1. …and About Understanding and implementing higher level thinking
Becky Dolaway & Samantha Marsh

2. The Shout Outs

3. THE WHEEL Horseheads teachers and kids ROCK at this
Why we are here today

4. Thinking About Text Choices
Engage the readers with delightful texts.
Think about the way the child will understand the text.
Use books that have print features that support rather than impede comprehension.
Use texts with language that is accessible to the reader.
Use books with text structures that the reader can access and understand.
Use texts with illustrations that support meaning and do not confuse the readers.
pg 400

5. Been There, Done That
“The teacher provides the students little introduction to the text, thinking ‘I want to see if they can get it by themselves.’ The students process the text inefficiently. They get through it. Then the teacher asks them what they ‘got.’ The answers are unsatisfactory, so she probes deeper with questions that ‘lead’ so strongly that she finally elicits (or tells) the ‘answer.’ The bell rings for lunch The students are unengaged and the teacher is exhausted. She goes to lunch and tells her colleagues that teaching is like ‘pulling teeth.’ ”
pg 431

6. Pre-Reading…Building On What They Know

7. Giving Away the Text?!?!
“When you provide an introduction, you are not ‘giving away the text.’ You are making it possible for the reader to experience excellent understanding, which not only develops the neural network but satisfies the emotions, which is the heart of motivation and mediates all other thinking.”
pg 410

8. Words of the Wise
It’s not about the content of the book. It’s about the behaviors and understandings they are expected to know at that level – moving to the next level.

9. Reading…Stay Out of It!
Limit “teacher talk” – Be selective, get out of their way
Take advantage of on-the-spot questions
Be flexible with lesson plan, use teachable moments
Use “spaces” in the reading (when turning pages, looking at pictures)
Model higher level thinking by inviting students to WONDER about something that will boost their comprehension. “I wonder how the character is feeling?” “I wonder why the author included that part?”
Direct students’ focus by giving them a PURPOSE that will inspiring higher level thinking. “Keep reading to figure out what the author is trying to teach us.” “As you can continue, you will see why the character did that.”
pg 432

10. Discussing & Revisiting the Text… More Than Just a Retelling
Looking for evidence of their understanding through the talk
Prompt for evidence
Use questions that lead students into BEYOND and ABOUT, WITHIN knowledge will naturally follow.
Not “Tell me the information” Instead, “What did you learn about ___ that was interesting to you?”
Interpret diagrams and other non-fiction text features
pgs

11. Final Teaching Points to Build Students’ Thinking
Utilize The Continuum of Literacy Learning to help find behaviors/understandings for your student’s reading level(s)
Anticipate what your students will have difficulty with that relates to the text, but be ready to change your plan to work on whatever caused readers difficulty
Brief and explicit
pgs

12. All About You
Once students learn how to think while they read, teaching them to comprehend will be less exhausting and have more fun!
When we have the appropriate tools at hand, we are less exhausted and have more fun.
Find YOUR favorite prompts in the Prompting Guide.
pg 432