Name:
Type:
Literacy Skill:
Domain:
Grade Level Uses:
PAR Use:
Researched, Field Tested:
Creator:
Directed Reading- Thinking Activity (DR-TA)
Strategy
Prediction, Listening, Speaking
Comprehension
2-20
Uses all three phases of PAR framework; Involves
the reader before, during, and after reading.
Yes
Preparation Steps:
1. Find a test that you would like students to use to predict what
will happen; Can be Fiction or Non-Fiction.
2. Make a column chart with “my prediction” and “what really
happened” as the headers.
Application Steps:
1. Previewing: Students pre-read (fiction) or study (non-fiction) the
title, pictures, subtitles, charts, maps, graphs, summaries,
conclusions, and end of chapter questions, and introduction.
2. In fiction readings, the students then make a hypothesis about
what they think will happen and why.
3. In non-fiction readings, the next two steps happen: Decision
making (what is known after previewing and what do we need to
learn) and Writing (writing specific questions students need to
learn).
4. Next for both types of reading is to read the content. Fiction
readers find out if their predictions were right. Non-fiction readers
find the answers to their questions.
5. Reflecting on the reading for both types of reading. Fiction
readers check on individual and group hypotheses. Non-Fiction
readers defend their inferences by referring to the text or change
the answers to their questions.
Things to watch out for: Having students write what actually happened in their twocolumn worksheet can help the teacher check to see whether the student is actively
predicting and taking part in the reading process. If they do not do this step or what they
write here is obviously wrong it is an indication that they have disengaged and may need
some special attention.
Description/Application:
DRTA helps students understand that each segment of the text can help them figure out
the next segment. There are three basic steps: predicting, reading, and proving.
Predicting prepares the reader for comprehension. The predicting steps build purpose
for reader. When readers are asked what they think might happen next and then read to
verify their predictions, they are being encouraged to read purposefully. Also, the
teacher does not ask traditional after-the-reading questions. The post-reading reflection
phase enables the teacher to have students do higher-level thinking in evaluating what
they thought about the text. DRTA lessons help teachers to model the reading process
at its best.
Name:
Extended Anticipation Guide
Type:
Strategy
Literacy Skill:
Reading Instruction
Domain:
Comprehension - Prediction
Grade Level Uses:
3-12
Special Population: N/A
Cognitive Process: Classification and others
PAR Use:
Assistance
Researched, Field Tested: YES
Author/Creator:
Duffelmeyer, F.A., Baum, D.D., & Merkley, D.J., 1987
Preparation Steps
1. Create the three column Extended Anticipation Guide to give to
Students.
2. Make sure reading is relevant to Guide.
3. Complete the Anticipation Guide and Extended Anticipation
Guide in order to test the strategy.
Application Steps:
1. Students will read text.
2. Students will get into groups
3. If students find support for the answers given in the
Anticipation Guide they will check support.
4. If students do not find support they will check off no support
and give a reason in their own words.
Differentiation: This strategy will work for all areas of learning. The questions in the
anticipation guide will need to be altered to fit the subject and the
chosen reading would need to be relevant to the area of study
and to the question of the Anticipation Guide.
The strategy
is not suggested to use with students who cannot read, write, talk
and form ideas. For older students I would ask them to write
down the statement or page to show what fact they found in the
reading that supported the answer they chose in the Anticipation
Guide.
Things to watch out for: Make sure the students are writing their reason for no support
in their own words. Make sure all the students are participating when they are set in
groups.
Description/Application: The Extended Anticipation Guide is an assistance strategy that
creates discussion, reinforces or verifies information that students have learned, and
allows students to modify predictions to take into account new insights and information.
Name:
Type:
Literacy Skill:
Domain:
Grade Level Uses:
Special Population:
Cognitive Process:
PAR Use:
Researched, Field Tested:
Author/Creator:
Final Word Protocol
Strategy
Reading and Writing Instruction
Comprehension – Inference
1-12
n/a
Comprehension and Observation
Assistance – During Reading or Reflection – After Reading
Preparation Steps:
1. Select material for students to read inside or outside of class.
2. If read inside class, be sure to have a clock or watch to keep
time for both reading and discussion.
