1. Use Background Knowledge
Before Reading
Use Background Knowledge
Activate what you already know about a subject.
Text-to-Self Connections
Text-to-Text Connections
Text-to-World Connections
“That reminds me of…”
“I remember…”
“I have a connection…”

2. Making Inferences & Predictions
Proficient Readers: Draw conclusions,
make predictions, and make
educated guesses about what
we observe
“I think that…”
“My guess is…”
“My conclusion here is…”
“I predict…”

3. Visualize During Reading Proficient Readers:
Create mental images while and after reading and use those images to help comprehend the text.
“What do I imagine hearing, feeling, seeing, smelling, or tasting as I read this text?”
“What do I see in my mind as I am reading this text?”

4. Ask Questions and Monitor Understanding
During Reading
Ask Questions and Monitor Understanding
Proficient Readers ask questions to determine an author’s purpose, to explore their own curiosities, or find personal value in a text
“What do I want to know?”
“What parts are confusing?”
“What questions do I have?”
“Did I get satisfying answers?”

5. Determining the Importance in Text
Proficient Readers are able to determine main ideas and most important points in a text, and to explain how they did so.
“I think this part is really important because…”
“The main idea of this text or paragraph is..

6. Synthesize the Parts to Make the Whole Text Make Meaning
Proficient readers:
Can “fit” together pieces of the text to create a “whole” meaning.
This will require understanding of fiction and non-fiction “pieces” of the puzzle.
“In the end, what does this really mean to me?”

7. “Fix-Up” Strategies to Monitor Meaning
Proficient Readers:
Monitor their comprehension as they read. They know when it makes sense or not, can use strategies when they come upon a difficult word, and can solve problems when they become confused.
Possible “Fix-Ups”
Reread the word, sentence, or passage for understanding..
Use context clues within the text.
Look at the pictures in the text if they exist.