Raise the Bar Reading

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Using Differentiated Reading Passages for Nonfiction Reading

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We know that all students need access to grade level content area information, but how can we make this happen with students of so many varying reading levels?

Some ways to support students in understanding difficult content area information are using engaging videos, photos, presentations, and giving clear oral descriptions. However, students still need to practice taking in information through nonfiction texts independently in order to be successful lifelong learners.

WHY SHOULD I USE DIFFERENTIATED READING PASSAGES?


One simple way to help students with nonfiction reading comprehension is to use differentiated reading passages. This way, students still get the same access to the content, vocabulary, nonfiction reading skills, and activities. The only thing that is different is that now the text is accessible to them in order to dive into reading comprehension.

Differentiated Reading Passages allow students to:

  • Access grade level content area information at their own reading level
  • Practice important nonfiction reading skills
  • Build independence in reading informational texts
  • Participate confidently in follow up conversations and activities about the information
  • Feel successful in reading nonfiction texts

HOW DO I USE DIFFERENTIATED READING PASSAGES?

Using different leveled reading passages in your classroom is not something that needs to be announced, or obvious, to students. Simply passing out passages strategically is all that it takes. You can use differentiated passages with partners that have the same leveled text, in small guided reading groups, or for independent reading.

The key is that all follow up content area vocabulary and comprehension activities can be completed regardless of the level text they have been assigned.

Aside from access to the content area, differentiating reading passages can be used to support growing readers in developing strong nonfiction reading skills. Some examples of nonfiction reading skills include citing text evidence, using nonfiction text features, analyzing quotes, paraphrasing, summarizing nonfiction, identifying main idea and supporting details, etc.

Providing students a differentiated reading passage that they can easily read and comprehend allows them to put their energy into working on the target skill.

Nonfiction differentiated reading passages are also a very helpful resource for ESL teachers or special educators supporting their students in content area classes. They can be used to preview information and academic vocabulary these students will encounter alongside their grade level peers.

WHERE CAN I FIND DIFFERENTIATED READING PASSAGES?

There are many options for finding differentiated nonfiction reading passages. We have differentiated reading comprehension passages available in our TpT shop for reading levels 3-5. Each topic comes with 3 reading levels that focus on the same academic vocabulary words, and use the same reading comprehension activities.

Each of our passages come in a printable, or interactive Google Slides format. The printable and digital are available to purchase separately or together.

Below is a list of free websites that can be used to find reading passages at varying reading levels. Some do require an e-mail sign up:

  • ReadWorks: This is a HUGE collection of nonfiction and fiction reading passages, including a collection specifically for ELLs.  There is a search option to find articles on tons of topics that you could be studying in class, and you can search by Lexile or standard.  Students can play audio that reads the article aloud to them.  Highlighted words can be clicked on for a student friendly definition in English, as well as a Spanish or Chinese translation for the word.  Students will need to sign up with an e-mail address in order to access the free reading passages.
  • National Geographic Kids: Tons of great free videos and nonfiction reading passages for kids that are very high interest with beautiful visuals.  They are especially great for researching specific animals.
  • Highlights Kids: Fiction stories and short nonfiction texts with visuals.  The website is geared to younger kids and could be appropriate for up to around 6th grade.
  • Scholastic News: If you scroll past the paid magazine subscription, there are free articles that change periodically.  These are great because they have helpful visuals and nonfiction text features, as well as a text-to-speech option.   You can even select reading level “on level” or “lower level” as an added level of differentiation.  There is also an option to “open magazine view” in Spanish or English.
  • Scholastic Student Activities: Search by grade level and resource type (games, listen and read, etc.) to see different topics currently available for kids.  The “Listen and Read” passages are great, because they are read aloud and presented as a book displaying a small amount of text with a visual on each page. 
  • CommonLit: Reading passages for 3rd-12th grade.  You can search by grade level, Lexile, genre and standards.  They also have reading passages available in Spanish.  Many of the passages can be read without a login, but to access the read aloud or translation features you do need to create a login with an e-mail address.
  • Smithsonian Kids: Nonfiction texts and games on tons of topics in history, social studies, and current events.
  • DOGO News: These are high interest, current events articles.  Students can click on vocabulary words to see their meanings.  In the paid version they can have the articles translated to Spanish or read aloud to them.
  • Newsela: These articles cover a wide range of topics including sports, arts, science, economics, etc.  The passages can be read aloud, and there’s a feature where you can change the Lexile on a specific article to make the same content more accessible to lower level readers.  Although they do offer some articles without a login, you need to create a free login to access all of the articles with your e-mail address.

