaller chunks by you. Next, you will read the first chunk to all the small groups, modeling the following four steps of reciprocal teaching.
Prediction: Ask students to predict what they think the reading may be about. Get them to think about what is going to happen by asking questions like a detective might do.
Question as you go: Remind students to generate questions as they listen and read. Remind them of the three levels of questions:
Right-There questions (answer in the text)
Between-the-lines questions (inference needed)
Critical Thought questions (require their opinion)
Clarify: As students listen and read remind them to ask themselves what words and phrases are unclear to them. These clarifications may take the form of the following questions.
How do you pronounce that?
What does the word mean?
I think the author is saying…
I'm guessing 'pie-in-the-sky' means…
Summarize:
Students summarize verbally, within pairs, and then share with their assigned small group or record their summary and read it aloud to their small group.
Each small group could create a semantic map with major points of significance shared by each group member.
After you have modeled the previous steps, students may continue working in their small groups by silently or orally reading the next sections of the reading while conducting the four-step process.

33. Semantic Mapping
Semantic mapping is a visual strategy for vocabulary expansion and extension of knowledge by displaying in categories words related to one another.  Semantic mapping is an adaptation of concept definition mapping but builds on students prior knowledge or schema.  The framework of semantic mapping includes: the concept word, two category examples, and other examples.  The steps involved in semantic mapping are:
write the concept word on the board,
explain the steps involved and have students think of as many words as they can for the concept word,
write the list on the board or overhead and have students copy it,
in groups have students put the words into categories.

34. Word Exploration Example:
Word exploration is a writing-to-learn strategy that works well as a vocab activity. A word exploration activity asks students to write quickly and spontaneously. They should be writing without worry of grammar, punctuation, spelling or neatness. Word Exploration is also known as free writing. Word Exploration activates schema and long term memory, allowing students to bring up their knowledge of a topic. The students should be asked to share their free write with the class with notes taken on the similarities and differences of their word exploration to the topic.
Example:
This word exploration activity may be used in a 4th grade science class discussing the water cycle. One way to initiate this is by having the words 'WATER CYCLE' written on the chalk board. As a teacher, you may ask students to pull out a piece of paper and a pencil and write everything they know or associate with the water cycle. Let them know they have exactly 5 minutes to write and to not worry about spelling, punctuation, neatness, or grammar while writing. This is important as the students should know exactly what their role is and exactly what you expect to make this activity work.
After they have written their recollection and associates with the water cycle, discuss as a class and relate their writings to the informational text or lesson. Address if the students correct in their associations or if they were off. This may help you, as a teacher, gauge where certain students are based on what they wrote and what they were able to recall while writing.

35. Brainstorming
Brainstorming is an alternative to Word Exploration strategy. This procedure allows students quickly generate what they know about a key concept. Brainstorming involves two basic steps: 1) The teacher identifies a key concept to be studied through the text. 2) Students work in small groups to generate a list of words related to the concept within a given period of time (usually up to 1 minute).

36. List-Group-Label
List-group-label is a form of semantic mapping. The strategy encourages students to improve their vocabulary and categorization skills and learn to organize concepts. Categorizing listed words, through grouping and labeling, helps students organize new concepts in relation to previously learned concepts. To use list-group-label: 1. Select a main concept in a reading selection. 2. List: Have students brainstorm all the words they think relate to the topic. Visually display student responses. At this point do not critique student responses. Some words may not reflect the main concept, but hopefully students will realize this as they begin grouping the words in the next step. 3. Group: Divide your class into small groups. Each group will work to cluster the class list of words into subcategories. As groups of words emerge, challenge your students to explain their reasoning for placing words together or discarding them. 4. Label: Invite students to suggest a title or label for the groups of words they have formed. These labels should relate to their reasoning for the grouping. When to use: Before reading During reading After reading How to use: Individually With small groups Whole class setting

