Reading Strategies That Improve Comprehension

It's that time again - although I am a few days late - to link up with Teaching Little Miracles for:

http://teachinglittlemiracles.blogspot.com/2017/08/goals-9-and-10-reading-strategies-book.html

If you'd like to catch up from the beginning of this book study, head here:

The Reading Strategies Book - Breaking It Down

Goals 1 and 2

Goals 3 and 4

Goals 5 and 6

Goals 7 and 8

Goals 9 and 10

Goal 11 - Understanding Vocabulary and Figurative Language
In fact, research shows that if students are truly to understand what they read, they must be able to understand, not only decode upward of 95 percent of the words. (p. 297)

*Strategy 11.1 Retire Overworked Words

This is absolutely a strategy that I use right from the get-go. My students love to describe a character as nice or kind way too often throughout the school year, and we need to work constantly on using more specific adjectives such as honest, respectful or caring...

*Goal 11.3 Insert a Synonym

Synonyms are words that mean the same.

I love this strategy, and it explains why I always used my thesaurus every time I needed to write a paper (I LOVED my thesaurus!).

Goal 11.9 Stick to your Story

This strategy comes into play in a big way when we are preparing for our MCAS tests (state testing). When answering questions that refer directly back to the story, students often invent their own version of what happened or they'll tell a story of what happened to them. Either way, they're not answering the question ~ either because they didn't understand the story, the question being asked or both.

Goal 12 - Speaking, Listening, and Deepening Comprehension
*Strategy 12.1 Listen with Your Whole Body

This is such a life skill that needs constant review and reinforcement. I often find myself refocusing my attention when I'm listening to another person. Having someone listen to you is such a gift.

Strategy 12.10 Sentence Starter Sticks

In this activity students chose a stick with a sentence starter on it. They use the sentence starter to begin their answer:

Here's the best part - I took a class years ago and made similar sticks with questions, and I've never used them. Needless to say, I am bringing them to school this year!