Need more resources for differentiated informational texts for students? Check out my TpT shop!

Using Digital Graphic Organizers in Distance Learning

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Graphic organizers are such an important, versatile support for growing readers and writers.  They break down reading and writing skills in a visual way to make each skill clear, and therefore easier to understand and apply. 

In distance learning, more than ever, students need supports that can work for them in completing reading and writing tasks independently. 

With digital graphic organizers on Google Slides, you can assign students an entire pack of organizers at once to refer to throughout the year, or you can assign students one graphic organizer at a time. 

In the elementary reading classroom, or ELA classroom, I describe below how they can be used for Writing (Prewriting, Revising & Editing) and Reading (Nonfiction, Fiction, Reading Strategies, and Genres).  

DIGITAL WRITING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS:

Just getting started with a piece of writing, and organizing ideas, can be overwhelming for growing writers.  Graphic organizers that break down exactly what students need to do helps students get off to a successful start.  

Students can benefit from graphic organizers not only in prewriting, but also in editing and revising their writing.  

Writing strategies like creating a strong hook, using strong word choice, exploding a moment are so important in revising writing to be the best that it can be.  Graphic organizers make these difficult strategies more accessible to students when writing independently.

They are also helpful in a teacher conference, or peer editing.  The teacher or partner can fill in forms to make it clear to the writer exactly what they need to work on.  

DIGITAL READING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS:

Independent reading response in distance learning can be made so much easier for students with digital graphic organizers.  They are so helpful in supporting students of multiple reading levels with practicing the same reading skills.

Graphic organizers are so versatile in that they work for addressing tons of reading skills, whether you are working on fiction specific skills, nonfiction skills, elements of genres, or reading comprehension strategies with any text.

Personally, I like breaking down reading graphic organizers into 4 categories – Reading Comprehension Strategies, Fiction Skills, Nonfiction Skills, and Genres.

1.  Reading Comprehension Strategies:

These are graphic organizers that can be used with ANY book, nonfiction or fiction.  They focus on strategies good readers use to monitor their comprehension and understand the text.  Some strategies include making predictions, visualizing, using background knowledge, asking questions, determining importance, etc.

2. Fiction Skills:

These digital fiction graphic organizers target skills specific to reading literature.  Some fiction skills include identifying story elements, analyzing character, retelling, character point of view, types of conflict, etc.  

3. Nonfiction Skills:

Breaking down nonfiction skills with graphic organizers is such a great way to support students in navigating and comprehending nonfiction.  They are so helpful for independent reading or distance learning, since they break down each skill with visuals. 

4.  Genres: 

Understanding genre is so important in helping students to make connections, and ultimately comprehend, a new book of the same genre.  It helps students learn who they are as readers, and put a label to the types of books they tend to enjoy.  

Digital genre graphic organizers are so helpful in breaking down elements of different genres for students. Read more about ways to teach genres in this blog post.  

Check out the Digital Reading Organizers packs in my TpT Shop!  All graphic organizers are available as digital only, paper only, or a bundle of both paper and digital organizers.  

Teaching Efficiently: Ways to Use the Same Poster

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It is so helpful to have reading and writing anchor charts or posters available for students in multiple formats.  This way, students have their posters to refer to at home or in different classroom settings besides just the classroom.

A few months into the school year, it can be easy to have posters taking over your walls.  Although it is certainly helpful for students to have access to visuals on the wall, they have the opposite effect when they become overcrowded and too busy.  When students have access to their own posters, it allows you to clear off posters from the wall after you have worked on a skill.

