Fix Up Strategies

Strategies students can use when reading -

* Reread - It is OK to reread text you have already read. Maybe you misread a word or left out a word that helps the meaning of the text.

*Read Ahead - You might want to continue reading for a couple of sentences if you are confused. If the confusion is not cleared up after a few sentences, try a different strategy.

* Figure out the unknown words - You may use a dictionary, ask the teacher, or look at the word and see if you have seen or heard it somewhere before. Do Not Skip the word altogether.

*Make a mental image - Make a movie in your head as you read - This will help you visualize and comprehend better.

* Purpose - Think about  WHY you are reading - Is it for enjoyment? Is it to prepare for an exam? Think about the topic you have been looking at? How does it fit it?

*Ask Questions - BEFORE you read, WHILE you read and AFTER you read. This makes you more actively engaged in your reading , you will be looking for answers while you read and this will help you remember what you have you read.

*Make Predictions - BEFORE you read, WHILE you read and AFTER you read - think about what might happen next.

*Stop to think - Every so often as you read , you should think about what you have read. If you don't remember anything you have read PAUSE and SUMMARIZE IN YOUR HEAD.

*Make connections - To what you already know. As you read you should think about how the information fits in with what you know about yourself, what you've read in other texts and how what you have read fits into the real world. This will help you remember what you read.

* Text features - Recognize and use text features and text structure like Headings, Illustrations, Captions, charts etc.

Exit Slips

Why use exit slips?

• They provide teachers with an informal measure of how well students have understood a topic or lesson.
• They help students reflect on what they have learned.
• They allow students to express what or how they are thinking about new information.
• They teach students to think critically 

How to use exit slips

1. At the end of your lesson ask students to respond to a question or prompt.
   
   • Prompts that document learning:
     — Example: Write one thing you learned today.
     — Example: Discuss how today's lesson could be used in the real world.
   
   
   • Prompts that emphasize the process of learning:
     — Example: I didn't understand…
     — Example: Write one question you have about today's lesson.
   
   
   • Prompts to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction:
     — Example: Did you enjoy working in small groups today?
   
   
   • Other exit prompts include:
     — I would like to learn more about…
     — Please explain more about…
     — The thing that surprised me the most today was…
     — I wish…
2. You may state the prompt orally to your students or project it visually on an overhead or blackboard.

3. You may want to distribute 3 x 5 cards for students to write down their responses.

4. Review the exit slips to determine how you may need to alter your instruction to better meet the needs of all your students.

Super Six Reflection Bookmarks

 

 

How to do it?

Students use bookmarks to reflect on the comprehension strategies they have used to help them with their reading.
If students are reading a longer text, like a novel, they can use a bookmark every chapter or so to reflect on their class work.
The bookmarks look like this -

 

How did it go?

This was used in a focus group - who were reading a short chapter book. After each section of reading the students completed an activity and then used the bookmarks to reflect on what and how they have learned.

 

Materials:

Bookmarks (On the U drive)