Description
Learners stop and think about the text and know what to do when meaning is disrupted.
Example Questions and statements
- What does this word mean?
- Do I need to re-read this?
- What have I learned here?
- Is this making sense to me?
Teaching Ideas
The Coding Strategy
What is it?
How to do it?
I knew that Tick
New information +
I thought differently -
I don’t understand ?
*After reading, students share and compare ideas.
How did it go?
This teaching idea has been used across several faculties and is always an engaging, effective activity. Students are really good at pointing out what is new information and what they need help with.
Handy Hints
Use photocopies so that students are not writing in books.
Have a copy of how to code where all students can see it - on a poster or on a digital projector.
Say Something
What is it?
Students ask questions DURING a reading activity as a text is being read aloud. They use a bookmark or poster to remind them of sentence stems to help them ask a question.(It interrupts a student’s reading of the text so they can think about what he or she is reading.)
Say Something is designed to build the expectation that readers talk to each other about their reading, but what they talk about is up to them.
How to do it?
1. The group is given a text to read out loud.
2. During reading the teacher stops and says "Say Something" The teacher can either choose a student or ask for someone to share their thoughts.
3. Students refer to the prompts they have been given (On a bookmark or poster.)
4. Students must do one of the following:
How to use exit slips
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.
Say Something is designed to build the expectation that readers talk to each other about their reading, but what they talk about is up to them.
How to do it?
1. The group is given a text to read out loud.
2. During reading the teacher stops and says "Say Something" The teacher can either choose a student or ask for someone to share their thoughts.
3. Students refer to the prompts they have been given (On a bookmark or poster.)
4. Students must do one of the following:
*Make a prediction
*Ask a question
*Clarify something
*Make a comment
*Make a connection
The prompts that are printed on a book mark or poster can be:
*I think that
* I bet that
* I think the next thing to happen will be....
* I wonder if
Ask a question
*Why did?
*What is the part about?
*What would happen if?
*Do you think that?
*Who is?
* I don't get this part
Clarify Something
* This part is really saying
*I think this part means
* This part is confusing because
Make a comment
*This is good because
*This is hard because
*My favourite part so far is
* I don't like this part becasue
* I think that
Make a connection
*This is similar to
*This reminds me of
*This is just like a book I read
How did it go?
This was used in a History class. The students were given a handout on WW1. This strategy worked well as students were able to stop and process the information as it was being read. Many students were able to ask questions, clarify meaning and make connections with films and tv shows that had seen about WW1. It was an easy way for students to say when they did not understand an idea or expression.
Handy Hints
This lesson works well if every student has a bookmark - that is their own to keep - with all of these stem starters on them. Students will need help at first to choose a stem starter they are comfortable with.
Materials
* A "Say Something' book mark
* Text to read out loud - every student needs their own copy.
* I bet that
* I think the next thing to happen will be....
* I wonder if
Ask a question
*Why did?
*What is the part about?
*What would happen if?
*Do you think that?
*Who is?
* I don't get this part
Clarify Something
* This part is really saying
*I think this part means
* This part is confusing because
Make a comment
*This is good because
*This is hard because
*My favourite part so far is
* I don't like this part becasue
* I think that
Make a connection
*This is similar to
*This reminds me of
*This is just like a book I read
How did it go?
This was used in a History class. The students were given a handout on WW1. This strategy worked well as students were able to stop and process the information as it was being read. Many students were able to ask questions, clarify meaning and make connections with films and tv shows that had seen about WW1. It was an easy way for students to say when they did not understand an idea or expression.
Handy Hints
This lesson works well if every student has a bookmark - that is their own to keep - with all of these stem starters on them. Students will need help at first to choose a stem starter they are comfortable with.
Materials
* A "Say Something' book mark
* Text to read out loud - every student needs their own copy.
Read, Cover, Remember, Retell
How to do it?
Read, Cover, Remember, Retell is designed to help readers slow down and read for meaning. They begin by reading a small amout of text , (Maybe a paragraph or two) then covering the print with their hand. While their hands are over the page readers take a moment to wonder "What did I learn?" "What did I remember?" The teacher asks the students these questions. If students cannot remember they are allowed to reread the passage to absorb the content.
How did it go?
I have used this idea in many clssrooms. It is a very simple and effective technique. The pause in reading, followed by questioning solidifies content understanding and helps students monitor their understanding and learning.
Materials
Read , Cover, Remember, Retell boomarks (optional) Like the ones below : (On the U drive)
Think Marks
What is it?
"Think marks" ensure that students are reading for MEANING and reflecting on what they can comprehend. It also forces them to be active learners as they have to have an OPINION!
How is it done?
Students cut 6 post it notes into strips.
Students write a symbol on each note. For example
LOL - Funny part
! - Surprising part
* - Important part
Heart - Favourite part
W - Wonder part ( something you wonder about, have a question about, might even predict something about.)
As they are reading, either individually or out loud, students place their think marks wherever they are appropriate.
After reading, or during, students must justify their choices.
How did it go?
This was used during a focus group. The students LOVED this activity. They were excellent at justifying their choices and it reinforced their understanding of the text.
Materials
Text
Sticky notes
Scissors
Think Marks
What is it?
"Think marks" ensure that students are reading for MEANING and reflecting on what they can comprehend. It also forces them to be active learners as they have to have an OPINION!
How is it done?
Students cut 6 post it notes into strips.
Students write a symbol on each note. For example
LOL - Funny part
! - Surprising part
* - Important part
Heart - Favourite part
W - Wonder part ( something you wonder about, have a question about, might even predict something about.)
As they are reading, either individually or out loud, students place their think marks wherever they are appropriate.
After reading, or during, students must justify their choices.
How did it go?
This was used during a focus group. The students LOVED this activity. They were excellent at justifying their choices and it reinforced their understanding of the text.
Materials
Text
Sticky notes
Scissors
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
- 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…
- Prompts that document learning:
- 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment