READING STRATEGIES
STRATEGY
DEFINITION
Chunking the Text
Breaking the text into smaller,
To reduce the intimidation factor when http://www.engageny.org/resource
manageable units of sense (e.g., words, encountering long words, sentences, /close-reading-strategies-withsentences, paragraphs, whole text) by or whole texts; to increase
informational-text-bynumbering, separating phrases, drawing comprehension of difficult or
expeditionary-learning
boxes
challenging text
Accessing small chunks of text to read, To develop comprehensive
http://www.engageny.org/resource
reread, mark, and annotate key
understanding by engaging in one or /close-reading-strategies-withpassages, word-for-word, sentence-by- more focused readings of a text
informational-text-bysentence, and line-by-line
expeditionary-learning
Close Reading
Diffusing
PURPOSE
Reading a passage, noting unfamiliar
To facilitate a close reading of text, the
words, discovering meaning of
use of resources, an understanding of
unfamiliar words using context clues, synonyms, and increased
dictionaries, and/or thesauruses, and comprehension of text
replacing unfamiliar words with familiar
ones
RESOURCES
Graphic Organizer
Using a visual representation for the
organization of information
To facilitate increased comprehension http://my.hrw.com/nsmedia/intgos/ht
and discussion
ml/igo.htm
http://vimeopro.com/wested/commo
ncore
http://vimeopro.com/wested/commo
ncore/video/62389364
http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/
VocabularyGraphicOrganizers.html
Guided Reading
Identifying strategies to guide students To help students learn to use a
through challenging text (e.g., make
multiplicity of strategies to make
predictions, mark the text, skim the
meaning from challenging text
text)
http://www.dubois.cps.k12.il.us/Strate
gie_Charts_Documents.htm
Lesson Plans:
http://www.warsaw.k12.in.us/com
ponent/docman/cat_view/171guided-reading-lesson-plans.html
http://www.dubois.cps.k12.il.us/Strate
gie_Charts_Documents.htm
Interactive Word Wall
Creating an interactive visual display of To provide a print-rich environment,
vocabulary words that serves as a
reinforcement of learned words, a
constant reminder or words and groups reference for reading and writing, and
of words as they are introduce, used, an ever-present tool for building word
and mastered over the course of a year. knowledge and awareness.
http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/student
support/ese/PDF/MathWordWall.pdf
http://ambercaldwell.com/2013/11/20
/active-vocabulary-walls/
KWHL Chart
Setting up discussion with use of a
To organize thinking, access prior
http://www3.canisius.edu/~itsdocs
graphic organizer. Allows students to knowledge, and reflect on learning to /factstutorials/marie/modules/KW
activate prior knowledge by answering increase comprehension and
HL/KWHL.html
“What do I know?” sets a purpose by
engagement
answering “What do I want to know?”
helps preview a task by answering “How
will I learn it?” and reflects on new
knowledge by answering “What have I
learned?”
Marking the Text
Selecting text by highlighting,
underlining, and/or annotating for
specific components, such as main idea,
imagery, literary devices, and so on
To focus reading for specific purposes, https://www.teachingchannel.org/vi
such as author’s craft, and to organize deos/student-annotated-readingstrategy
information from selections; to
facilitate reexamination of a text
http://www.engageny.org/resource/cl
ose-reading-strategies-withinformational-text-by-expeditionarylearning
http://www.literacyta.com/literacyskills/marking-text
Metacognitive Markers
Responding to text with a system of
To track responses to texts and use
https://www.teachingchannel.org/
cueing marks where students use a ? for those responses as a point of
videos/student-annotated-readingquestions about the text; a !for
departure for talking or writing about strategy
reactions related to the text; and an * texts
for comments about the text and
underline to signal key ideas
Predicting
Making guesses about the text by using To help students become actively
the title and pictures and/or thinking involved, interested, and mentally
ahead about events which may occur
prepared to understand ideas
based on evidence in the text
Common Core:
https://www.teachingchannel.org/
videos/pre-reading-strategies
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bx
zE2YNoRWZ9T3JZY1Y3RWRpdlU/ed
it?usp=sharing
QHT
Expanding prior knowledge of
To allow students to build on their
http://goo.gl/6HGBtx
vocabulary words by marking words with prior knowledge of words, to provide a
a Q, H, or T (Q signals words students do forum for peer teaching and learning of
not know; H signals words students
new words, and to serve as a prehave heard and might be able to
reading exercise to aid in
identify; T signals words
comprehension
students know well enough to teach to
their peers.)
