1. Strategies for Reading in Content Areas

2. Activating Prior Knowledge
Relate what we are reading to something we already know
Often don’t think what they already know is important
May not have any background knowledge—so teacher must build it
Use procedure before, during, & after reading
Materials to support strategy
RAN Preview Guide—Anticipation Guide
K-W-H-L Heart Strategy
Graphic organizers SQ3R
Cornell Notes Go Chart
We do this naturally as adults
If you are studying force and motion but students have no concept of what you’re talking about show a short video of a roller coaster, give them toys to play with , what are your ideas

3. Previewing & Using Text Structure
Look at title, subtitles, graphic support, margin information, embolden words to determine what information lies ahead
Look for problem and solution in science/social studies texts
Look for important details that support the questions posed by reader
Use before and during reading
Materials to support strategy
Nonfiction features activities
Problem/Solution
Chain of Events

4. Setting a Purpose Activity
Read The House and circle with your pencil whatever you think is important
Read The House again and use a green highlighter to mark places in the text a robber would find important.
Read The House again and use a blue highlighter to mark places in the text a prospective home buyer would find important
What did you notice about the 3 times you marked the text? Which time was the hardest?

5. Setting a Purpose for Reading
Set very specific purposes for reading
Begin by modeling procedure and teacher setting purpose
Move toward having students set purpose or read more than once to fulfill different purposes
Read to get information, solve a problem, perform a task
Use before and during reading
Materials to support strategy:
Graphic organizer to record purposes
Anticipation guide
Brainstorm with your students reasons why you read something: for understanding, gather information, form an opinion, evaluate a story, form questions about topics to explore further, etc

6. Adjusting the Rate of Reading
Adjust rate of reading as purpose changes
Introduce this idea and model
Choose materials that are both easy and difficult to model and practice the need to vary the rate
Use before and during reading
Materials to support strategy
Watch Your Reading Speed
Café Strategy

7. Predicting Ideas and Events
Use before and during reading
Enhance by activating prior knowledge & previewing and utilizing text structure
Materials to support strategy
Strategic Strategies
Precise Predictions
Plenty of Predictions
Start by discussing title—what does that suggest? What will it be about

8. Mental Imagery Think about pictures and illustrations as you read
Use pictures to help you remember
Make connections between the visuals and the text
Make pictures in your mind
Use before, during, & after reading
Materials to support strategy
Talking Drawings
Sketching Through the Text

9. Use Cueing System Effectively
Figure out unknown words using phonics and meaning cues
Figure out and understand unknown concepts
Use during reading
Materials to support strategy
Word attack strategies & bookmarks
Fix-up Strategies

10. Employ Vocabulary Techniques
Utilize a variety of methods to unlock the meaning of unfamiliar words
Use multiple forms of context—effective vocabulary learning occurs in context
Use graphic information
Access external sources for word meaning
Use before, during & after reading
Materials to support strategy
Types of Context
Oh My Word!
Word Wrap
Inside Information
Defining Depictions
Ask a Word

11. Connect Text to Experience
Ask questions such as these:
Does this sound familiar?
What does this remind you of?
What have you already read about this?
Have you seen a video/TV show on this topic?
Relate reading to actual or vicariously acquired experiences
Before, during and after reading
Materials to support strategy
RAN Strategy
Double Entry Journal
Text to self, text, world connections

12. Monitor Comprehension
Model comprehension strategies
Monitor comprehension by stopping at intervals and asking if it makes sense
Use fix-up strategies to deal with comprehension obstacles
Materials to support strategy
Clicks & Clunks
Fix-Up Strategies to Repair Clunks
Flow Chart
Concept Maps
Jigsaw
Power Notes

13. Check for Understanding
Stop periodically and reflect on understanding
Confirm that purpose(s) for reading is being or has been met
Summarize or paraphrase important points and details
Use during and after reading
Materials to support strategy
Paraphrasing
Summarizing
VIPs

14. Teach Reading Strategies
Provide direct instruction of sufficient length and duration to provide opportunities for developing competence and automaticity
Model the skill or strategy
Provide opportunities for guided and independent practice
Provide positive feedback as students put strategies into practice
Give opportunities to use newly learned skills
Provide periodic reviews and extensions
Show how strategies can be combined, i.e., how previewing the text can help students set a purpose and select a pace for reading
Give opportunities to practice strategies with a variety of texts

15. Resources AdLIT.org Comprehension Toolkit, Goudvis & Harvey
Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?, Cris Tovani
I Read It But I Don’t Get It, Cris Tovani
Florida Center for Reading Research,
Read,Write,Think.com
Revisit, Reflect, Retell-Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension, Linda Hoyt
Strategies That Work, Goudvis & Harvey
Subjects Matter-Every Teacher’s Guide to Content-Area Reading, Harvey Daniels & Steven Zemelman
Thinkport.org, sponsored by Maryland Public Television & Johns Hopkins University Center for Technology in Education