1. Reading Survey Results
Question:
What words pop into your mind when you think of reading?
You said….

2. Boring
Joy
Captivation
Nothing
Sleep
Oh No!
Time, do I have time
dreadful
Work
I hope it’s not stupid
Excitement
Curiosity
Thrill
Sitting, long, staring
Boring, waste of time
Death
Relaxation

3. Question:
What things do you do well as a reader?
You said…

4. I learn things from reading
Following along
Reading fast
Figuring out words I don’t know
Keeping my mind on the book
Comprehending words
Scanning things
Remembering what I read
Understanding the text
Picking out good books to read
Paying attention
Following the story and new vocabulary
Picturing what’s happening in the book in my head
Nothing, I suck as a reader 

5. Question:
What do I need to work on to improve my reading?
You said…

6. Not getting off subject
Comprehending what I read
Put more time into it
Reading faster and remembering what I read
Actually wanting to read
Not skipping words or reading too fast
Read more difficult books
Picturing characters in my head
Finding books I like
Slow down
Reading more often

7. Question:
What reading strategies do you use
You said..

8. Visualize; become the main character
Read out loud
Read to the end of a section before I stop
Thinking ahead; taking time to understand the book
Slow down, re-read
Stop after every chapter and write down what I’ve read
Make sure what I am reading
Predicting what’s going to happen
Remembering characters and things that happened
If I don’t understand, going over it again until I get it
I don’t use any, I just read

9. Becoming a Strategic Reader

10. Before reading, the strategic reader…
Previews the text by looking at the title, the pictures and the print in order to evoke relevant thoughts and memories.
Builds background by activating appropriate prior knowledge
Sets purposes for reading by asking questions about what he/she wants to learn (know) during the reading episode.

11. During reading, the strategic reader…
Checks understanding of the text by paraphrasing the author’s words.
Uses active reading strategies such as questioning, inferencing, predicting, and visualizing.
Monitors comprehension by stopping occasionally to review what has been read, to figure out unknown words, and to check understanding of the content.
Integrates new concepts with existing knowledge, continually revising purposes for reading.
Makes connections to own life experiences.

12. After reading, the strategic reader….
Summarizes what has been read by retelling the plot of the story or the main idea of the text.
Evaluates the ideas contained in the text.
Makes applications of the ideas in the text to unique situations, extending the ideas to broader perspectives.

13. 6 Active Reading Strategies

14. Predict
Try to figure out what will happen next and how the selection might end. Read on to see how accurate your guesses were.
I predict …

15. Visualize
Visualize characters, events, and setting to help you understand what’s happening. When you read, pay attention to the images that form in your mind as you read.

16. Connect
Connect personally with what you’re reading. Think of similarities between the descriptions in the selection and what you have personally experienced, heard about, and read about.

17. Question
Question what happens while you read. Searching for reasons behind events and characters’ feelings can help you feel close to what you are reading.

18. Clarify
Stop occasionally to review what you understand, and expect to have your understanding change and develop as you read on. Use resources to help you clarify your understanding. Reread when necessary.

19. Evaluate
Form opinions about what you read, both while you’re reading and after you’ve finished. Develop your own ideas about characters and events.

20. On The Sidewalk Bleeding

21. Predict
Based on the title, “On the Sidewalk Bleeding” what do you predict this story might be about and why?

22. Visualize
What image do you visualize when you hear the title of this story?

23. Connect
From the title alone can you personally connect to the story already?
Does the title remind you of an incident in your life or someone’s life you might know?

24. Get Ready to be a Strategic Reader….
unsure of what the strategy calls for.
Before we have even begun to read the story, we have already used 3 reading strategies with the title alone: Predict, Visualize, and Connect.
As we read the story, look for places to Predict, Visualize, Connect, Question, Clarify, and Evaluate.
Refer to your notes and definitions if you are unsure how to use a strategy

25. Get Started
You will need at least 6 post-it notes, label each one with the heading of each strategy.
As you read, make note each time you use one of these strategies
Try to have at least ONE for each strategy.
Use the post-it notes to mark the spot in the text where you used the strategy

26. Taking Strategy Notes
Throughout the story stop at places that might give you clues or reasons to predict what you think might happen next; make note of your prediction.
As you read, look at the setting, characters, or incidents in which you visualize someone or something; make note of each visualization.
Throughout the story, any time that you connect to a character or situation, make note of that personal connection.

27. Taking Strategy Notes
While you read question what and why events are happening or how and why a character is feeling a certain way; make notes of any questions that pop into your mind as your read.
When you are reading, stop to clarify what you know/understand so far in the story; make note of any words that you may need to clarify the meaning of later.
As you read, evaluate and form opinions about the story, characters, and events; make note of your evaluations and ideas about these elements of the story.

28. Develop the Habit
If you begin to use these strategies consciously, and think about and practice each of the strategies every time you read, then the strategies will become habit and you will no longer have to think of them; you will automatically do them. At this point you will have become a Strategic Reader and will find reading easier and more enjoyable.