Questioning the Text*
Developing literal, interpretive, and
To engage more actively with texts,
universal questions about the text while read with greater purpose and focus,
reading a text
and ultimately answer questions to
gain greater insight into the text
Reciprocal Teaching
A scaffolded discussion technique that is To improve reading comprehension
http://bcove.me/dcnlwhhh
built on four strategies that good
that is necessary not only for improved
readers use to comprehend text;
test scores but also for life I the
http://vimeopro.com/wested/commo
predicting, questioning, clarifying, and Information Age.
ncore
summarizing.
Rereading
Encountering the same text with more
than one reading
Semantic Gradients
A way to broaden and deepen students’ It helps students distinguish between http://bcove.me/zikg0y5i
understanding of related words.
shades of meaning and allows them to
be more precise and imaginative in
their writing.
http://www.scholastic.com/teacher
s/article/questioning-text
To identify additional details; to clarify
meaning and/or reinforce
comprehension of texts
SIFT*
Analyzing a fictional text by examining To focus and facilitate an analysis of a
stylistic elements, especially symbol, fictional text by examining the title and
images, and figures of speech, in order text for symbolism, identifying images
to show how all work together to reveal and sensory details, analyzing figurative
tone and theme.
language and identifying how all these
elements reveal tone and theme
https://docs.google.com/a/khps.o
rg/document/d/1Zsq4mxQdatWIackCaI8xj5fIGXuQPOaWfp4
8X-10qQ/edit?pli=1ent
https://www.teachingchannel.org
/videos/sift-method-analyzeliterature
Skimming/Scanning
Skimming by rapid or superficial
To quickly form an overall impression
reading of a text to form an overall
prior to an in-depth study of a text; to
impression or to obtain a general
answer specific questions or quickly
understanding of the material; scanning locate targeted information or detail in a
by focusing on key words, phrases, or text
specific details to provide speedy
recognition of information
SMELL*
Analyzing a persuasive speech or essay To analyze a persuasive speech or essay http://www.scribd.com/doc/264882
by asking five essential questions:
by focusing on five essential questions 95/The-SMELL-Strategy-Handout-1
Sender-receiver relationship—What is
the sender-receiver relationship? Who
are the images and language meant to
attract? Describe the speaker of the
text.
Message—What is the message?
Summarize the statement made in the
text.
Emotional Strategies—What is the
desired effect?
Logical Strategies—What logic is
operating? How does it (or its absence)
affect the message? Consider the logic
of the images as well as the words.
Language—What does the language of
the text describe? How does it affect
the meaning and effectiveness of the
writing? Consider the language of the
images as well as the words.
SOAPSTone*
Analyzing text by discussing and
To use an analytical process to
identifying Speaker, Occasion,
understand the author’s craft
Audience, Purpose, Subject, and Tone
http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/a
pc/public/preap/teachers_corner/45
200.html
Summarizing/
Paraphrasing
Restating in one’s own words the main To facilitate comprehension and recall of
idea or essential information expressed a text
in a text, whether it be narration,
dialogue, or informational text
Think Aloud
Talking through a difficult passage or
task by using a form of metacognition
whereby the reader expresses how
he/she has made sense of the text
To reflect on how readers make meaning http://www.readingrockets.org/strat
of challenging texts
egies/think_alouds/
TP-CASTT*
Analyzing a poetic text by identifying
and discussing Title, Paraphrase,
Connotation, Attitude, Shift, Theme,
and Title again
To use an analytical process to
understand the author’s craft
Visualizing
Forming a picture (mentally and/or
literally) while reading a text
To increase reading comprehension and http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/
promote active engagement with text
elementary/samoset/Resources/vis1.
