Reading comprehension
Strategy
Strategy: Revisiting the Reader’s Rudder
Appropriate Grade Level: K-12
Procedures/Steps: Revisiting the Reader’s Rudder is a reading comprehension
strategy designed to increase meaning in the text through the use of continual, structured
questioning and responding. To use this strategy:
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Give a copy of the text to each student.
Prereading activities (book orientation)
Students read first sentence to themselves.
Students may ask teacher as many questions as they want.
Teacher will ask students questions about the sentence.
Students record a written response, or and IDK (“I don’t know”)
Review answers.
Move on to next sentence. Repeat.
 When students are proficient with sentences, move on to paragraphs,
pages, etc.
Comments and/or tips: These are the types of questions that should be asked:
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Anaphoric questions
Definitions of words you suspect students may not know.
Specific definitions of multimeaning words.
The meaning of every figurative expression.
Exploration of relationships that are left implicit.
Connections to ideas that have been raised and then temporarily left in
abeyance.
 Detection of inconsistencies.
 The relationship of what is being read to their prior knowledge.
Source:
Fischer, C. (2003). Revisiting the reader's rudder: A comprehension
strategy. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 47, 248-256.