Below are some other ways you can use the same poster:

1. ORGANIZE POSTERS ON A KEY RING: 

Organizing posters on a key ring is a great way for students to easily access tons of reference posters.  They can remove or add posters to their key ring as needed.  You can have them organized in different key rings by topic (i.e. reading strategies, vocabulary, etc.) or by skills they have worked on and skills they are/will work on. 

On the key ring above, I printed this set of posters at 4/page under print settings.  You could of course print them larger or smaller and still use the key ring though.  

2. MAKE DIVIDERS:

If you are working on a specific reading or writing skill, you could have students create dividers using their posters as the cover of that section. 

They can glue their poster right onto a 3-ring binder page tabs or onto a page with a sticky note in their binder.  Then, students can reference their poster as they fill in targeted graphic organizers or writing on the following pages.  

3. DISPLAY AS A FOCUS NEXT TO A WORD WALL:

I like to have a word wall of terms with basic, brief, student-friendly definitions up for a topic all year long.  The smaller cards don’t take up as much wall space.  Then, next to the word wall cards I display a full-page, more detailed poster zooming in on the skill we are working on.  

4. PRINT POSTERS SMALLER FOR INTERACTIVE NOTEBOOKS:

You can print posters at a smaller percent or even 2/page to make smaller posters that fit more easily into a composition notebook. 

5. PRINT AS A LARGE POSTER:
If you are looking to print a full-page anchor chart even larger, check out this blog post on how to print a large poster using four 8.5” by 11” pieces of paper.

6. PROVIDE POSTERS DIGITALLY:

Providing reading and writing posters in a format like Google Slides™ is a sure way to keep posters intact and organized.  It also ensures students will pretty much always have access to them, whether they are at home or in school.

The posters used in the pictures above come from my Reading Posters and Writing Posters sets!  

     

Engaging and Meaningful Fiction Reader Response for Elementary Students

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Each classroom brings students of multiple learning styles and backgrounds.  It is our job to provide opportunities that reach all of the many different learning styles that come to us.  For this reason, it is important that we continually switch up the types of reader response we offer to students.  Below are engaging, hands-on, visual ways to reach students beyond providing reading comprehension questions:

1. STORY MAP STICK-IT! 
Version 1 – Writing:Each story element is given a different color sticky note.  While reading, students (independently, with a partner, or in small groups) stop to record details for a story element on the corresponding colored sticky notes.  They can organize them while reading, or after reading onto their own story maps.  Students can stick multiple on top of each other for each category (i.e. one sticky note for each character under “Characters”).
Tips:
  -Be sure to remind students not to write at the very top of sticky notes if they will be layering them or the top of their writing will be covered.  
  -If you do not want students layering their sticky notes into booklets, another option is to have them use a large piece paper instead of in their notebooks.  They can spread out each sticky note under the appropriate story element.

Version 2 – Mark & Discuss:In this version, students use small colored tabs and place them onto the text where there is text evidence giving the reader insight to a particular story element.  After reading, students discuss each tab that they used to mark the text with a partner.  I have a poster I use to show each story element, but you can definitely keep it simple and just write the color to use for each story element on the board!

  • Pink – Character (This text evidence gives information that gives you a deep look into a character.)
  • Orange – Setting (This text evidence describes the setting.)
  • Yellow – Plot/Key Event (This event is important to understanding the story.)
  • Blue – Problem (This text evidence describes the problem.)
  • Green – Solution (This text evidence shows steps towards the solution.)

2. FICTION GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS:Graphic organizers are so versatile and provide a great visual support for growing readers.  They work for anything from analyzing character traits to breaking down a fiction summary.  Be sure to snag 4 free graphic organizers from the fiction graphic organizers pack in my TpT shop.  They include:

  • Setting: Visualize It!
  • Character Mind Takeover: “In_________’s Shoes”
  • Analyze a Character: Traits, Actions, Motivations & Feelings
  • Dialogue: Making Character Inferences

3. FICTION READING CRAFTS: 
Graphic organizers are super helpful go-tos, but they don’t always continually engage hands on learners.  Reading comprehension crafts are one interactive way students can visually see each fiction reading strategy and skill broken down. This, of course, will help students towards the ultimate goal of improving their reading comprehension of literature.
  