pdf
http://skyview.vansd.org/bquestad/P
oetry/tpcastt/strategy.htm
Vocabulary Notebook
Using a format such as a notebook,
To facilitate and sustain a systematic
journal, or personal list to maintain an process of vocabulary development
ongoing list of vocabulary words,
definitions, and connection to academic
study
http://makinglemonadeinsecondgr
ade.blogspot.com/2013/04/vocabu
lary-notebooks-simplified.html
http://msmathmadness.blogspot.c
om/2012/07/vocabulary-ininteractive-notebook.html
Vocabulary Activities:
https://www.teachingchannel.org/vi
deos/making-vocabulary-lessoninteractive
https://www.teachingchannel.org/vi
deos/improving-student-vocabulary
Word Maps
Using a clearly defined graphic
organizer such as concept circles or
word webs to identify and reinforce
word meanings
To provide a visual tool for identifying
and remembering multiple aspects of
words and word meanings
http://www.readingrockets.org/strat
egies/word_maps/
Speaking and Listening Strategies
Choral Reading
Reading text lines aloud in student
To develop fluency; differentiate
groups and / or individually to present between the reading of statements an
an interpretation
questions,; practice phrasing , pacing,
and reading dialogue,; show how a
character’s emotions are captured
through vocal stress and intonation
Engaging in an informal or formal
To provide students with an
argumentation of an issue
opportunity to collect and orally
present evidence supporting the
affirmative and negative arguments of
a proposition or issue
http://www.readingrockets.org/strate
gies/choral_reading/
Drama Games
Participating in creative dramatics (e.g., To engage students in reading and
pantomime, tableau, role playing)
presenting of text and to create
meaning through a kinesthetic
approach
https://www.teachingchannel.org/vide
os/dramatic-interpretations-of-poetry
Fishbowl
(Inner / Outer Circles)
Discussing specific topics within groups;
some students will form the inner circle
and model appropriate discussion
techniques while an outer circle of
students listen, respond, and evaluate
Debate
Note Taking
https://www.teachingchannel.org/vide
os/teaching-economics-with-debating
To provide students with an
http://itcilo.wordpress.com/2009/02/1
opportunity to engage I a formal
6/facilitate-a-fishbowl-discussion/
discussion and to experience roles
both as participant and active listener;
students also have the responsibility of
supporting their opinions and
responses using specific textual
Creating a record of information while To
facilitate active listening; to record https://www.teachingchannel.org/vide
evidence
listening to a speaker
and organize ideas that assist in
os/enhance-student-note-taking
processing information
Oral Interpretation
Reading a text orally while providing the To share with an audience the reader’s
necessary inflection and emphasis that personal insight into a text through
demonstrate an understanding of the voice, fluency, tone, and purpose
meaning of the text
Rehearsal
Encouraging multiple practices of a
piece of text prior to a performance
To provide students with an
http://bcove.me/lmlruyog
opportunity to clarify the meaning of a
text prior to a performance as they
refine the use of dramatic conventions
(e.g., gestures, vocal interpretations,
facial expressions)
Role Playing
Assuming the role or persona of a
character
To develop the voice, emotions, and https://www.teachingchannel.org/vide
mannerisms of a character to facilitate os/dramatic-interpretations-of-poetry
improved comprehension of a text
Socratic Seminar
Tying a focused discussion to an
essential question, topic, or selected
text in which students ask questions of
each other; questions initiate a
conversation that continues with a
series of responses and additional
questions
To help students formulate questions https://www.teachingchannel.org/vide
that address issues (in lieu of simply os/using-socratic-seminars-instating their opinions) to facilitate their classroom
own discussion and arrive at a new
understanding; students also have the
responsibility of supporting their
opinions and responses using specific
textual evidence
Collaborative Strategies
Critique Reasoning
Through collaborative discussion,
respond to the arguments of others;
question the use of mathematical
terminology, assumptions, and
conjectures to improve understanding
and to justify and communicate
conclusions
Helps students learn from each other https://www.teachingchannel.org/vide
as they make connections between
os/multiplying-fractions-lesson
mathematical concepts and learn to
verbalize their understanding and
support their arguments with
reasoning and data that make sense to
peers
Discussion Groups
Working within groups to discuss
content, to create problem solutions,
and to explain and justify a solution
Aids understanding through the
sharing of ideas, interpretation of
concepts, and analysis or problem
