0. Classroom Strategies for Interactive Learning
Doug Buehl
Learning Targets- learn a few strategies to ensure students are reaching the components of what good readers do.

1. Ch 1: Fostering Comprehension of Complex Texts
Meeting the significant shifts in expectations with regards to the challenges of Common Core State Standards (p 3-4)
Students will be expected to read and comprehend texts of greater complexity
Students will be expected to read a higher volume of informational texts
Students will be expected to perceive, analyze, and develop argumentation as readers, writers, speakers, listeners, and viewers.
Students will be expected to considerably expand their academic vocabularies
Students will be expected to regularly communicate their understandings as readers and learners through writing
This is a summary of the reading which addresses the new demands of the Iowa Core and text complexity

2. Frontloading for Comprehension
Read the following essay then think about the main idea of this passage.
Your first decision is to choose the size you desire. Once you have made your selection, examine the general shape to determine where to start. The initial incision is always at the top, and you should continue until you can lift it cleanly. The removal of the interior portion can be fun, although some people regard this as the least enjoyable aspect. Once the shell is empty, you can begin to graft a personality. Some prefer a forbidding likeness, whereas others follow a more humorous direction. Finally, arrange for a source of illumination. Enjoy your results while you can, for your work will soon begin to sag.

3. Frontloading for comprehension
If I told you that we were going to read an essay about making a jack-o-lantern and we talked a little about what that means before we read the article, would it have made a difference?
This is frontloading. Why is frontloading important? How can this be tied to making predictions? Activating prior knowledge? Making connections? Could a student who has never seen or carved a pumpkin ever comprehend this text without discussing some of these things first? Wormeli states you must “prime the brain” before you dive into the work or ask questions.
For frontloading, use the strategy called “Chapter Tours” which points out features of the text that warrant special attention. Effective tours should do the components of what all good readers do.
This session is using a basic format of the chapter tour to preview and define the main parts of the chapter before reading as well as initiate what is to come in the next sessions….Ch 2 frontloading text complexity and understanding possible strategies. Plus I sent an asking you to start thinking about the topics and what experience you have had.
Connect to EV close reading session- Don’t frontload every time or give too much personal info because then you end up telling them what they should be thinking when they should learn to do this on their own through close reading. However, give some basic info about what they are going to read, so they have a basis for what they are about to read.
If time: In groups or departments if possible, think about a specific unit or area that you teach.
What prior knowledge is needed to be successful?
If a student doesn’t feel success, what will you do to help build background knowledge? (Dufour’s Questions)

4. Comprehension Processes of Proficient Readers
What do good readers do? (p 4-6)
Make connections to prior knowledge
Generate questions
Visualize and create sensory mental images
Making inferences
Determine importance
Synthesize
Monitor reading and apply fix up strategies
Students should naturally have strategies for these metacognitive components- teachers have to teach how to do these things.

5. Strategies: Jigsaw and Three 3’s in a Row
Total Participation Technique- Engagement and Movement with the strategy of Three 3’s in a Row
Reminder that the strategy is only as good as your questions….today was about understanding these elements of what good readers do.

6. Strategy: Jigsaw and Three 3’s in a Row
Let’s discuss each area: (p 4-6)
Make connections to prior knowledge
Generate questions (Strategy: Thin and Thick Questioning)
Visualize and create sensory mental images
Making inferences (Strategy: It Says, I Say, And So
Determine importance (Strategy: The Shrinking Post-It Note)
Synthesize
Monitor reading and apply fix up strategies (Strategy: Fix-It Bookmark)
The strategy of Chapter Tour meets all of these except monitor and fix up.
Three 3’s in a Row adds in a brain break/movement.
Dialogue with departments or whole group-
These are components of good readers- you need a strategy for working with each one of these within your classroom
Talk to other teachers or a coach if you would like more ideas for strategies for each one of these.
Making Connections/Schema- Activating relevant,prior knowledge to make connections before, during, and after reading and storing new information with other related memories
Questioning- Asking questions before, during, and after reading to better understand what is read
Visualizing/Sensory Images- Creating pictures in the mind using all of the senses and emotions
Inferring- Using background knowledge, combined with evidence from the text, to make inferences and draw conclusions
Determining Importance- Identifying the main ideas, what the author considers important, and the theme
Synthesize- Combining what is known with new information to understand the text
Now I get it!”
“I learned that____.”
“My thinking changed while I was reading because...”
Monitoring for Meaning- Using “fix-up” strategies when coming to an unknown word or a confusing part of the text

7. Strategy: Thin & Thick Questioning
Thin Questions
Easier to Answer
Can Find Answers Right in the Text
Can be Yes or No Questions
Typically Have Only 1 Answer
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
How many?
Yes/No?
Thick Questions
Harder to Answer
Need to Think and Use Schema
Need to Use Evidence from Text
Many Possible Answers to a Question
Why…?
How come…?
I wonder…?
What does the author mean?
What would happen?
How does this affect?
specific strategy for Generating Questions

8. Strategy: The Shrinking Post-It Note
Big Post-It:
Starting Important Details
Medium Post - It:
More Important Details of the Starting Post-It
Small Post - It:
The Absolute Most Important Detail
specific strategy for determining importance
handout specific strategy for inferences- It Says, I Say, and So

9. Fix Up Strategies Examples:
Stop and think about what you have already read
Make a prediction
Ask yourself a question and try to answer it
Retell what you’ve read
Adjust your reading rate: slow down or speed up
Visualize
Use print conventions
Notice patterns in text structure
Reread
Reflect in writing on what you have read
Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? Cris Tovani
Just a note since this may be the newest to think about --Specific strategy for fix up and monitor

10. Close Reading
Close reading is a strategy that helps students work with a text to reach comprehension. If students are not working towards understanding, they resort to the following three practices (p 6-10):
skimming for answers (locate and copy)
surface processing (dutifully reading, but not engaging)
reading and forgetting (need to personalize reading)
Strategies play a significant role in developing proficient reader behaviors.
EV session had this as their first session for TQ with R&R, prior knowledge for some MS faculty with previous year’s sessions.
Annotating is a one strategy for Close Reading. But Annotating is not the only strategy for Close Reading. Close Reading is establishing a purpose and looking for specific details to meet that purpose.

11. Strategies
“The researchers recommended that each strategy be taught with singular focus, over a long period of time, to students from kindergarten through twelfth grade and beyond, and that teachers model and students practice the strategies with a variety of texts. If teachers focused their attention on a strategy, beginning with a great deal of modeling and gradually releasing responsibility (Gallagher and Pearson, 1983) to the children to practice it independently, the researchers believed students could actually be taught to think differently as they read.”
From Mosaic of Thought by Ellin Keene
model, repeat, and gradually release strategies
More Instructional Strategies to come in future sessions

12. Now What
What can you take away from this session? Just think about the following:
What can you do to help students learn and apply “What good readers do” within your classroom?
How could you incorporate Three 3’s?
Where could you incorporate front loading techniques such as the Chapter Tour?
(Remember that strategies are offered and you can decide if it works for you in your classroom. There will be a reflective session in November to talk about a strategy that you used within your classroom. More strategies will be learned before the reflective session.)
Exit Slip on Google:

13. What’s Next
Chapter 2: Frontloading- Addressing knowledge demands of complex texts and more strategies
Give copies of the strategies

14. Resources
Chapter 1:
entire chapter