4. S.W.B.S.T. SUMMARY:

The S.W.B.S.T. summary provides students with a simple framework to guide their thinking when summarizing fiction texts.  You can display an anchor chart that describes each part of the summary in student-friendly terms.  Then. have students record their own summaries in either in a pre-made graphic organizer or their own organizers in their notebooks.

SOMEBODY: Be sure to let students know that this could be more than one character.
WANTED: What the character’s motivation? 
BUT: What is the conflict, or problem, that the character(s) face
SO: How did they solve this problem?
THEN: How did the story end?

5. FICTION BOOKMARKS:
Fiction bookmarks are such a helpful reference tool that also helps students to set a purpose for their reading.  They encourage students to really focus and master one fiction reading skill at a time (describing character traits, analyzing internal vs. external traits, making inferences, plot, point of view, etc.).  These double-sided fiction bookmarks have a mini reference poster on the front side, and the back side provides space for students to either fill in information directly onto the bookmark or re-use with sticky notes.  

Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies: Asking Questions & QAR Strategy

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Asking questions before, during, and after reading comes very naturally to skilled readers, but for struggling readers, this skill can be just the opposite.  Asking questions of varying depths is arguably the most important reading comprehension strategy we should teach and practice often with our students.  

 

WHY IS ASKING QUESTIONS AN IMPORTANT READING STRATEGY?

Asking questions helps students to:

  • Set a purpose before reading and have a clear focus for diving into a text.
  • Activate background knowledge before reading.
  • Monitor their own comprehension and clarify any misunderstandings while reading.
  • Make predictions before, during and after reading.
  • Analyze and question the author through an internal dialogue with the author.
  • Pave the road to use even more reading strategies that improve comprehension.  For example, asking questions during reading can help students draw conclusions, make inferences, or continually make predictions.
  • See that one source might not have all the answers.  This helps them to realize that learning about a topic in depth can be a more complex process than just reading piece of text.  

Below are 5 ways teachers can practice the asking questions strategy with their growing readers.

1. TEACHER THINK ALOUD:
When reading aloud any piece of text, teachers can use a think aloud technique to model how good readers continually ask themselves questions before, during, and after reading.  This technique can be thoughtfully planned ahead before implementing, but is also effective to demonstrate often with any piece of text read aloud in class.

2. PICTURE WALK & RECORD:
Either use pictures from the text, or find relevant photographs on the topic, to use for students to generate questions.  This helps students set a purpose for reading with authentic questions.  It allows them to hear and learn from their peers as well, creating a collaborative and free space for learning to take place.  

3. STICKY NOTES/MARGINS:
Before, during, and after reading, encourage students to generate their own questions.  They can record their questions in the margins on a printed text, or on sticky notes.

Teachers can also have students place these questions onto a collaborative anchor chart.  They can be left as is, or sorted through a class discussion into specific categories, such as:

  • “Thin”, factual questions vs. “Thick”, inferential questions.
  • The 4 QAR categories (see more on this strategy below): In the Text (Right There, Think & Search) vs. In My Head (Author & Me, On My Own)

One way students can record their own thinking on sticky notes is using these reading strategy bookmarks. The front side is a reference for the reading strategy and the backside is where students record their thinking.

4. INDEPENDENT READING RESPONSE:
Offering multiple ways that students use reading strategies independently can keep students engaged and help reach the many types of learners in a classroom.  Besides the sticky-notes strategy above, graphic organizers can be a very powerful tool for students to use while reading fiction or nonfiction.  

Below is also an example of an asking questions reading comprehension strategy craft.  It is similar to a traditional graphic organizer, but the format reaches hands-on learners.  

5. QAR STRATEGY:
Question-Answer Relationships (QAR) is a research-based strategy developed by literacy and reading expert, Taffy Rafael.  Its purpose is to help students become active and strategic readers.  Students learn the different types of questions that they can either ask themselves as they read, or be asked by a teacher/on an assessment.  This helps students become more comfortable with locating necessary information to answer any question that they have or that has been posed to them.