37. Word Sorts
A Word Sort is a simple small group activity. Students list key words from a reading selection. (Alternatively, the teacher may provide a list of terms prior to the reading activity.) Students identify the meaning and properties of each word and then "sort" the list into collections of words with similar features. This "sorting" process links students' prior knowledge to the basic vocabulary of a reading selection. Two forms of Word Sorts:
Closed Word Sort–The teacher provides the categories (and the specific features of each) to the students. The students then match the words with the features to create the word collections.
Open Word Sort–The teacher provides only the list of words. Students work together to discern the common features and to describe the categories for collecting the word groups.
Steps to a Word Sort:
List between 10 and 20 key vocabulary words from a reading selection on the chalkboard or on index cards.
Divide the class into small groups of 4 or 5 students. (Distribute the index cards if this method is used.)
For a Closed Word Sort, provide students with the categories into which they will sort the vocabulary words. For an Open Word Sort, instruct the student teams to suggest categories for organizing the words.
Allow 10 to 15 minutes for the student teams to assign the words to the appropriate categories.
Conduct a class discussion with each group presenting their word list for one of the categories. Require the students to defend their sorting of terms by asking about the common features of the categories and how each specific word meets these criteria.

38. Knowledge Ratings
Using a knowledge rating system is another strategy that has multiple benefits (Blachowicz & Fisher).  Before students read a section of text, the teacher selects a list of vocabulary words or concepts that are important and displays them in a visible location.  Then, the teacher has students self-evaluate their knowledge about each item on the list by rating them as a three (I can define and explain this), a two (I’ve heard about this), or a one (I don’t have a clue about this).  This method activates background knowledge that students may posses, gets students interested in the upcoming material, and it alerts the instructor what areas of instruction may need more scaffolding than others.
Strategy Steps
1. Choose a list of vocabulary words that cluster in some way from a particular section.
2. Display the words for the students.
3. Ask students to copy the list and rate the words as
          1—Don’t know anything about it.
          2—I’ve heard of it, but I’m not sure what it means.
          3—I know the word well enough to use/define it.
4.  Use student ratings for group discussion about meanings of the words and predictions about what the author may write regarding the terms.
5.  Read the selection, watching for the words.
6.  After reading, students should re-rate themselves.
7.  Clarify the meanings of words for further study. 

39. Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy (VSS)
The Vocabulary Self-Selection Strategy (Haggard, 1986) is a small group activity for word learning.  In this activity, students read a text selection and the teacher and each student is responsible for bringing two words to the attention of the group.  Students are encouraged to choose words they have heard or seen in previous reading, but may not be able to define. 
Each student shares a word and talks about where it was encountered, what it might mean, and why the word would be important for the class to know.  After everyone in the group has had a chance to share, the group determines which 5 to 8 words they want to target for the week.  After the list is made, the teacher leads a discussion about the words to refine, clarify and extend the definitions.  This discussion is critical to the process. Students enter the words and the definition (in their own words) into their Vocabulary Logs and practice the words in various activities during the week.
This strategy is especially effective with students learning English as a second language.  In the discussions students can explore word histories, synonyms, antonyms, and personal experiences. Because the teacher also selects words, he/she models good vocabulary learning strategies.

40. Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA)
The semantic feature analysis strategy uses a grid to help kids explore how sets of things are related to one another. By completing and analyzing the grid, students are able to see connections, make predictions and master important concepts. This strategy enhances comprehension and vocabulary skills. How to use semantic feature analysis 1. Select a category or topic for the semantic feature analysis. 2. Provide students with key vocabulary words and important features related to the topic. 3. Vocabulary words should be listed down the left hand column and the features of the topic across the top row of the chart. 4. Have students place a "+" sign in the matrix when a vocabulary word aligns with a particular feature of the topic. If the word does not align students may put a "–" in the grid. If students are unable to determine a relationship they may leave it blank.

41. Concept Circles
Concept Circles allow students to study words critically and conceptually. The Concept Circle is a categorizing activity. Students respond to the visual aspect of manipulating the sections of the circle. To construct a concept circle, divide a circle into four (or more) sections. In each section write a word or phrase related to the topic. Concept circles may be used in three ways: 1. All of the words in the circle are related and the students must tell how they are related. 2. All of the words in the circle are related except one. The student must identify the unrelated word and explain how the other words are related. 3. One or more of the sections is left blank. Students must fill in the blank sections with words that are related to the other words in the circle and explain why they chose those words.

42. Vocabulary Triangles
Vocabulary triangles are another visual tool for providing students with opportunities to consider the relationships among word concepts and to apply these concepts in meaningful ways. It can be used across different content areas.
To use the strategy:
The teacher chooses three words representing the vocabulary from the class reading and places each word in a corner of the triangle.
Students are asked to write sentences connecting the words from two corners of the triangle.
By the time students complete all three sentences, they have already used each word twice connecting it with another word from a triangle.
Finally, students create one sentence combining all three words from the triangle.

