Comprehension Strategies Literacy across learning Eyemouth High School

Learning strategies We often read things we don’t understand This may be because there are words or ideas we haven’t heard before Or the topic may be a new one altogether What strategies can we use to learn this new learning deeply and effectively?

1. Prior knowledge What do we already know about this? Have we heard anything about this before? What skills do we already have which might help us to solve this or work it out?

2. Metalinguistics Does this piece of writing or what we are hearing make sense? What is the writer saying? Which language techniques is the writer using to help us understand what he is saying? If the language is being said out loud what is the tone? Is the language appropriate to the situation?

3. Visualisation (sensory images) Create a visual image (eg picture, mind map, diagram) which will help you to recall or explain what you have just read or heard.

4. Inferences Can you draw a conclusion from what you have read or heard? Can you predict what will happen next? What is the theme of what you are reading or hearing? What insight do you get from what you have read or heard?

5. Main ideas What is the main theme of what you have just read or heard? What is the main point the writer or speaker is trying to put across?

6. Paraphrasing Can you explain or restate the main meaning of what you have just read or heard in your own words?

7. Summarising Can you make notes, draw points together and write a summary of what you have just read or heard.