QAR breaks down questions into 4 categories:
In the Text:
1. Right There
2. Think & Search

In My Head:
1. Author & Me
2. On My Own

Understanding question-answer relationships teaches students what types of thinking is required to answer different levels and types of questions. With QAR, students practice generating and answering questions that can be found directly in the text, interacting with the text, or independent of the text.  While reading independently or in small groups, students can record their questions for each category on sticky notes.  These could be used for a class anchor chart, or for their own record (such as using the interactive reading strategies bookmarks seen below).

They can also independently record their QAR questions directly into reader’s notebooks, or into a graphic organizer like the ones seen below (traditional or lift the flap).

 

Teaching Students to Use Background Knowledge in the Elementary Reading Classroom

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Using prior knowledge is an essential strategy for reading comprehension.  The more knowledge students have on a topic, the easier it will be for them to understand, and make connections to, new texts.  Prior knowledge is also part of the building blocks for more difficult reading strategies, such as making inferences.

Below are 8 ways you can teach and practice the using background knowledge reading strategy in your classroom

1. COLLABORATIVE CLASS VISUAL:
Having group/class discussions along with some kind of recording visual is a great way to access background knowledge before reading.  You can switch up your visuals, as a basic KWL chart can only be engaging so many times.  One great way to build background knowledge is to first draw a shape that represents what you are learning about on an anchor chart or on the white board.  For example, when reading a book about ants, I would draw an ant with 3 large body parts.  Each student gets a post it to record what they already know about ants in the first segment, questions they have in the second segment, and what they learn in third segment.  I would then have some students share their post-its and then quickly go through any non-repeats we might have as part of a class discussion.  

Another, even simpler, way to do this is to just have students fill in their background knowledge on the entire picture.  After reading, we could go back to this visual with new information.  I might place a post it on each of the legs of the ant with questions we have or new pieces of information that we learn.  

2.  BUILD ON SMALLER TOPICS WITHIN ONE BROAD TOPIC:
To continue building background knowledge in students, I find it effective to stick to texts on one broad topic.  For example, after reading a text on ants I would focus on another insect.  Bees would be the next insect I would read about as they have similarities to ants in how they work in a colony, etc.  This helps students continue to build more knowledge and vocabulary, as well as make deeper connections.  

3. CLASS GALLERY WALK:
This works especially well for a larger unit.  The teacher chooses different sub-topics to write on chart paper along the wall.  For example, if you were preparing for an insects unit you could write body parts, types of insects, fireflies, bees, etc.  Each student gets to walk around with a marker (or pencil) and fill in information they already know about these sub-topics.  A more organized way to do this is to have students rotate to each chart in groups of 3-4 students.  They can choose one group member to write on the chart while discussing. You can also build off of this gallery walk throughout the unit or at the end, placing the charts back up on the walls for students to add information.

4. PICTURE WALK:
This simple activity works for texts that include visuals, such as photos or illustrations.  As you reveal each page of a picture book, discuss background knowledge, student connections, and predictions they have as to what is happening or what the book is about.

5. DISPLAY STRATEGY VISUALS:
Reading strategy posters are such an important reference to have on the walls of a classroom filled with growing readers.  One example of how to display these can be seen in the reading strategies word wall below.  One strategy can be highlighted at a time in a larger anchor chart.

All of the information found in the anchor chart is also on a background knowledge bookmark that readers use independently.  The back of the bookmark has a place for students to record how they use the strategy on sticky notes.  

6. PROVIDE REALIA OR VISUALS & DISCUSS:
I especially like to do this with text heavy articles or books.  I will find images about a topic and place them on a PowerPoint Presentation, but you could also print out visuals to discuss.  This is especially helpful for ELLs.   

Providing visuals and realia also lends itself to having students ask questions, so you could record questions that come up during the discussion.  This helps set authentic purpose for reading, and you can refer back to the questions during and after reading. 

