Developing Readers, Modeling -- Independence

This resource, written by Geraldine Haggard, D. Ed., is based on teaching comprehension and test taking strategies through a gradual release of responsibility.
The strategies are modeled until the student has an understanding of how to use them.

As strategies are introduced they will be added to this webpage to provide you with ways to support your students at home.

Refer to these to guide helping your student at home with reading.

The main idea of the text is what the text is mostly about. Sometimes the writer tells you the main idea directly. Sometimes the writer suggests the main idea from information given in the text, and you must put it together. The main idea is the message the author wants you to remember after reading.The supporting details are small bits of information stated in the text that help define and give more information about the main idea. They are stated in the text and tell who, what, where, when, why, and how.


Strategy prompts:
Paragraph ____tells mostly about______.
Paragraph ____of the newspaper article is mainly about ________.
What is paragraph ___mainly about?
Paragraph __ is mainly about
What is this article mainly about?What is the main idea of paragraph ____?
What is paragraph ____ mostly about?

A written summary is a short paragraph retelling the most important ideas and details in the text. The retelling is done in sequence, including the beginning, middle, and end

Literal

When you think about cause and effect, you think about two things:
• what happens or the result (effect)
• why it happens (cause)
Sometimes the author gives us both the cause and the effect in the text.
The author may use words to show this relationship such as : because, as a result, therefore, since, so, etc.

Inferred:

Sometimes the author may not give us the cause or effect in the text.
If you are given the cause:
• use your prior knowledge about people. Use places and events to predict what will probably happen in the future.

Sometimes when reading, you come to an unknown word.
Look for clues in the text to help you figure it out.
The words and sentences around the unknown word can give clues. These clues are called context clues.
Sometimes they are found close to the new word.
Sometimes you must look in the paragraph before or after the word.
Use information provided in the text and what makes sense to figure out the meaning of the word.
How to Use Context Clues
· Locate the unfamiliar word.· Write the word down in your student response journal or sticky note.
· Write down the paragraph or page number.
· Read before and after the word (read around the word).
· Write down words that help you find the meaning of the word (context clues).
· Write down what you think the word means (make a prediction).
· Check to make sure that your prediction makes sense (reread to confirm).

The plot is what happens in the story.
The plot includes:
· a beginning where the setting, main character and the problem are introduced
· a middle where the character tries to solve the problem
· an ending where the problem may be resolved.
The author may use a story problem-resolution plan to make the story more interesting.
In this plan the character is introduced and struggles to solve a problem.
Watching the character work to overcome and resolve his problem holds the readers’ interest.

When reading, use information from the text (story details) and what you know (life experiences) to make inferences.
That means you go beyond the author’s words to understand what is not said in the text.
When you make inferences, you make predictions and draw conclusions.
To do this you think of logical outcomes (now or in the future). It is always important to give evidence or tell what information in the text helped you.

INFERENCES
Take information from the text and what you know to figure out something that is not stated in the text.

This includes:

Predictions – take information from the text and what you know to make a smart guess about what might happen in the future.

Drawing Conclusions – take information from the text and come to a new understanding.


GENERALIZATIONS
A general statement made about a person, a large group, or a topic.

Example: Recess is the best part of the school day.
To make a good generalization you need to support it with a lot of evidence.

In order to have a deeper understanding of stories, first, it is important to notice how story details are alike and then notice how they are different.

Comparing Story Variants
Things you can compare are:
· the plot (sequence of events)
· the setting (time and place)
· the characters (people or animals)
· the problem (obstacles)
· the themes (central meaning of the story or what it tells about life)
· and solutions (resolution of the problem)

Strategy Prompts:
· What is one difference between the _____and the ______?
· When the _____are _____how do they act differently?
· How is ______like _______?

When reading two texts on the same topic or theme, it is important to be able to recognize similarities and differences.
The reader can compare one text with the other.
When reading ask:
· How do the authors feel about the topic?
Do the authors feel the same or differently about the topic? (beliefs/ideas)
· How is the text written?
Do they include facts or opinions? (organization)
· Which text gives you more information about the topic? (development)

After reading compare:
· How is the information in the texts similar?

How is the information in the texts different?

Strategy Prompts:
· One way these selections are alike is that both mention ___.
· ______’s report is different from the newspaper article because the report____.
· Look at the chart comparing the two stories. Which of these best completes the chart?

When reading, it is important to make connections and to compare and contrast ideas, themes, and issues.
The reader may need to go beyond the author’s words within one or two texts to compare how ideas, themes, and issues are alike and how they are different.

When reading:
· Compare – how the two texts are alike
· Contrast – how the two texts are different
· Connect – how the two texts connect to our life

Strategy Prompts:
How is ____different from ___?
The newspaper article and ____report both tell about ____.
The idea present in both selections is ______.