Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension
Reciprocal Teaching trains readers in four specific
metacognitive processes that proficient readers use…
? Generating Questions about what the reader does not
know, needs to know, or would like to know.
 Predicting where the text is going by using information
already given in the text in conjunction with prior
knowledge.
 Summarizing by condensing the most important points
in the text.
 Clarifying lack of understanding that poses a roadblock to
Predicting
 Preview the text-include: elements of the genre
being read, title, illustrations, and any other
features such as maps, captions, tables.
 Stop periodically during the preview to gather
clues and discuss predictions.
 You may use a graphic organizer that fits the text
type.
 Language you may want to encourage students
to use: I think… I wonder… I predict…
Questioning
 Students can be asked to “be the teacher” as they
create questions to ask one another based on
important points in the story.
 Initially focus on questions that are answered in the
text. Later in the process, model how to ask questions
based on inferences.
Clarifying
 Identifying and clarifying difficult words will enhance
your vocabulary instruction. It will also scaffold
students to independence in word solving.
 Clarifying ideas such as unclear passages, an inference
or main idea will be more difficult for students.
However, this step will make problem solving during
reading more explicit for students.
Language of clarifying:
Identifying the problem:
I didn’t understand the part where…
This (page,chapter,etc.) is not clear…
This doesn’t make sense…
I can’t figure out…
This is tricky because…
Clarifying The Strategies
Clarifying an Idea
I reread the parts that I
didn’t understand.
I read on to look for clues.
I think about what I know.
Clarifying a Word
I reread.
I look for word parts I
know.
I try to blend the sounds.
I read on to find clues.
I try another word that
makes sense.
Summarizing
 Students must recall and arrange in order only the
important events in a text.
 Organization of the summary is based on the type
of text-narrative or expository.
 For a narrative story, the summary should include
the setting, characters, problem, events, and
resolution.
 An expository (nonfiction) text requires the
student to determine important points and
arrange them in order.
The following prompts will guide the
summary:
 The most important ideas in this text are…
 This part was about…
 First…
 Next…
 Then…
 Finally…
 The story takes place…
 The main characters…
 A problem occurs when…
Planning a Reciprocal Teaching Lesson
1.
Select the text
2.
Read through the text for possible questions,
predictions, and problems. Script responses that you
will make when reading aloud to the students that
model the metacognitve processes.
3.
Plan a summary to share with students.
Conducting a
Reciprocal Teaching Lesson
 Model each strategy for students-generating
questions, predicting, summarizing, and clarifying
words and/or ideas.
 Invite students to join in the strategies.
 Involve students in guided practice and observe
students going through the process.
 Provide time for independent practice.
Common Questions
 I am so busy that I can barely teach what I have on
my agenda now! How can I fit reciprocal teaching
into what I am doing already?
You do not have to overhaul your curriculum to fit
reciprocal teaching into your schedule. After
introducing the four strategies, you can incorporate
the strategies easily into mini-lessons, literature
circles, and/or guided reading by using the social
studies, science, and district adopted texts to practice
the four strategies.
Common Questions
 What is your best piece of advice for using
reciprocal teaching?
Be consistent. If you want results with struggling
readers, use the strategies at least twice a week in
intervention groups and two to three times per week
in whole-class. Using the strategies just once a week
may help but will not have the impact that consistent
exposure produces.
Common Questions
 Are there any common problems that students experience?
Predicting Students may not make logical predictions based on
clues from the text or their experiences.
Questioning Students may generate only literal questions and may
need more modeling in or guidance toward inferential or main
idea questions.
Clarifying Students may initially clarify only difficult, confusing, or
new words. Model and encourage the to clarify confusing or
difficult ideas.
Summarize Students may miss the main points of a given selection,
or they may supply a summary that is too long. Modeling and
peer practice will help with this strategy.
The Ultimate Goal
 The goal of reciprocal teaching is to improve reading
comprehension by providing strategies that become
automatic in the reading process and support the
higher level thinking skills. (refer to the ELA 3-5
Handbook)
“It is not enough to have a good mind; the main
thing is to use it well.”
-Rene Descartes