7. FRONTLOAD WITH LOWER LEVELED TEXTS:
Along the same lines providing visuals, reading a picture book or text with a lower readability on a topic we are going to read a more difficult book on can be extremely beneficial in building background knowledge.  Frontloading, or pre-teaching, information in guided reading groups can prepare students for reading a more challenging text in a whole class setting. This is also a very helpful strategy for reading with ELLs.  

8. INDEPENDENT PRACTICE:
Beyond supporting students in accessing their prior knowledge on a topic, students then need to practice engaging in this strategy completely on their own.  Graphic organizers are helpful for students to take ownership of their individual thinking and learning.   

Another idea for a way that students can practice showing their thinking and visually see the importance of building background knowledge are through these background knowledge crafts.

5 Ways to Practice Nonfiction Text Features

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As adult readers, we know the importance of using nonfiction text features in order to help us understand the main body of text.  Headings help us to make predictions while reading, and then easily find information after reading.  Captions explicitly tell us what we are looking at in a photograph or picture that aligns to the text.  An index helps us to find the exact page that contains information on a topic we are researching.  The list goes on. 

It may seem like common sense to us, but it isn’t for our growing readers.  Without explicitly teaching and having students interact with text features, they could be missing out on a huge piece of their own nonfiction reading comprehension puzzle.  

Below are 5 ways to teach and practice nonfiction text features with your students. 

1. DISPLAY NONFICTION TEXT FEATURES VISUALS

nonfiction text features anchor chartHaving nonfiction text features displayed on your classroom wall is a great way to provide students with exposure to them all year long.  I like to display a nonfiction word wall that includes vocabulary cards nonfiction text features anchor chartshowing a text feature, a definition, and a visual example displayed as a reference.  When directly instructing text features, I have posters that hone in on just one or two text features at a time.  You can also create an anchor chart with cut-outs, or have students help you to create an anchor chart display with cut-out article examples from magazines or printed informational passages.  

2. TEXT FEATURES FLAG

While reading a nonfiction text or article, students first flag text features so they pay attention to them.  This helps them to learn their importance in nonfiction comprehension, and ultimately become more and more aware of seeking them out and internalizing them independently. 
There are other spins you could take on this too.  You can have students just flag one specific text feature you are working on throughout a text.  You can also have students use larger post-its to flag features and write on the post-it what they learned from it and why it is helpful.   

3. TEXT FEATURES GALLERY WALK

A text features gallery walk is a great way to expose students to nonfiction text features in many different layouts of nonfiction texts at one time. Students love that this text features activity gets them up and moving, so that is an added bonus!

Basically, you spread out at least the number of students to books.  If you have students work in partners you can do just half the number of students in your class.  Each book gets a number card placed right by it.  Then, students walk around with a nonfiction text features checklist to check off the text features they see in each book.

nonfiction text features anchor chart

4. NONFICTION TEXT FEATURES PUZZLES

I really like using puzzles for any vocabulary, because they are a hands-on activity and once you print and cut them out they can be used over and over.  They can be used as part of a reading center, in guided reading groups, as an early finisher activity, or as independent practice.  

5. GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS

I like to have students use graphic organizers while reading nonfiction.  This is not only to support them in organizing their ideas, but also for me to check their thought process and understanding.  Some organizers include…

  • recording pages that a text feature was on and how it helped them,
  • making predictions based on a text from skimming text features (cover, timelines, photos, etc.),
  • using images and captions to understand the text, and
  • creating images and captions to help visualize the text

For texts that do not use many photos/captions or headings/subheadings, it can be very helpful for students’ comprehension to have them create their own. 

If interested, I do have a bunch of differentiated nonfiction reading passages in my TpT shop that already come with these types of activities as well.  Caption It & Headings Match-Up has students match captions to the images and headings to the text. Another activity has students sort the nonfiction text features from the text and explain how they helped them.  

The resources pictured can be found in my TpT shop! Click on the covers below to check them out!
     

   

Looking for more resources on teaching nonfiction? Read this blog post on 5 Ways to Teach Nonfiction Text Structure.