scenarios
https://www.teachingchannel.org/vide
os/purposeful-grouping-forcollaboration
Group Presentation
Presenting information as a
collaborative group
Allows opportunities to present
collaborative solutions and share
responsibility for delivering
information to an audience
http://www.learner.org/workshops/t
ml/workshop4/teaching3.html
Jigsaw
By reading different texts or passages
from a single text, students become
“experts”; they share information from
their reading with a specific group, and
then return to their initial groups to
share their new knowledge
To summarize and present information http://bcove.me/ptk9slme
to others in a way that facilitates on
understanding of a text (or multiple
https://www.teachingchannel.org/vide
texts) without having each student
os/jigsaw-method
read the text in its entirety
https://www.teachingchannel.org/vide
os/groups-to-analyze-complex-texts
Literature Circles
Groups of students read the same text To provide opportunities for students http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/
to participate in a mutual reading
to interact with one another as they LiteratureCircles.html
experience; based on the objective(s) of read, respond to, and interpret a
the lesson, students take on a variety of common text
roles throughout the reading
experience; texts may be selected based
on individual preference or on the
demands of the text
Think-Pair-Share
Considering and thinking about a topic To construct meaning about a topic or https://www.teachingchannel.org/vide
or question and then writing what has question; to test thinking in relation to os/think-pair-share-lesson-idea
been learned; pairing with a peer or a the ideas of others; to prepare for a
small group to share ideas; sharing
discussion with a larger group
http://bcove.me/a3vmjoym
ideas and discussion with a larger group
https://www.teachingchannel.org/vide
os/think-pair-share-lesson-idea
Construct an Argument
Create a Plan
Create Representations
Problem Solving Strategies
Use mathematical reasoning to
Helps develop the process of
present assumptions about
evaluation mathematical
mathematical situation, support
information, developing
conjectures with mathematically
reasoning skills, and enhancing
relevant and accurate data, and
communication skills in
provide a logical progression of
supporting conjectures an
ideas leading to a conclusion that conclusions
makes sense
Analyzing the tasks in a problem
and creating a process for
completing the tasks by finding
information needed for the tasks,
interpreting data, choosing how
to solve a problem,
communicating the results, and
verifying accuracy
Creating pictures, tables, graphs,
lists, equations, models, and/or
verbal expressions to interpret
text or data
Assists in breaking tasks into
smaller parts and identifying the
steps needed to complete the
entire task
Helps organize information using
multiple ways to presents data
and to answer a question or show
a problem solution
http://www.illustrativemathemati
cs.org/standards/practice
http://www.learner.org/series/m
odules/express/pages/ccmathmo
d_07.html
http://www.learner.org/series/m
odules/express/pages/ccmathmo
d_09.html
https://www.teachingchannel.org
/videos/math-problem-solvingplan
https://www.teachingchannel.org
/videos/3rd-grade-graphinglesson
https://www.teachingchannel.org
/videos/problem-solving-math
Guess and Check
Guessing the solution to a
problem, and then checking that
the guess fits the information in
Allows exploration of different
ways to solve a problem; guess
and check may be use when other
https://www.teachingchannel.org
/videos/conjecture-lesson-plan
http://threeacts.mrmeyer.com/w
atertank/
Identify a Subtask
Look for a Pattern
the problem and is an accurate
solution
strategies for solving are not
obvious
Breaking a problem into smaller
pieces whose outcomes lead to a
solution
Observing information or creating
visual representations to find a
trend
Helps to organize the pieces of a
complex problem and reach a
complete solution
Helps to identify patterns that
may be used to make predictions
Work Backward
Tracing a possible answer back
through the solution process to
the starting point
Provides another way to check
possible answers for accuracy
Use Manipulatives
Using objects to examine relations Provides visual representation of
hips between the information
data that supports
given
comprehension of information in
a problem
https://docs.google.com/spreads
heet/pub?key=0AjIqyKM9d7ZYdE
htR3BJMmdBWnM2YWxWYVM1
UWowTEE&output=html
https://www.teachingchannel.org
/videos/algebra-lesson-planning
https://www.teachingchannel.org
/videos/conjecture-lesson-plan
https://in.scishis.net/sites/default/files/1865/bl
ake-topic-bank-workingbackwards.pdf
https://www.teachingchannel.org
/videos/teaching-subtractingintegers
https://www.teachingchannel.org
/videos/visualizing-geometrylesson