Summarising

Description

Learners identify and accumulate the most important ideas and restate them in your own words.

Example Questions and Statements

• List the main ideas and details
• Who, what, when, where, why
• Tell someone else the basic facts
• Use lists, mind maps, annotations

 

Teaching Ideas

 

V.I.P.s

 

As students read a text, they tear off sticky notes to mark the points in the text that they feel are significant. These may be points of interest, points of confusion or points where students felt a personal connection.

 

How to do it?

 

 1.Students read a text – or short sections of a text.

2.Tear off pieces of sticky notes.
3.As students read they mark points in the text they feel are important.
4.These may be points of interest, points of confusion or points where students make a personal connection!
5.Students write the VIP on the sticky note and place it on the text to mark where it is.
6.Students share their V.I.P.’s with a partner and tell them WHY they chose each V.I.P.
7.The sticky notes are placed into student's notebooks , so that you have a summary of the text. They then discuss and reflect as a class.
How did it go?
This teaching idea was used in a history lesson. The students were reading a text book and focusing on "The Afterlife in Ancient Egypt" and they were asked to choose the most important points in the text. The students were engaged and working together to decide which points were the most important. Students liked sticking their points into their notebooks afterwards and having an "instant" summary.

Class materials

Post it notes that are cut so that there are slim strips of paper extending out from the sticky edge.



Box The main Idea, Bullet the Details

 

 

How to do it?

 

Box the main idea and bullet the detail can be done after a paragraph, section or page of reading. After the section of text has been read and discussed, students choose the main idea. (Usually only one or two sentences.) and write it in the box that says "Main Idea" or "Box the main idea."

Students are then to choose 1, 2, or 3 three ( however many you want)  supporting details to write in bullet points ( Dot points) in the box below, that says "Supporting ideas" or "Bullet the details". (Whatever you choose to use.)

It can look like this:

 

Or this:

 

 

 





How did it go?

This was used in a Geography class on Reading Maps. After each section we boxed the main idea and from each subheading we chose one detail to write in the box beneath.

This meant that the class , after reading each section had to explain and understand what they had read before finsing the main idea.

 

There are many ways to do this activity. It is about monitoring what we have read and summarising effectively.

 

Materials

Box the main idea handouts

 

Alpha boxes

 



What is it?

Alpha boxes are a fun and stimulating way to reflect on a story or unit of study.

 

How to do it

* Read a text.

* After reading, (or even during) students work independantly, in pairs or small groups to think of words that reflect important points in the story.

*They insert their words into the appropriate alphaboxes on the form, making sure they tell how each selected word related to the topic.

*Students should fill up as many boxes as possible.

 

 

For Example - If students read the story of Cinderella they could write in box F - Fairy godmother - helps cinderella with a carriage and a dress to get her to the ball.

Or they could write under box M - Midnight is when the spell wears off.

*Afterwards students should refelct on this teaching idea and consider "What were the steps that I followed in using this tool?"

and "How did this tool help me as a learner?"

 

How did it go?

This lesson was used in a focus group. Students read the short story SMART ICE CREAM by Paul Jennings.

The students enjoyed the activity and showed a strong understanding of the narrative and it's characters and themes.

*Alhphaboxes would be a great tool to use when studying or learning non- fiction texts. (History, Science, Health, Geography, Music , Art and Maths!)

 

Handy Hints

Have a clear example to show the students before they begin. Perhaps use a text or story they are all familiar with.

 

Materials

Alphabox handout

Reading material

 

Paragraph shrinking

1. Choose the assigned reading and introduce the text to the students.
2. Create pairs within the classroom by identifying which children require help on specific skills and who the most appropriate children are to help other children learn those skills.
3. Model the procedure to ensure that students understand how to use the strategy.
4. Have each member of the teacher-assigned pair take turns being "Coach" and "Player."
5. Ask each student to read aloud for 5 minutes without rereading a text. After each paragraph, students should stop to summarize the main points of the reading. Ask students to then summarize the following information:
   • The who or what of the paragraph
   • The most important thing about who or what
   • The main idea
   Note: If a "Player" ever gives a wrong answer, the "Coach" asks the "Player" to skim the paragraph again and answer question a second time.
6. Ask students to state the main idea in 10 words or less which will encourage them to monitor comprehension while taking turns reading.
7. Award each pair points when the above goals of the strategy are met.

Differentiated instruction 

• Have students work together to write out the main points of the reading.
• Change the pairs regularly so that all students have the opportunity to be "coaches" and "players."
• Monitor and support students as they work together.