5 Steps for Teaching Reading Strategies in an Elementary Classroom

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It can be very overwhelming, especially for my struggling readers, to focus on using multiple reading comprehension strategies with a piece of text.  For this reason, I always take time in at least the first quarter of the school year to teach and review them individually.  This way students have the academic language and practice under their belt when tackling texts that require use of many reading strategies.

You can teach them in any order, but I always begin with visualizing.  I find this to be the most concrete strategy for students to practice independently at any reading level.  Synthesizing Information is always what I teach last as I find it to be the most challenging.  I do teach each strategy differently, but here are the basic steps I take when teaching a strategy:

You’ll find that the major comprehension strategies taught from classroom to classroom can vary.  I personally love following the 7 Keys to Comprehension (Zimmerman and Hutchins, 2003) when teaching reading strategies for elementary students.

WHAT ARE THE 7 KEYS TO COMPREHENSION?
1. Visualize/Create Mental Images
2. Background Knowledge/Make Connections
3. Ask Questions
4. Make Inferences/Predictions
5. Determine Importance
6. Synthesize Information
7. Monitor Comprehension/Use Fix-Up Strategies

HOW I TEACH THE READING STRATEGIES IN 5 STEPS:

1. INTRODUCE THE STRATEGY WITH A POSTER/ANCHOR CHART

I have a reading strategies word wall hanging up on my wall year-round, but when I am about to explicitly teach one, I always use a larger, more detailed reading strategy poster (printed on 4 pieces of regular paper) so students really hone in on the one strategy we are working on.  I go through the anchor chart explaining what it is, along with details and a visual showing a quick example of the reading strategy.

2. MODEL READING STRATEGY WITH A READ ALOUD

I choose a book that works well for the particular strategy.  Then, I model using the strategy through a think aloud before, during, and after reading. I try to mix up using fiction and nonfiction texts, so that students see they can use reading comprehension strategies with ALL texts.  I also like to have examples or thinking stems (sentence starters) on the poster or written on the board as an extra support to push students to use the strategy correctly.

3. GUIDED READING

I either do this beginning with the second half of the book from Step 2 or with a different book. I do guided practice of a strategy through discussion as a whole class, providing students with sticky notes, having them markup passages, or giving them a graphic organizer.  With students that need more practice, I will continue working on the strategies with them in small groups.

4. INDEPENDENT PRACTICE


I love using reading strategy graphic organizers, highlighters, and sticky notes for independent practice.  I usually let students first independently practice with a book that we have all read as a class.  This helps me to see clearly who is really grasping using the strategy and who still needs help.  Then, I give them different graphic organizers for each strategy to use with their own independent reading books.

For hands on learners, and to just keep reader response fresh and engaging, these reading comprehension strategies crafts do the trick.  They are similar to graphic organizers, but are a bit more interactive in order to reach all types of learners in a classroom.

5. ONGOING READING STRATEGY REVIEW

As I introduce a new strategy, I have them continue to practice using ones we have already learned in order for them to get multiple exposures using all strategies.  I try not to teach them too close to each other unless I see that they are really using a new strategy well.  After introducing and practicing all strategies, which is usually by the 2nd half of the school year, I have graphic organizers available for them to choose whichever strategy they would like to work on during independent reading.  With some groups that always choose the same strategies, I will have them use a focused reading strategy check list (free) to ensure they are switching it up.

 

Want to read more about teaching reading strategies for elementary students?  Read about how to teach Making Connections in this blog post, Visualizing in this blog post, and Asking Questions in this blog post!

New School Year, New Blog!

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I have been meaning to start a blog for quite a while (like 2+ years a while!), but life is just so busy!  With the new school year rolling around, I decided now is a good time to get a fresh start.  I’m really excited to take the plunge into the teacher blogosphere!

A little background on me and how I got to this point:
I was an ELL Reading Intervention teacher for Grades K-8 (and grades 9-12 for a few years as well) for 7 years.  I love, love, loved my job, but spanning that many grades and levels could be very challenging as you can imagine!  Throw 100+ kiddos per year in there, and life could get insane!