Application Steps:
1. Divide students into groups (no larger than five or six).
2. Instruct students label themselves (1, 2, 3 …).
3. Tell students to read material (skip step if material has already
been read).
4. Tell student labeled #1 to find a sentence or two that they
found interesting while reading.
6. Tell other students in the group not to talk until given the
chance. No one is to interrupt the student designated to talk.
6. Instruct students to then go around the group building on the
idea of student #1.
7. Once the entire group has expounded on the first student’s
idea, student #2 will explain which sentence/s he or she found
interesting.
8. Continue this until every student has had a chance to select an
interesting point and each student in the group has had a chance
to expound on it.
Differentiation: You may use a time limit on how long a person must talk. For math
students you may give them an equation to solve and then allow them to
discuss what they found difficult or easy about the problem or just how
they came to solve it. For P.E. a teacher may teach or allow students to
read about an exercise. Then similar to math you have students discuss
what they found difficult, easy, or interesting about the exercise.
Things to watch out for: When students are discussing make sure other students do not
talk. Like most people when something arises to comment on, it is difficult not to
express your opinion or idea. Also, allow students to discuss freely. Teachers may feel
the need to correct grammar or aid a student in expressing his or her idea, but restrain
from helping in order for the students to express their ideas and interests completely.
Description/Application: Final Word Protocol encourages students to be engaged in
their reading and verbalize their thoughts and ideas. It also allows students to see what
other students received from the same material.
Name: Making Connections
Type: Strategy
Literacy Skill: Reading and Writing
Domain: Comprehension-Prediction
Grade Level Uses: K-12
Special Population: N/A
Cognitive Process: Prior Knowledge and Meaning Vocabulary
PAR Use: Preparation, Assistance, and Reflection
Researched, Field Tested: Yes
Author/Creator: Patricia Cunningham, James Cunningham, Sharon Moore, and David
Moore.
Preparation Steps:
1. Compare and contrast two concepts; children come to school
with first hand prior knowledge, so use the knowledge that they
know and explain the similarities and differences to a concept they
do not know.
2. Besides comparing and contrasting a concept, ask the student
what suggestions they might have to help them learn and remember the
new word.
Students can relate new vocabulary with personal
experiences.
3. Students can write poems, stories, and informational passages
that allows them
to use the new vocabulary.
4. You can use word connecting activity that includes speaking
and writing.
Application Steps:
1. When using the compare and contrast concept make sure that
the child has
prior knowledge of at least one of the words so that
they can grasp the new
vocabulary word.
2. If this strategy doesn’t work another one that can be used is to
give the child
the meaning of the word and have them relate it to
a personal experience so that
they are able to apply the meaning
of the word to something they have already experienced.
3. As a reflection strategy, the students can write poems, stories,
or informational
passages where they can write using the
vocabulary terms. They can get into
groups a work with others to
create stories.
4. A word connecting activity that helps the students is called
Capsule Vocabulary where students take terms that they have
been introduced and intentionally work them into a conversation
with a partner. The partner will listen and write down the words
that have been used. Once they have both completed talking
and recording the students will each write down a summary on
the topic containing the terms. The students will then exchange
papers and comment on each others papers.
Differentiation: These different strategies will work differently for the range of age
groups. The compare/contrast method can be used in any grade level the words will
just be more complicated as you get older. For inclusion and ELL students this method
would probably work the best just make sure to associate new vocabulary terms with
words they know. All of the other strategies are also helpful for the students to get a
better grasp on the new terms.
Things to watch out for: When the students are writing and talking with fellow peers
make sure that they are using the new vocabulary terms correctly.
Description/Application: The strategies are just a way for the children to find ways to
learn and retain the meaning of new vocabulary using prior knowledge.