43. Magic Squares
Vocabulary comes alive when using Magic Squares. The Magic Squares strategy can be applied at every grade level K-12. The strategy makes matching more interesting and interactive for students. Magic Squares began in China several thousands of years ago. Squares are assigned numbers which, when added across, down, or diagonally always equal the same sum.
Steps:
1. Direct students to match a lettered column of words to a numbered column of definitions.
2. Make sure letters on each square of the grid match the lettered words.
3. Explain that students find the magic number by matching the correct word and definition and entering the number in the appropriate square on the grid.
4. Use any number of squares for the puzzle.

44. Using Context to Approximate Meaning
It is important to teach students how to infer the meaning of a new word using context.
Using contexts involves careful consideration of information surrounding a difficult word.
Often authors anticipate that certain words might be troublesome for students and provides deliberate context—clues and additional information—to help reader with the concept.
Three kinds of information are useful to struggling readers: typographic, syntactic, semantic, and logographic clues and cues.

45. OPIN
OPIN is a meaning- extending vocabulary strategy developed by Frank Greene of McGill University. OPIN provides another example of context- based reinforcement and extension. OPIN stands for opinion. Here’s how OPIN works. Divide the class into groups of three. Distribute exercise sentences, one to each student. Each student must complete each exercise sentence individually. Then each group member must convince the other two members that his or her word choice is the best. If no agreement is reached on the best word for each sentence, each member of the group can speak to the class for his or her individual choice. When all groups have finished, have the class discuss each group’s choices. The only rule of discussion is that each choice must be accompanied by a reasonable defense or justification. Answers such as “ Because ours is best” are not acceptable. OPIN exercise sentences can be constructed for any content area. OPIN encourages differing opinions about which word should be inserted in a blank space. In one sense, the exercise is open to discussion, and as a result, it rein-forces the role of prior knowledge and experiences in the decisions that each group makes. The opportunity to “ argue” one’s responses in the group leads not only to continued motivation but also to a discussion of word meanings and variations. In addition to emphasizing context as a vocabulary- building strategy, showing learners how to approximate word meaning through word structure is another important aspect of vocabulary building.

46. Using Dictionary as Strategic Resource
When text clues and cues are not enough and precise definition is needed, a dictionary is a logical and valuable resource for students.
Knowing when to use the dictionary is as important as knowing how to use it.
When students are directed to use a dictionary or online vocabulary site, the teacher’s responsibility is to:
Help them determine the “best fit” for a specific concept choosing from several definitions;
Choose the words selectively. It is better to have fewer words than many.
Help students with pronunciation key as needed.

47. Microthemes
The MICROTHEME, a brief essay limited to one side of a 5" x 8" index card, is an ideal instrument for painlessly increasing the written content of a course. Brief and thus easily graded it is educationally sound, for a great deal of thinking must precede the writing. There are four main formats, each of which challenges and cultivates writing and cognitive skills in a different way.
The Summary-Writing Microtheme
The student must read a body of material, discuss its structure (main idea. supportive points, connections among its parts), condense it while retaining its hierarchy. and eliminate frill in order to write a summary. This exercise strengthens reading comprehension and writing ability. It also targets "egocentrism," that is the tendency of the "maturing" student thinker to impose personal opinion on data, veer from the topic, and distort an author’s perspective.
The Thesis-Support Microtheme
The student must take a stand and defend it. A topic citing Spock’s childhood permissiveness as the cause for the sixties revolution becomes the thesis "The student revolutionary movement in the sixties was not causally related to...." This exercise strengthens the ability to discover, state, and defend an issue, using clear evidence and logical reasoning.
The Data-Provided Microtheme
Data is provided in the form of tables or factual statements. The student must comment on its significance. Selecting, arranging, connecting, and generalizing about data develops inductive reasoning. Students thus progress from merely listing facts to making assertions.
The Quandary-Posing Microtheme
A practical occurrence or puzzling situation is presented. The student must explain the underlying scientific principles in clear terms and pose a solution. This exercise moves students from rote learning to application, thereby strengthening concept comprehension and abstract reasoning.

