Mrs. McGowan's Class

 STRATEGIES TO BECOME A BETTER READER

Here are important reading strategies students can use before, during and after reading:

Before Reading

Predict what the book is about from the title.  Set a purpose for reading.  Ex.  I am going to read this book because I want to learn more about animals. Take a picture walk through the book.  Ask, What is happening in the pictures?

During Reading

·         Visualize - make a movie in your head just like you do when listening to a story.
 

·         Question - think about the story, asking yourself who, what, when, where, why, how.
 

·         Clarify - understand new words - figure out words using print strategies

o         Use finger to point under each word to keep track of where you are reading

o        Use beginning sounds to figure out words

o        Use ending sounds to figure out words

o        Use pictures on the page to help figure out a word

o        Use word chunks (group of letters in a pattern like _ack, _ight)

o        Look for a smaller word within the word

o        Read to the end of the sentence.  Sometimes the word that
makes sense pops right up!

o        Reread the sentence or passage to increase understanding
 

·         Make predictions - "What happens next?"
 

·         Make connections

o        What other story is like this one? (Text to Text Connection)

o        Have you felt the same away as a character in the story?  Did something similar happen to you? (Text to Self Connection)

o        Does it help you think about something in real life not directly connected to you?  (Text to World Connection)

After Reading

·         React - What did you think of the story?

o        How did it make you feel?
 

·         Summarize

o        What was most important in the story?  One way to do this is to think:
        ~ Someone
        ~ Did something
        ~ But (there was a problem)
        ~ Then (the problem gets solved)
        ~ Finally (what happened at the end?)