I found that as a reading specialist, there were very few actual teaching resources handed to me.  I was constantly working to create materials to reach each of my students.  Thus, about two years when I decided to stay home to take care of my children, I also started my TpT store, Raise the Bar Reading.   Creating reading and ELL resources has really become a huge passion of mine – more so than I ever would have imagined.  It has pushed me to take the time to up my game in creating professional materials for my students and has given me a renewed energy for my classroom.  I am building a huge bank of resources to use over the years, and (bonus!) making some extra income as well.  Win, win!

What you can expect to read about in this blog is tons of teaching strategies and ideas for teaching reading and supporting ELLs in your classroom.  I love reading research and applying it to my instruction as well as in creating teaching resources.  I plan to share some of my favorite research-based strategies and how I implement them in my classroom.

Thanks for stopping by!
Cass 🙂

 

Teaching Students to Visualize

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Visualizing the text is such an important strategy used for building your students’ reading comprehension.  It is very versatile as it can be used in different ways with students of all ages and reading levels.

I follow the 7 Keys to Comprehension (Zimmerman and Hutchins, 2003) in my classroom.  Of the seven reading strategies (Visualize, Use Background Knowledge, Ask Questions, Make Inferences, Determine Importance, Synthesize Information, & Monitor Comprehension), visualizing is always the first reading strategy I teach.  I feel it is the most concrete for my students to grasp.

INTRODUCE THE VISUALIZING STRATEGY:

To introduce this reading strategy to my students, I first go over a Visualizing Poster/Anchor Chart that describes what visualizing is, how good readers visualize, and gives a brief example. 

Then, I use a think aloud technique where I read part of a text aloud and then stop to verbalize what the text makes me picture in my mind.  In my think-aloud, I describe how the author’s use of adjectives and sensory details helps bring the text alive to the reader.  To practice this strategy, I first choose a book with tons of descriptive language.  If it is a picture book, I do not reveal the actual illustration until the end of the lesson. I like to begin by simply having students close their eyes as I read a part of a story aloud.  This is also a great way to practice listening comprehension. 

I like to read the passage twice.  After reading, I do one of two things:

  1. Have students turn and talk to a neighbor about what they saw in their minds, along with what words from the text were helpful in allowing them to create this visualization.  
  2. Have students each draw their own illustration on a blank piece of paper.

I check in on students as they are finishing up their visualizations, or have them present them.  This helps me learn more about how the minds of my students’ work and how they are comprehending the story, or passage.  I might ask them, 

  • “What did you see in your mind, or visualize, as you read?” 
  • “What words in the text made you visualize that?” 
  • “Did your visualization change at all from the first to the second reading?” 

ONGOING PRACTICE VISUALIZING:

I make a reusable anchor chart for visualizing as a whole class or in small group lessons.  For the excerpt from the text, I use a plastic sheet protector (cut in half) where I place whatever quote/passage we are using to visualize.  From that text is a giant thought bubble for students to put post-its with their visualizations.

I personally don’t have students write their names on the front, although sometimes with the whole class (rather than a small group lesson) I will have them write their names on the back so I can be sure to know if anyone was way off with their visualization.

Here is a closer look at how I make the anchor chart reusable:

MORE WAYS TO PRACTICE:

  • Both students in a pair choose a short passage to read to their partner.  While one reads, the other draws their visualization.  Then, they switch. 
  • Teacher passes out a short excerpt from a book, or a passage, to each student for them to create their own visualizations.  Have students highlight words or phrases that were helpful to them in creating their image. 
  • Students independently read texts, recording their visualizations on post-its, a reader’s notebook, or in graphic organizers.  

This visualizing graphic organizers can be found in the Visualizing Graphic Organizers Set.  The Visualizing anchor chart at the top is from my Reading Strategies Anchor Charts and Posters. The interactive organizers right above are from the Visualizing Comprehension Crafts.

Looking for more resources for teaching Reading Strategies?  Read this blog post on 5 Steps for Teaching Reading Comprehension Strategies!