Helping Students Access Text Material Successfully Strategic Science Teaching © 2012Used with Permission from the Los Angeles County Office of Education Los Angeles County Office of Educationhttp://sst.lacoe.edu

Some Reflective Thoughts “I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you” Anonymous "I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think." Socrates

Schemata: Have You Got It? 1.People “construct” meaning in their life based on their store of memories: everything they have ever 1.sensed 2.experienced 3.learned

Schemata: Have You Got It? 1.Schema = HOW people organize and store information in their heads. It reflects 1.experiences 2.attitudes 3.values 4.conceptual understanding 5.skills & strategies that readers bring to a text situation

Schemata: Have You Got It? 1.Schema provides mental shortcuts to help us absorb the bombardment of stimuli from a complex world.

1.Gives a framework to understand reading and fill in gaps 2.Helps readers organize text information and REMEMBER what’s been read 3.Helps readers elaborate information involving deeper levels of insight, memory judgement and evaluation. Schemata: How it Functions Schema functions in 3 ways:

1. Read the passage and fill in the blanks with words that make sense to you. 2.Answer the questions using sentences. 3.Get in pairs and read passages to each other. 4.Find out if any groups have the exact same wording. 5. Share your responses in pairs. 6.Have a class discussion on what strategies students have when dealing with a science text. Schemata: Have You Got It?

Read & Fill in Missing Words The questions that p ________ face as they raise c______ from in________ to adult life are not easy to a_____. Both f______, and m________ can become concerned when health problems such as co________ arise any time after the e__ stage to later life. Experts recommend that young c_______ should have plenty of s ______ and nutritious food for healthy growth. B______ and g____ should not share the same b ______ or even sleep in the same r____. They may be afraid of the dark. Adapted from Madeline Hunter

The questions that poultrymen face as they raise chickens from incubation to adult life are not easy to answer. Both farmers, and merchants can become concerned when health problems such as coccidiosis arise any time after the egg stage to later life. Experts recommend that young chickens should have plenty of sunshine and nutritious food for healthy growth. Banties and geese should not share the same barnyard or even sleep in the same roost. They may be afraid of the dark. Adapted from Madeline Hunter Read & Fill in Missing Words

Reflecting on Schemata 1. How did you decide what the passage was about? 2. Did the passage make sense to you? 3. Do you think there may be an alternative way to fill in the blanks? 4. Listen carefully to the original passage. 5. What are your thoughts and reactions? 6. When reading your book, what problems do you have with the text? 7. Do you use any reading strategies that help you understand the text? What are they? Answer in complete sentences and get ready to share your work

To understand & remember To understand & remember Thinking Processes Used By Good Readers Having A Conversation with Yourself Why am I reading this? I'd better use some specific strategies to attack this material: it's complicated! What am I reading? A science text or article A science text or article

An important part of the college experience is learning to learn. SQ4R is one strategy that can help you get the most out of your textbook reading. SQ4R will assure that you don't just "do it," when it comes to your reading assignments: – –you will derive as much as you possibly can out of the experience.

Overview: quickly look for the main idea or unifying theme – –Table of Contents – –Introduction/Summary; first sentence of each paragraph – –Headings (memorize if possible) – –Pictures, charts, diagrams, etc. – –Vocabulary lists, notated print, captions, etc.

As You Are Surveying: How is the text organized? What do I know about the topic already? What do I expect it to talk about? Do I need to use some kind of graphic organizer like a concept map? Have a conversation with yourself:

Establish a purpose. Begin to think about the material. – –Turn headings and subheadings into questions. – –Read all questions within the chapter/text. – –Try to guess at the answers.

What About Unknown Words? I can use context clues to figure out what words probably mean. I can look for familiar word parts if it doesn't slow me down I can look it up now if it seems to be important to understand the rest. I can ask someone what it means. I can write it down and look it up later

to answer questions – –Carefully read (in manageable chunks) to answer questions. – –Correct incorrect guesses from early questioning. – –Note important details, relationships

Questions to ask myself when I don't understand what I've read 1. What are the unknown vocabulary words? Can I figure out what they mean? 2. Are there sentences that don't make any sense? 3. Are there concepts that are unfamiliar?

4. 4. Is the writing hard to follow? Are the sentences too long? Do they jump around? Am I getting lost in details and missing the big picture? Am I confused because the parts don't seem connected? Questions to ask myself when I don't understand what I've read

Answers to questions with the book closed – –State orally answers to questions. – –State key facts and concepts. – –Reread any areas which are unclear.

Take notes! – –Take accurate notes on basic concepts. – –Create a graphic organizer – –Prepare a study sheet for exams. – –Use outline or Cornell Note format

at short intervals – –Review notes. – –Be able to answer all questions. – –Predict test questions and answer them.

REVIEW Does my graphic organizer make sense? Have I missed any important ideas or vocabulary? Can I paraphrase the main ideas from memory? Can I apply the info to a new situation? Have a conversation with yourself:

Assign a chapter to read on their own Take Cornell notes on the chapter Grade the questions they generate OR Let them use their notes on a quiz Model & Encourage Reading the Text Model the SQ4R method of reading a text. – –Question aloud, show your own notes as overheads

KWL KNOW What do I already KNOW about the topic? WANT What do I WANT to learn about the topic? LEARNED What did I LEARN about the topic?

Reading In Science 3 Reading Activities 1.Scanning Races 1.Improving speed & comprehension 2.Make Golden Sentences: 1.Learning to paraphrase 3.Anticipatory guide: 1.Creating Higher-level Questions 2.Using Cornell notes backwards

Scanning Races 1.Using a teacher-generated question sheet, READ a short but intensive article as quickly as possible, filling in answers. 1.Raise your hand and shout “DONE” when finished with all questions 2.Be prepared to share out to the group!

Golden Sentences 1.Individually read an in-depth article 2.Distill the entire article down to one to two key sentences. 1.Use the sentences to make a poem 3.Be prepared to share out to the group!

Anticipatory Guide 1.While reading a rigorous article, use a teacher- generated sheet of questions to create Cornell notes 2.Using the questions as reading guide, continue until you have finished the article & filled in the notes. “Backward” Cornell Notes:

Significant Statements 1.Individually 1.Write 3 significant statements about a chapter in the text. 2.Remember to paraphrase, not plagerize 2.In a small group 1.Write 3 GROUP significant statements after sharing individual ones

Significant Statements 3. In a small group 1.Create a poster illustrating your 3 group statements. 2.Include pictures, examples, diagrams 4. Get ready to share your work!

Developed by Developed by Anne F. Maben AVID LACOE Science Coach Leslie Hays AVID SDCOE AP Coordinator © 2002 LACOE All rights reserved