48. Point of View Guides (POVGs)
A Point-of-View Guide (Wood 1988) helps students view an event, person, or situation from a different perspective. Students are given the opportunity to take on the role of a person, place, or even a thing through a series of structured interview questions. Student responses to the questions are written in the first-person point-of- view of the persona chosen as assigned.
A Point-of-View Guide lets students make a strong connection to someone or something in the context of what is being studied.
1. Decide on the critical knowledge or experiences you would like students to remember from the content.
2. Brainstorm perspectives from which students could “see” and tell about the people, place or event. The perspective can be a well-known figure, an observant bystander, an animal, or a structure (such as a house or school).
3. Create a series of interview questions that could be asked of this person, place, or thing. (Questions are placed in the circles of the chart.)
4. Design a format: interview questions to a single person, interview questions to a group/panel, interview questions addressed to a visual, or interview questions that elicit questions from a person or thing being interviewed, thus starting dialogue.
5. Students respond to the questions, and then they develop a statement from the assigned point of view (written in box of the chart.)

49. Unsent letters
Purpose: To help students write about topics in a more thoughtful way and to add variety to their writing assignments.
Procedure: In this writing to learn activity students enter a role play situation in which they respond to the material being studied in the lesson by writing letters. The activity requires the use of imagination and often requires students to engage in interpretive and evaluative thinking. The letters may be written to a historical figure, a famous person, or someone in the student’s life. The letters should reflect the students’ understanding of the material being studied.

50. Biopoems
Purpose: To give students the opportunity to reflect on material within a poetic form. To allow writers to synthesize what they have learned about a person, place, thing, concept or event. Below is a suggested pattern for a biopoem. Students can use the pattern as is or modify it. Line 1. First Name Line 2. Four traits that describe character Line 3. Relative (brother, sister, daughter, etc.) of ____________ Line 4. Lover of ____________ (list three things or people) Line 5. Who feels ____________ (three items) Line 6. Who needs ____________ (three items) Line 7. Who fears ____________ (three items) Line 8. Who gives ____________(three items) Line 9. Who would like to see ____________ (three items) Line 10. Resident of ____________ Line 11. Last name

51. Admit Slips and Exit Slips
An admit slip is a student’s entry ticket into class. It is filled out before the class begins or during the first few minutes of class. Students are allowed to exit the classroom when they submit an exit slip to the teacher. The exit slip is completed during the last few minutes of the class. This enables students to provide the teacher with feedback about the teaching, a summary of ideas and skills learned, or a demonstration of their comprehension.
Admit and exit slips are an effective way to informally assess student understanding of new or old concepts and determine where students need additional clarification or assistance. These slips also stimulate critical thinking and act as a springboard to link new learning with existing knowledge.
Sample admit slips
- Write one or more things that you already know about…
- Write one question that you still have about the activity that we did yesterday.
- Write an explanation of the process you used to solve one problem you did for homework last night.
Sample exit slips
- One thing I learned today is…
- One thing I am not sure about today’s lesson is…
- I can use this knowledge or process again when I…

52. Role, Audience, Form, Topic (RAFT)
RAFT is a writing strategy that helps students understand their role as a writer, the audience they will address, the varied formats for writing, and the topic they'll be writing about. By using this strategy, teachers encourage students to write creatively, to consider a topic from a different perspective, and to gain practice writing for different audiences. Students learn to respond to a writing prompt that requires them to think about various perspectives (Santa & Havens, 1995):
Role of the Writer: Who are you as the writer? A pilgrim? A soldier? The President?
Audience: To whom are you writing? A political rally? A potential employer?
Format: In what format are you writing? A letter? An advertisement? A speech?
Topic: What are you writing about?
Benefits
Students must think creatively and critically in order to respond to prompts, making RAFT a unique way for students to apply critical thinking skills about new information they are learning. RAFT writing is applicable in every content area thereby providing a universal writing approach for content area teachers.
Create the strategy
Explain to your students the various perspectives (mentioned above) writers must consider when completing any writing assignment.
Display a RAFT writing prompt to your class and model on an overhead or Elmo how you would write in response to the prompt.
Have students react to another writing prompt individually, or in small groups. It works best if all students react to the same prompt so the class can learn from varied responses.
As students become comfortable in reacting to RAFT prompts, you can create more than one prompt for students to respond to after a reading, lesson, or unit. Varied prompts allow students to compare and contrast multiple perspectives, deepening their understanding of the content.

