E NGAGING S TUDENTS IN I NFORMATIONAL T EXT a few strategies York Public Schools

O BJECTIVES Use strategies to encourage greater comprehension Setting purpose Text Protocols Questioning Summarizing Graphic Organizers “Whether you’re a novice or a veteran teacher, using texts effectively requires the willingness to explore instructional strategies and to move beyond assigning and telling.” --Vacca & Vacca, 2002, p. 6 “Whether you’re a novice or a veteran teacher, using texts effectively requires the willingness to explore instructional strategies and to move beyond assigning and telling.” --Vacca & Vacca, 2002, p. 6

S UCCESSFUL R EADERS Use strategies when encountering new words Connect new information to existing knowledge Continually monitor own understanding Use a variety of effective strategies before, during, and after reading. Create images of reading content Periodically summarize reading/learning Use textual cues, visuals, structure Set a purpose and adjust rate and strategy use

C OMPREHENSION S TRATEGIES Before Reading Preview the text Set a purpose Activate background knowledge content vocabulary text structure Predict After Reading Determine importance Infer Summarize Synthesize Question Evaluate During Reading Monitor own comprehension Visualize Infer Use “fix-up” strategies Question Summarize

BEFORE READING S ET A P URPOSE Purpose affects comprehension. appropriate speed importance of specific information activation of relevant background knowledge memory Complete a sentence stem The purpose of (source) is to _(inform, persuade, etc.) (audience) about (topic) by (methods—examples, description, facts, etc.)

BEFORE READING S ET A P URPOSE Anticipation Guide activate upon prior / background knowledge identify misconceptions provide purpose (support, refute, answer questions) Before Reading StatementAfter Reading To produce the best grapes for wine, vines should be well-irrigated. The vines with the highest yields tend to produce the most flavorful grapes.

BEFORE READING P RETEACH, P REVIEW, P REDICT Preteach key words Key proper nouns, critical concept nouns Target vocabulary Introduce the “big idea” Preview (teacher think-aloud) & Predict Brief Think-aloud Link to background knowledge, previous learning “What do you think you will learn about? Why?

DURING READING A SK & A NSWER Q UESTIONS Right There Answers word-for-word in text Putting It Together Answers throughout text or in different words Must look in more than one place & put information together Making Connections Cannot be answered by text alone Require thinking about text, own knowledge, and how it fits together

DURING READING D ETERMINE M AIN I DEA Get the Gist Who or what is the paragraph/section about? What is the most important information about the who or what? Say it in a main idea statement with 10 words or less. (Repeat and combine the main idea statements to summarize a longer selection.)

DURING / AFTER READING D ETERMINE M AIN I DEA

T WO S TARS AND A W ISH Please share two of the most important or relevant ideas you heard. Please record something you wish: a question or a comment about something you heard something you need to know to understand better a resource you would like posted something to help make the in-service more engaging, relevant, accurate

A F EW M ORE S UMMARY A CTIVITIES

L EARNER S UMMARY : M OSAIC Draw a window with 5 panes. Write a single word or short phrase in each pane representing the most important ideas Connect these ideas/concepts in (1-3) sentences.

W RITE A H EADLINE 1. Consider a chunk of information. 2. Write a short headline to summarize the information.

W RITE N EWS A RTICLE B EGINNING Most information in first two paragraphs Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?

R.A.F.T. Role Audience Format Topic You are a kidney in the human body. Write a letter to your host to explain what you need to stay healthy and why the host will be better off if you ARE and STAY in tip-top condition. (Wormelli, R., 2005, p. 133)