Reading
strategy awareness inventory
This inventory provides an opportunity to learn
about your students' reading to learn skills.
Guidelines
for teaching learning strategies
This is a very brief set of guidelines for teaching
learning strategies. The article appears in an on-line journal devoted
to ESOL instruction, but the suggestions have broad applicability. While
there, look around at other issues of the journal, at other articles in
which you might find ideas.
Cognitive
strategies
This review of research, "Advances in Research
on Instruction," provides teachers with guidelines for assisting children
in the development of cognitive strategies. Learn about the importance
of scaffolding information for children. Suggestions for instruction from
this chapter include: providing guided practice, reciprocal teaching, and
modeling think alouds.
Cognitive
strategy instruction
"The cognitive strategy research of 1975
to 1990 has produced an impressive series of results, and, even more important,
has produced a technology for continuing this line of research and practice."
Thus begins another research review by Barak Rosenshine, under the title
"The Case for Explicit, Teacher-led, Cognitive Strategy Instruction."
Reciprocal
teaching
What is reciprocal teaching? This document provides
a brief description of the comprehension monitoring tool. The four key
components of reciprocal teaching are described.
Inquiry
charts
James Hoffman's article, "Critical reading/thinking
across the curriculum: Using I-charts to support learning", discusses the
importance of teaching children to compare and contrast information about
a topic from multiple sources. The author gives a description of how to
create and use an inquiry chart to promote students' comprehension.
Think,
pair, share
This strategy was designed to facilitate student
participation in classroom discussions. A step-by-step guide to implementing
the strategy is presented.
Library
of graphic organizers
Teachers can download usable copies of a multitude
of graphic organizers.
Graphic
organizers
For a description of spider maps, KWLHs, network
trees, and other graphic organizers, check out this site.
More
graphic organizers
The examples on this page offer ideas for content
area teachers. Suggestions on using graphic organizers in English, science,
social studies, and mathematics are available. Look at the concept map
on concept mapping.
Semantic
maps and other graphic organizers
This site gives examples of 12 graphic organizers,
including semantic mapping, problem/solution, chain of events, and cycle
organizers. Descriptions of each accompany the graphic display.
Graphic
organizers and accompanying questions
Graphic organizers such as thinking grids and
KWLHs are described here. With each graphic organizers one will find a
description, a list of suggestions, critical questions, and ideas for use.
Incorporating
technology into units of study
Have a look at the ideas for enhancing thematic
units with technology. If by chance you're teaching any of these topics,
the links and materials here may be of interest.
Metacognition,
prior knowledge, and motivation
The National Center to Improve the Tools of Educators
offers this document that discusses the importance of metacognition in
reading comprehension. Within the document, the authors provide information
on the influence of prior knowledge and motivation on metacognitive
strategies.
Schema
theory of learning
What is schema? This brief article lists characteristics
of schemata and includes principles that teachers may apply to their classroom.
Prior
knowledge
This Eric document discusses the importance of
prior
knowledge in comprehension. It lists suggestions for enriching prior knowledge.
Concrete examples are provided that offer suggestions for the classroom
teacher.
Concept
mapping
Building prior knowledge may be facilitated through
concept mapping. Click here for a description of the classroom activity
and an example.
Anticipation
guides
Kid Reach offers a description of anticipation
guides and provides multiple examples. Check out the list of anticipation
guides for a variety of stories, grades K-12th. Lesson plans are
attached.