53. Text Pattern Guides
The Pattern Guide strategy demonstrates the predominant pattern the author used to construct the text.
Pattern Guides are visual representations of text structures. They work especially well with common relationships: cause and effect, compare and contrast, sequences, problem-solution, processes, etc.
These guides, also called graphic organizers, should be chosen or created by the teacher to match the text to help students recognize the relationship between main ideas and details as well as to facilitate note taking while reading.
Strategy procedure
Choose a text on the instructional reading level of the students that shows a strong organizational pattern.
Choose/create a Pattern Guide or graphic organizer to match the text. Examples of Pattern Guides for commonly used patterns of organization are shown on the next page. Fill in one or several parts of the guide to demonstrate completion of the guide.
Distribute the text and the pattern guide. Read aloud a portion of the text and pause to fill in a portion of the guide.
Have students read and complete the guide individually or with partners.
Repeat with different patterns of organization and with texts constructed with more subtle patterns of organization.

54. Reading Road Map
A Reading Road Map is a strategy that encourages young readers to follow the main events and focus on the concepts that are important to reading/learning a specific issue or topic in content area. RRM includes: location (what to read); pace (how to read – fast, slow, skim, etc.); and mission (what to do after or while reading (answer questions, complete a graphic organizer, write a summary, etc.)
The purpose of A Reading Road Map is to encourage students to use comprehension strategies and think critically about reading.

55. Note-Taking Strategies
Reading logs
Reading response logs are like reading journals that students complete for self- selected texts (or any text read outside of class time). For example, if a history class is reading primary sources (like journals or letters) in addition to their textbook, this technique can be used to track their thinking for the outside texts. In a science class, the teacher could assign a magazine article to read for homework, and have students complete a single-entry reading response log.
An example of how do I use it:
1. Show students sample reading logs (either a previous student's or your own)
2. Have students read 25 pages a week, or whatever you normally assign for homework. It might not sound like a lot, but with six other classes, it might be difficult for the student to complete any more. (Plus, you don't want them to cheat their way through the reading!) =25 points
3. Have students summarize their reading in four to six sentences =10 points
4. Next, have students respond to the text (this should be the largest portion of the log--12 to 15 sentences). These responses can include personal connections, questions they have, lines that interest them, conclusions they've reached about a character or plot element, or a combination of several of these. =15 points
5. Finally, have students include 5 sticky notes that show they're using the strategies you're working on in class. For example, if you are working on making personal connections, they should have 5 sticky notes, each with a different thought that illustrates ways they connected with the text.

56. Note-Taking Strategies
Annotations Annotation is marking the text to help comprehending main ideas, following development of events, summarizing the text, etc. Here are some marking instructions you can follow: 1. Number all the paragraphs in the selection to be read. 2. Put a star next to the thesis, marking it as the central idea of the entire reading or section. 3. Label all Main Ideas (main points) with M, all Sub-points (ideas which directly relate to the main idea) with SP, and all supporting details (ones that explain, illustrate, or otherwise develop by adding support) with S. 4. Take notes and make comments in the margins (or on paper, identifying which paragraph the notes came from). 5. Highlight new vocabulary or important words/phrases.

57. Note-Taking Strategies
Cornell notes
Walter Pauk developed what is known as the Cornell Notetaking Technique to help Cornell University students better organize their notes. Traditionally, it was used for taking notes in a class during a lecture. However, with some modification, this method can also be an effective note taking strategy for reading.
Divide your paper into two columns: the notetaking column (usually on the right) is twice the size of the key word column (on the left).
You should leave five to six lines, or about two inches, at the bottom of the page. In this modification, notes from the reading are written in the notetaking column.
Notes usually consist of the main ideas of the text, and long ideas are paraphrased.
Then, in the “Cues” and “Questions” column, relevant key words are written to be used as memory cues, and study questions can be formulated as well.
After the notes have been taken, write a brief summary at the bottom of the page. This helps to increase understanding of what has been read.

58. Note-Taking Strategies
T-notes
T-notes are similar to Cornell notes. They can be used in any note-taking situation during class.
To create T-notes:
Draw a T on your paper with a 2.5 inch margin on the left, leaving a 6-inch area on the right.
Put the main idea in the left margin area and related details on the right.
At the bottom, you may summarize what was learned through the reading and your notes.

59. Hope all these strategies will be useful in your future classroom!